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Proud to be Part of the #EndingHunger Family

Monday, June 10th, 2013

Daliana Gandarillas

It is a Saturday morning, 7 AM during the winter; it is cold; I am serving a fresh hot breakfast on the streets of Washington D.C. Everyone receiving a meal with a smile on their face says “thank you”― my heart rejoices. Every time I go out to the streets to serve the homeless the most rewarding thing is to hear them say thank you!

This past week I was part of an event where I wasn’t the only one that has seen the need to help those that are hungry, myself along with 5 others were recognized by Sodexo Foundation as Heroes of Everyday Life® for serving in our communities in the fight against hunger.

Participating in Sodexo Foundation’s recognition event showed me the support and appreciation Sodexo has for people like me, who across the country are serving people in need. I also had the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill. I had seen it before, but this time I got to experience what the “Hill” is all about. I had the opportunity to share my story; why I am in the fight against hunger and my vision for the future. I visited my Congressman, Jim Moran, who welcomed me into his office not just for a picture, but to listen to what I had to say! I was able to invite him to join our group to take part in feeding the homeless with us. I was also able to visit Senator Warner, who had personally written me a letter thanking me for my efforts feeding the homeless. What an unforgettable opportunity!

The 2013 Sodexo Foundation 2013 Heroes of Everyday Life.

The next night was the BIG night! I was able to share time with Sodexo Foundation supporters from other companies and our own at the dinner to raise funds for hungry children. The theme of the dinner was Too Small to Ignore.”

It was so refreshing to meet the Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholars that are making a difference in their communities and encouraging more youth to join in the cause to end hunger. This time together changed my perspective about Sodexo and the kind of company they are.

This special night took them to a whole different level! They really showed their commitment to the fight against hunger. We shined as Heroes that night. It was nice to be recognized for the work we do in private from our hearts and with love. I no longer feel like an employee, but part of an ending hunger family. Now, I am more motivated and have many more ideas to continue in the fight!

With a smile on my face, I want to say “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” to all of the partners of Sodexo Foundation for the support. I want to thank Sodexo for being a company with a heart to serve people in need. I also want to congratulate my fellow Heroes and the young Scholars for bringing food, love, hope, and much more to many families and children in need.

Let’s continue the fight, join us!

Daliana Gandarillas is a Sodexo Marketing Coordinator at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. As part of the recognition, Daliana will receive a $5,000 grant, presented in her name to the hunger-relief charity of her choice, Lucas 4:18 a branch of Reach and Touch Ministries Inc. Meet the 2013 Heroes and Scholars that were honored on June 6th at the 14th Annual Sodexo Foundation Dinner in Washington, D.C. at www.SodexoFoundation.org.

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Everyone Counts – Documenting the Making of a Documentary

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

Nik Barkley

What are the numbers that bring a person’s story to life? To bring Nate’s story to life? Spoiler alert: It ends at 43.5 hours. That’s how long this journey took.

Nate Noss is a high school senior from St. Louis, MO who just won a Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship from Sodexo Foundation.We were hired by Sodexo Foundation to capture Nate’s story, so they could share a great portrait of selflessness, volunteerism and giving.

It began at 4:00 a.m., preparing for and making my way to a flight out of Boston at 6:30, traveling 2,588 miles round trip.

It was all to hear a young man tell his story– to hear others tell his story– and to see the faces of those he’s touched: the homeless, the hungry, parents, children, the humbled, desperate, newcomers and the initiated, devoted friends, volunteers, family…every one of them, thankful for someone like Nate.

Nate Noss with just a few of the nearly 5,000 pounds of food he collects week.

On average Nate collects nearly 5,000 pounds of food per week and has fed over 300,000 people to date through his non-profit St. Louis Food Rescue, including the 300 homeless that stay at the New Life Evangelistic Center every night, the 30 women and children in transition at the O’Fallon Salvation Army, the tens of thousands of patrons of the food pantries that Nate stocks, and St. Louis children, nearly half of which live in a constant state of poverty.

In fact, last year Nate collected 20 tons of unused pumpkins after Halloween and worked out a deal with La Cordon Bleu to make pumpkin bread and pumpkin soup – enough to feed 50,000 people!

