Five Students and Five Sodexo Employees Recognized for Fighting Hunger in their Communities
GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 21, 2022 –The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation announced its 2022 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars and Heroes of Everyday Life®. Five students and five Sodexo employees will receive a $5,000 grant to continue their work to fight food insecurity within their communities.
“We’re proud to announce a new group of Scholars and Heroes, dedicated to fighting hunger in their communities,” said Joan McGlockton, Chair, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and Associate General Counsel, Corporate Affairs, Sodexo. “The 2022 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars and Heroes of Everyday Life® are part of a greater strategy to end childhood hunger across the nation by 2030. We’re thrilled by their achievements and inspired by their selflessness.”
To view highlights from the Sodexo Charity Classic Presented by PepsiCo, click here.
To view the full program where the 2022 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars and Heroes of Everyday Life are honored, click here.
The Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars for 2022 are:
• Shraman Kar, Founder of Foodle, Rising Eleventh Grader, Louisville, KY -- Shraman’s innovative mobile app, Foodle, allows people to put food donations into “smart baskets” for pick-up by those in need.
• Shreya Shivakumar, Founder of Nourish America, Rising College Sophomore, Edison, NJ -- Shreya started a nonprofit, Nourish America, to provide healthy, fresh, and allergen-free foods to those who are food insecure.
• ZaNia Stinson, Founder of Z Feeds Angel Food Project, Rising Tenth Grader, Charlotte, NC --ZaNia’s started Z Feeds Angel Food Project, mobilizing the community to pack, carry, and distribute “go-go” bags to those who are homeless.
• Makenzie Greenwood, Founder of Hampstead’s Little Free Pantry, Rising Tenth Grader, Manchester, MD -- Makenzie started Hampstead’s Little Free Pantry, a nonprofit where people can donate or take food, or even learn to start their own pantry.
• Jacob Mansbach, Founder of Food Certainty, Rising College Freshman, Santa Barbara, CA -- Jacob created his “FoodCertainty” program to turn grocery and restaurant food waste into food donations.
The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation also awards Sodexo employees investing time, talent, and resources to fight hunger in their communities. These employees, recognized as Heroes of Everyday Life®, are honored specifically for raising funds and awareness, coordinating food drives, volunteering in food pantries, and supporting food recovery programs among other outreach.
“We’re proud to honor a group of inspiring and dedicated Sodexo employees,” said Roxanne Moore, Executive Director, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation. “Donnie, Sue, Denise, Pat, and Henry not only support our mission of ending childhood hunger but Sodexo’s greater goal of creating a better every day for everyone and building a better life for all.”
The 2022 Heroes of Everyday Life® are:
• Donald Hawkins, Executive Chef, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA – Donald, “Chef Donnie,” has a heart for hungry people – students, homeless, and those who need a fresh start. From George Washington to Shenandoah University, he’s cut food waste, donated meals, trained and hired displaced workers, and mentored youth into the kitchen.
• Sue Sussman, Sr. Project Manager, Healthcare, Tri-State Region, Westchester County, NY -- By day, Sue project manages at healthcare sites. By night, she feeds Manhattan’s homeless with the nonprofit, Midnight Run. Their mission: sharing simple comforts.
• Denise Dickson, Kitchen Manager, Putnam City Academy School, Oklahoma City, OK -- Every Friday, Denise leaves her full-time chef job and starts her volunteer work with her nonprofit Ebenezer’s Open Door Kitchen. All night, she cooks delicious, healthy burritos. By morning, she and her fellow volunteers serve at the local homeless shelter.
• Pat Whitley, General Manager, Multi Service 1, Randolph Health, Asheboro, NC -- Pat and her husband started by serving grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup off a flatbed trailer to hungry and homeless people. Now, they feed hundreds out of their self-funded mobile kitchen.
• Henry Tapia, General Manager, Huntsville Independent School District, Huntsville, TX – Chef Henry transformed an old school bus, the “Green Hornet,” into a full-service kitchen, using it to feed children over school breaks and help communities during natural disasters.
Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation works to ensure that every child in the United States, especially those most at risk, grows up with dependable access to enough nutritious food to enable them to lead a healthy, productive life. In addition to awarding grants to youth scholars and employees, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation provides contributions to several national and local non-profits helping to end hunger, engages Sodexo employees in community volunteerism and supports programs that help empower women. Visit Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @StopHungerUSA and Instagram @sodexostophunger.
