The Heroes of Everyday Life® program was created to honor Sodexo employees who have demonstrated exemplary service to others in the fight against hunger. The Annual Application Period is November 1 - February 1.
We are extremely proud of our Heroes of Everyday Life. View a video about the 2023 Heroes!
Mashaye Barr, Area Support Manager, Medstar Health, Owings Mills, MD; 1 year with Sodexo
Mashaye Barr’s drive to help others comes from having struggled with food insecurity at times in her life. During the height of COVID, she organized dozens of chefs to prepare nourishing Thanksgiving meals. That event led to the idea of a 24-Hour Food Marathon, which has been successfully re-created over the last three years.
“As a person who relied on support services and mentorship, I understand how it benefited my life. I want to continue giving the gift by sharing the knowledge, compassion and mentorship that was given to me,” Mashaye says.
Mashaye is also involved in her local community through her work with various organizations such as the Franciscan Center of Baltimore, where she is the first female executive chef board member, supporting the group's Scratch Culinary Program and Dignity Plates Culinary Training Academy, where she helps develop a new culinary program for Baltimore community members. She has served as board member for DeaconChef Inc., Samaritan Women Organization and Vizion of Culinary, providing support and resources for health, housing, hygiene and the development and growth of networks for small business owners and junior chefs. She has partnered with Share Our Strength and Walmart to educate the community through hands-on cooking courses and interactive grocery store tours and demos.
Molly Crouch, Corporate Director of Sustainability, Sodexo Live!, Orlando, FL; 15 years with Sodexo
As Corporate Director of Sustainability for SodexoLive!, Molly Crouch’s role involves ensuring the company sources sustainably and aligns with Sodexo's Better Tomorrow Commitments. She leads SodexoLive!'s efforts with various programs that combat hunger, including GOALympics, Big Soup, food recovery and donation, and Servathon.
For more than four decades, she has donated her time and resources to organizations serving underprivileged communities and fighting hunger. She actively supports local community organizations, both in her direct community and when traveling for work or pleasure. Her volunteer work includes organizing and running mobile food drives, working with numerous charities, and helping sites become Food Recovery Verified. During the pandemic, she helped donate over 50,000 bundles of plants to local charities and assisted the Orange County Convention Center with starting a "Deliberate Donations" program to pre-plan food recovery opportunities. Molly also engages teams across the country to practice deliberate food recovery efforts and volunteer activities that help food-insecure individuals and families.
“It makes me personally feel so good to know that I could possibly brighten someone's day with kind, caring words, maybe a hug and always an extra set of hands,” Molly says. “The type of volunteering doesn't really matter to me — it's the recipients and the organizations that keep me coming back. These people truly need assistance and encouragement to help them through the challenges they are facing. It's one of the most genuine acts of kindness we as humans can provide and it truly costs us nothing but a little time and energy. How can you not do it?
Chris Harasta, Retail Operations Manager, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY; 6 years with Sodexo
Chris Harasta’s volunteer efforts are rooted in his passion for sustainability, as well as his desire to help people in need. One of his key contributions is the Sodexo Stop Hunger Food Drive at Binghamton University, which has raised over $2,000 and collected hundreds of nonperishable items for donation. In May of 2022, he hosted a Servathon volunteer day at the garden with Sodexo staff members. He also serves as a site coordinator for one of VINES’ community gardens, where he oversees 26 raised beds and six in-ground plots and collects surplus items from gardeners and donates them to Binghamton Food Rescue, a grassroots group that distributes food to local residents at no cost.
In addition, Chris is an organizer for Food Recovery Network (FRN) at Binghamton University and has recruited 37 student volunteers to help in his efforts. In 2022, the group collected 9,428 pounds of donated food. He is also involved in the Binghamton Move Out Project (MOP), a volunteer-run initiative aimed at diverting waste from landfills and giving back to the community when students move out of their college housing in the spring.
“I don't like needless waste. Being involved with the Move Out Project has opened my eyes to just how much is being thrown away that shouldn't be,” Chris says. “This isn't a Binghamton problem; this is happening at every school. As long as there are usable items and edible food ending up in the dumpsters, my work isn't done.”
Becky Schaible, Clinical Nutrition Manager, Prairie Lakes Healthcare, Watertown, SD; 16 years with Sodexo
When Becky Schaible joined a new hunger-fighting pilot program in her local community 12 years ago, she couldn’t have anticipated what a big role it would play in her life as a community volunteer. She started as a supporting board member of People Against Child Hunger (PACH), which provides easy-to-prepare weekend meals and snacks to children and youth in Codington County, and now serves as its board president. Under Becky's leadership, PACH has served an average of 480 children a week with over 54,000 meals provided within the last school year.
“Knowing there are families out there that go without food and how that can affect a child’s learning in school is what motivates me to stay involved and strive to continue to improve our program,” Becky says of her volunteer work.
In addition to her work with PACH, Becky also recruits Sodexo and Prairie Lakes employees to volunteer in programs that aim to end childhood hunger. Through her role as Clinical Nutrition Manager at Sodexo, Becky is always looking for ways to build partnerships and collaborate with others. She has worked with the Stop Hunger Foundation and has been a champion when it comes to applying and receiving grant funding for her local school district’s Backpack Food Program.
Robin Willis, Senior Supervisor, Indiana State University, Terra Haute, IN; 25 years with Sodexo
Robin Willis has dedicated much of her life to serving her community. She is an active volunteer in her church, leading a team that provides meals and care packages to those in need. She also collects donations and organizes care package distribution for the local nonprofit Manna From Seven, which offers free food, clothing, personal hygiene, and laundry services to people in the Wabash Valley.
Robin, who has been at Sodexo for 25 years, has supported various Stop Hunger programs, including the Backpack Program and Servathon. She plays an instrumental role in coordinating of the Summer Meals program, which has provided over 500,000 meals to people in need since 2007. Her responsibilities include updating pricing, ordering products, and coordinating deliveries from vendors.
In addition, Robin has been an active contributor to the local 4-H Club for over 25 years. She volunteered when her sons, now in college, were members, helping them complete projects and learn about food safety. She continues her work today. “One of the other things I enjoy doing with 4-H is called the Spark Club. Last year, we had 20 kids at Christmas show up, and we made Christmas cookies from around the world. They learned a little bit about a country, and then we made a cookie from that country, so that's always a lot of fun,” she says.