In the 27 hours we were on the ground in St. Louis to tell his story, we interviewed 8 people, asked hundreds of questions, filmed at 3 main locations and countless others, collected 4 hours of raw footage, saw Nate and his volunteers collect, deliver and sort almost 1,000 pounds of food, saw them make 650 loafs of pumpkin bread, and shot everything at 29.97 fps at 1080p (for those of you who care).

Check out the 4-minute video below that showcases Nate’s impressive drive, passion, leadership, and impact.

IFRAME Embed for Youtube

He is an amazing young man who will continue to do great things in the world and it was a privilege to meet him.  It was also an incredible privilege to help bring his story to life so that others could see what I witnessed.

Check back right here for the final video, which will debut June 6 at the 14th Annual Sodexo Foundation Dinner in Washington, DC, where Nate will be honored along with 4 other passionate youth for their commitment to end hunger in America. That said, you can check out a quick snippet of Nate’s video within this blog now!

P.S. I walked 9.76 miles, took 21,823 steps, climbed 21 flights of stairs, and burned 6,357 calories on the trip, but it was all worth it.

Nik Barkley is a creative director at db&r.

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A Taste of Youth Service

Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Chef Remmi Smith

Hi, I’m Remmi of Cook Time with Remmi. I believe every young person can make a difference by doing what they love to do! I’ve always loved being in the kitchen; I was helping out when I was only 4 years old! Now at the age of 13, I have my own cooking show, Cook Time with Remmi, and I’m comfortable cooking for myself and my family.

I hope that my cooking show and the recipes on my website get kids excited about cooking because I believe that cooking at home can help you eat healthier and save money. It’s important that kids learn to eat and cook nutritious meals early so that these habits can stay with them as adults too! And, cooking is a lot of fun―I promise! I have always wanted to be a cook star….and so can you!

My passion for talking to other kids about how easy (and yummy!) cooking and eating nutritiously can be led me to become Sodexo’s first-ever Student Ambassador to Health and Nutrition! Sodexo provides education solutions to nearly 500 school districts nationwide. Their STOP Hunger program enables Sodexo communities, including employees, consumers, clients and suppliers to join together to make a difference and end hunger.

Thanks to Sodexo Foundation, I can reach way more kids and get them as excited about healthy cooking and eating as I am.

The No Kid Hungry campaign teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals.

With my Sodexo Foundation Youth Grant, I’m hosting the No Kid Hungry Food Classic – Be a C.H.E.F. on Global Youth Service Day. The event is on April 27th at Metro Appliances and More in Tulsa, OK, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. I’ll be doing demos and cooking up some of my favorite dishes for you to sample, and I will be talking to everyone about the No Kid Hungry campaign!

We are also having Global Gardens at the event and they will be talking about how to grow your own garden too!

I couldn’t believe it when I found out that 1 in 5 children in the United States struggles with hunger. I want to help end childhood hunger, so I decided to use what I love to do to make a difference and raise awareness and funds for No Kid Hungry.

Along with connecting kids in need with nutritious food, the No Kid Hungry campaign teaches their families how to cook healthy, affordable meals – something I love to do!

If you live in the Tulsa area, you should definitely come by! Be sure to bring canned food or a monetary donation to support Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and No Kid Hungry. But even if you don’t live in my area, you can still get involved! Cook Time with Remmi has lots of healthy recipes and fun videos from my cooking show. Check out NoKidHungry2.org for fun ways to help end childhood hunger.

I’m so excited for April 27th – hope to see you all there

Chef Remmi Smith is Sodexo’s Student Ambassador for Health and Nutrition.

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A Recipe for Ending Hunger

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

Mabel Hernandez

I’m an alchemist in the kitchen, making magic happen when I transform the simplest ingredients into something extraordinary.

One trick I don’t mind sharing is a recipe for making hunger disappear.

I add a dash of my passion for cooking and fold in a generous measure of nutrition awareness, drawing on my professional experience.

Getting it right didn’t happen overnight, however.

A few years ago when I was a student at the University of the District of Columbia, a representative of the Capital Area Food Bank came to one of our classes recruiting volunteers for Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters® program .

I love serving as nutrition instructor and class coordinator at the local food bank..

The program mission attracted me, but time passed, and despite receiving monthly e-mails asking to join a series, I never joined.

Several years later, while working as a community nutritionist at an outpatient clinic, a manager re-directed my attention to Cooking Matters®. Finally, I contacted the Capital Area Food Bank, made all the arrangements and our first Cooking Matters series began, with we me serving as nutrition instructor and class coordinator.

I fell in love with all aspects of the program, which uses simple concepts, easy, inexpensive recipes and involve the participant in cooking and learning nutrition concepts.

"Basic, accessible ingredients can become delicious, healthy meals." Photo courtesy of Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters®

Using that experience as a springboard, I went on to work with a group of parents and kids at one of the Catholic Charities sites in Washington D.C., which subsequently became a Cooking Matters satellite site.

My responsibilities grew to include recruiting volunteers, planning and implementing the classes, and purchasing the groceries, while working with a wonderful team of colleagues.

Looking back, I’ve noticed that participants were most “spellbound” or receptive to new information when they could see how basic, accessible ingredients can become delicious, healthy meals.

Proper nutrition improves the quality of life and health for families. Photo courtesy of Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters®

They take joy in knowing how to gain proper nutrition that improves the quality of life and health for their families, and communities.

Through Cooking Matters, I found a way to combine my two passions: food and nutrition in a way that empowers individuals to personally combat hunger.

The real trick, you see, is in recognizing an opportunity to leverage the skills you’ve developed to proudly serve your community.

I encourage you to get involved with Cooking Matters or any other initiative that will fuel your passion and help to end hunger. Don’t put it off. You never know how many lives you can touch by your efforts.

Mabel Hernandez, a licensed nutritionist, is a 2013 Sodexo Dietetic Intern, and a 2008 Graduate of the University of the District of Columbia. View this video to learn more information about Cooking Matters.

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Ways to Serve, No Foolin’!

Friday, March 29th, 2013

Bob Stern

April 1st is special for a number of reasons: April Fool’s Day; opening day for Major League Baseball; and now it’s officially recognized as the start of Sodexo Servathon!

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley issued a formal proclamation this year, saluting Servathon and Sodexo’s important work fighting hunger in local communities.

Servathon is Sodexo’s largest employee engagement initiative in North America and around the world. Last year 40,000 employees in 35 countries got involved in the fight against hunger.

This year, I’m afraid the need is as great as ever. 50 million Americans, including more than 16 million children, don’t have enough to eat.

Since improving quality of life is important to Sodexo, it just makes sense that we ask employees to get involved in service projects in their communities to help fight hunger.

Volunteering at the Manna Food Center.

This year we’re asking employees to include youth in their service efforts too. I’ve found that today’s generation of youth is amazingly public-service oriented, and usually very eager to help those in need.

Involving kids also helps raise awareness around the issue of hunger, and helps ensure a strong pipeline of future leaders and volunteers in the fight against hunger. I encourage everyone to think about the young people in their life and find easy but effective ways for them to help out.

Earlier this week, my son, Elliott, joined me and several of my Sodexo colleagues at a volunteer event sponsored by PANG at Manna Food Center near our headquarters.

He’s done it before and he knows that poverty persists in every county and just about every school. My son is student teaching in a high school now, and he told me he has seen how hard it is for students to study when they are hungry. Having my son alongside me for Servathon was a special experience.

PANG, a Sodexo Employee Business Resource group, volunteering at Manna Food Center during Sodexo Servathon.

Need some thought-starters on how to mobilize youth to tackle the massive issue of hunger? Here are just a few simple ideas:

  • Block-out some time; whatever you can spare, minutes, hours or more and prepare or serve meals at a soup kitchen or sort food at a local food bank.
  • Take the No Kid Hungry Pledge, and ask young people in your life to take the pledge with you.
  • Raise funds or collect food to donate in your community.
  • Visit No Kid Hungry 2 for cool ideas on how to involve youth.

You can even check out Sodexo’s Servathon page for additional resources. And don’t forget to let us know what you’ve done, by sharing your Servathon story through our online survey.

Robert A. Stern is senior vice president and general counsel for Sodexo, Inc. and president of Sodexo Foundation, which supports innovative programs to help children and families in the United States who are at-risk of hunger.

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F.O.O.D. for Thought

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

Charmion Wood

How many of us grew up hearing that we should finish the food on our plates, because there are kids elsewhere who would be grateful for what we waste? Maybe some still hear this today. Thankfully many of us took it to heart and to this day look for ways to divert safe, nutritious food from landfills — getting it to those in our own communities who are in need.

Sodexo at Landon School has been donating food to DC Central Kitchen and the Capital Area Food Bank for over 16 years. Of course, in our business, one of our top priorities is preventing food waste in the first place, but when there remains excess un-served food that has already been prepared, Sodexo’s policy is to feed hungry people.

Diverting surplus food to agencies that help to feed hungry residents is a great way to support our local communities and it is simply the right thing to do. Sodexo not only advocates for such initiatives, it actively challenges its employees and mobilizes youth to participate in numerous ways.

The Landon School community, including faculty, parents and students are aware of Sodexo’s food donation program and backs it wholeheartedly. The staff has been recognized in the Landon newspaper, the Landon magazine and by Sodexo for its successes in food donation.

The process is very simple to set up. Our thinking… STOP Hunger, Donate F.O.O.D. Following this easy-to-remember acronym will help you get started.

F.O.O.D. for Thought

  • Follow safe food handling procedures as outlined in the HACCP Manual. Sodexo makes this information, along with other forms and templates available to employee volunteers.
  • Obtain an approved anti-hunger non-profit partner. This helps ensure surplus food is reaching the people most in need.
  • Outline roles and responsibilities of volunteers. Ensuring preparation, packing and scheduling of pick-ups or drop-offs is critical to success.
  • Donate surplus food to feed hungry families and children.

Too many people fear donating surplus food, even as they witness the severe need. Concerns about food safety and litigation are paramount. But if you follow these simple guidelines, provide proper training and reach out to others who have had success, these concerns will soon fade — so will hunger.

Charmion Wood is the Sodexo general manager at the Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Reflecting on a Heroic Past

Monday, February 11th, 2013

Dennis Shepherd

It’s hard to believe nearly three years have flown by since experiencing one of the more memorable moments in my life. No, certainly not as important as my wedding day or the birth of my first child – but memorable just the same.

Nearly three years ago, I had the opportunity to see the White House for the first time in my life. It was during that same trip to Washington I had a personal meeting with my representative, Congressman Walter Jones at the U.S. Capitol. The reason for the trip? I was being honored by Sodexo Foundation on stage at the historic Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C. for the volunteer work that I do in my community to fight hunger.

The memory of those experiences and being called a “Hero of Everyday Life” still move me. The reason it is so memorable is because it was a once in a lifetime chance to see and meet so many important figures and to be honored publicly before a thousand onlookers at a benefit dinner. It was more than I could imagine. It was surreal.

None of it would have been possible without a Sodexo district manager who was aware of my volunteer work and felt it needed to be recognized. Getting to know those who you work with and supervise beyond the scope of their 9-5 responsibilities can mean everything for both morale and productivity.

Dennis Shepherd (top left) and the rest of the 2010 Heroes of Everyday Life.

In addition to all of the larger-than-life experiences I had as a result of being named a Hero of Everyday Life, I came away with a couple of small but important lessons that I’ve been able to apply in my life. The first is that sometimes we need to talk about the good work we are doing, because you never know where it may lead or what additional support you might come by. Another is simply that anyone, young or old, can make a huge difference – specifically in fighting hunger. I saw that first hand through the stories of young people honored just before me, on the same stage that night.

I’ve since started taking my sixteen year old daughter along with me to raise donations, and to volunteer at our local soup kitchen. She’s a hard worker and has been helpful in doing more charity work to improve our community.

There is no doubt in my mind about the power of public recognition. I was so inspired after my trip to Washington that I volunteered the very next weekend and raised additional funds and collected more than 1200 pounds of food. If you are an eyewitness to random acts of kindness, acknowledge them. Recognize your fellow employees, praise youth efforts and nominate individuals doing exceptional things to fight hunger. Better yet, join in.

The $5000 grant I received from Sodexo Foundation helped the Jacksonville Soup Kitchen, which was for their Meals on Wheels program to take food to the elderly. If you know a Sodexo employee who is working to end hunger, recognize their efforts by submitting a Hero nomination on www.SodexoFoundation.org.

I’m sure I’d still be doing the volunteer work that I do even without the recognition, but it does have value. Think of the fond memories it will create for someone for years and years to come.

Dennis Shepherd is a driver for Sodexo at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and is a 2010 Hero of Everyday Life. Read more about Dennis and other recipients here.

The 2013 Heroes of Everyday Life® nomination period is open now through March 8.

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What Really Matters

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013

Phyll Dondis Ribakoff, RD, LDN

I have been involved with Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters® courses since 2005, when, initially it was called “Operation Frontline.” Recently, I taught my 18th series for the course, and with each class of students I learn something new.

Cooking Matters taps the expertise of culinary and nutrition experts who volunteer to help course participants identify and prepare nutritious, low-cost ingredients in ways that deliver the best nourishment. Last June I was recognized by Sodexo Foundation as one of five  Heroes of Everyday Life® specifically for my work volunteering as a nutrition instructor with Cooking Matters Massachusetts.  

It’s difficult to describe what that meant to me. I felt so honored to be nominated by my supervisor, the National Director of Sodexo Dietetic Internships and the Massachusetts director of Cooking Matters. Together they confirmed my passion and demonstrated Sodexo’s commitment to frontline volunteering in the campaign against hunger.  The recognition meant a lot to me. 

One of the reasons that Cooking Matters is so important to me is because of the very positive and practical impact it allows me to have on the people in my community. Each class series is led by a nutritionist or dietitian and chef providing nutrition education and hands-on cooking lessons.  

Phyll Ribakoff teaching Cooking Matters class. Photo courtesy of Share Our Strength Cooking Matters Program

My favorite class takes place during week four, where we cover the importance of breakfasts. The Chef shows the participants how to create a vegetable frittata, carrot pineapple muffins or oatmeal pancakes, and smoothies.  This is also the time when we cover unit pricing in anticipation of the following week’s supermarket tour. By this time in the 6-week series, the participants know the staff and each other and they really start to enjoy cooking and talking nutrition together.  By now, all of the participants have an opinion, questions or both.  In fact, at this point they are answering more than they are asking, and they are teaching one another.

A participant once said that Cooking Matters made her miss home because she lives alone here in the U.S., but came from a large family where everyone was always in the kitchen. Once a week, our work made her feel like part of a big happy family in the kitchen.  For her, the course was not only about finding affordable nutrition strategies. To her what really matters is the connection between the food and the people – using it to bond, support and help one another. I’m proud to say that Sodexo sees the value in that connection as well, and all of the volunteer work that its employees do to provide communities with access to nutritious food.

Sodexo Foundation honored me for my work with Cooking Matters and presented me with a $5000 grant to benefit the hunger-relief agency of my choice.  I designated Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters of Massachusetts as the recipient of those funds.

I hope other Sodexo managers, and frontline workers will do what my supervisor did for me.  Nominate a Sodexo employee who is working to end hunger as a Hero. Self-nominations from employees are perfectly acceptable as well.

The 2013 Heroes of Everyday Life® nomination period is open now through March 8 on www.SodexoFoundation.org.

Phyll Dondis Ribakoff, RD, LDN is the associate director of the Sodexo Distance Education Dietetic Internship and a 2012 Hero of Everyday Life.  Check out the Cooking Matters videos that Hero Phyll stars in:

IFRAME Embed for Youtube

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Sodexo & Share Our Strength: Serving Communities and Empowering Youth to End Childhood Hunger

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012

Steve Dunmore

A Sodexo manager once shared a story about a boy who would come by the school cafeteria at closing time every Friday afternoon to ask if there was any leftover food he could take home. The manager gave him what he could, and he would stuff the food in his backpack. The manager eventually learned that the boy was asking for the food to help feed his younger brother and sister who had no source of good nutrition during the weekend.

The manager then approached teachers, staff and administrators in the school district to share this story and soon realized that there were many other kids in the exact same situation as this boy, but they were largely anonymous because they did not have the courage to ask for help.  This inspired our manager to take action by pulling the combined resources of Sodexo, the school district and the community to establish a formal backpack weekend feeding program that would ultimately help all district students in need of hunger assistance.

The power of that example stayed with me and I realize that we have a tremendous opportunity to improve the communities we serve by taking advantage of the resources and partnerships we foster as a company. It’s about empowering our own teams and others with a strategy to give back, but within their means – where they live and work. That’s something that the outstanding hunger organization Share Our Strength excels at as well.

No Kid Hungry

In my role as president for Sodexo’s K-12 segment, I am constantly amazed by the power of students who recognize a need among their peers and then rally to see it met. I find Schools for No Hungry Kid, and its new turn-key program, No Kid Hungry, Every Kid Healthy, very exciting because not only is it an excellent vehicle for instilling the critical nutrition and wellness habits that students need to ensure growth and academic performance, but it also takes advantage of the natural instinct inside children to help their peers by promoting activities for students that help raise funds for other children who are less fortunate, but equally deserving of fair access to nutritious meals. Students get to choose one or more “Every Kid Healthy” activities during the program and they collect monetary pledges from friends, family and neighbors – all of which goes to help end childhood hunger in America.

Sodexo understands the importance of engaging students to support other students and we incorporate that approach into our own work creating healthy learning environments that support student achievement at school districts nationwide. For example, Sodexo partnered with Chef Remmi, a 12-year-old student in Oklahoma, by naming her Sodexo’s official student ambassador to nutrition and wellness. Chef Remmi helps reinforce Sodexo’s positive nutrition message through videos, appearances and marketing materials that get kids excited about healthy eating.

In addition to our peer-to-peer education approach, I am also very proud of the many ways our K-12 teams across the country work to fight childhood hunger. Whether at one-off events like Sodexo employees from Detroit Public Schools supporting the work of a regional food bank at a local Radiothon or through annual programs like our Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarships, we support the communities we serve just like the way that Schools for No Kid Hungry and No Kid Hungry, Every Kid Healthy mobilize youth to create innovative solutions to childhood hunger.

I encourage everyone reading this to learn as much as they can about the need for hunger assistance in their own community and to get involved by volunteering, collecting, donating or supporting groups like Share Our Strength. To learn more about Schools for No Hungry Kid and to find out how you can help fight childhood hunger, visit: http://nokidhungry2.org/schools

Stephen Dunmore is president for the Schools segment at Sodexo, overseeing the work of teams at nearly 500 K-12 partner organizations nationwide.

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Stopping Hunger Has No Age Limits

Monday, November 26th, 2012

Joshua Williams

Right around this time, just a little more than two years ago, I was doing exactly what I hope a lot of young people are doing right now… applying for the Stephen J Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship.

Along with four other students, I was lucky enough to be selected as one of its national scholarship recipients for the volunteer work that I do to fight hunger. That recognition included a $5,000 grant for my education and a great trip to Washington, DC for me and two other guests! That was all great, but it wasn’t just about what I would get out of it. It was really about what I would be able to give… or actually, continue to give.

Being recognized as a Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship recipient also meant a $5,000 grant from Sodexo Foundation to my own non-profit, Joshua’s Heart Foundation. That funding helped my organization assist a lot more people and it has grown larger since I received the scholarship. Joshua’s Heart has a mission to “Stomp Out Hunger” by providing basic necessities, such as food and other grocery products, and by effectively engaging and educating communities.

Joshua Williams working the donations area of his non-profit. To learn more about the scholarship, click on the photograph.

The amount of food that we have given out from the time I received the grant until now has nearly doubled. It was 250,000 lbs. before the grant, compared to the 400,000 lbs. we now distribute. We also had a large increase in volunteers since the recognition, especially with youth.

The added visibility from being named a STOP Hunger scholar also led to a number of other opportunities. In 2011 Walmart awarded Joshua’s Heart a grant of $20,000 to start our backpack program through its 12 Days of Giving campaign. In addition we are now partners with Whole Foods Markets, which sponsors our cooking demonstration that teaches families how to eat a healthy yet delicious meal. Most recently, I was honored to be presented with the Champions of Change award by the White House.

I am proud to say I was a Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholar in 2010. The award is by far one of my favorite and most helpful recognitions presented to Joshua’s Heart. It raised great awareness about our work and it proves that you’re never too young to make a difference. I hope these words inspire another young person to apply, just like I did. It could lead to some amazing opportunities for you and the communities you serve.

Joshua Williams is a 2010 Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship recipient and the founder of Joshua’s Heart Foundation. He also is a middle school student at Ransom Everglades School in Miami, Florida.

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