Black Heroes Making History to End Childhood Hunger
The fight against childhood hunger in America started in the Black community. The Black Panther Party started the free breakfast program in 1969 in Oakland, Calif. Black trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm started essential programs that continue to this day like WIC (a program that supports pregnant women and children under 5 years old and includes nutrition assistance). Fanny Lou Hammer's work at the Freedom Farm Cooperative inspired a modern food-justice movement committed to feeding families, improving economic independence, and lifting up communities.
Every day Black cafeteria workers, community leaders and teachers continue the legacy of this work. Today we highlight these heroes that are in the cafeterias and leadership roles building nourishing the future and dreams of our kids.
Rosie Jackson in Louisiana
Rosie Jackson is the executive director of child nutrition at New Orleans Public Schools. She and her staff are passionate about the work to provide 45,000 kids with the meals they need to thrive.
"School food service really is a tough job,” she shared. “Our employees - once they're there, they're there for the long haul. We don't have a lot of turnover. They are dedicated; they get up every day and come to work. That’s because they have a love for the job and for these children."
Jackson, who has been at the district since 1971, years before hurricane Katrina, understands that the families of the kids sometimes work up to three jobs and even then it’s difficult to make ends meet.
“We don't know these children’s stories, we don’t know their backgrounds, we don’t know what’s going on in their homes”, Jackson said. “We see them for breakfast, for lunch and after school. We have a golden opportunity to make a difference in their lives with our attention, with our smiles - and by giving them something to eat.”
With your donations and support from No Kid Hungry, New Orleans Public Schools was able to expand the staff hours and purchase equipment to expand breakfast participation.
Stella Ndahura in California
At Azusa Unified School District (AUSD), students at all elementary and high schools participate in the Second Chance Breakfast program, which offers a breakfast break in the morning, often after the first period.
At the helm of AUSD Nutrition Services, situated east of LA and at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Stella Ndahura shares how their scratch-cooked Second Chance Breakfast has changed lives.
“Food is a basic need and if a child is born to parents who immigrated here because of different circumstances, hard circumstances in their country, that kid deserves an equal chance. They deserve to eat meals, they deserve to get all the resources that are available to them.” - Stella Ndahura
How it Works at Valleydale Elementary:
The nutrition service department prepares scratch-cooked breakfast the day before and in the morning.
During a break in the morning, often between first and second period, scholars will walk with their class to the cafeteria.
Normally no more than 15 minutes is needed, scholars pick up their meal and eat in the cafeteria.
After they are done, scholars head back to classes with a full stomach and ready to learn.
Valrie Baker in New York
Valrie Baker has been feeding kids in New York City Schools for 25 years and takes immense pride in how her work impacts these children. Together, she and her team provide 1,000 free meals per day.
“I do this because I love the kids,” Baker said. “Even if I take a day off, I’ll be thinking about, wonder if my kids eat today, if they get the proper meal. It’s a lot going through the mind. So to make myself happy, I’m here. If I’m here they’re going to eat.”
School lunch fills a critical gap in providing nutritious, affordable meals to kids throughout the country with so many benefits experienced in and out of the classroom.
“Kids couldn’t learn in class without cooks like Ms. Baker serving free, healthy lunches every single day,” said Rachel Sabella, Director of No Kid Hungry New York. “We’re honoring the everyday heroes across New York City public schools who provide the consistent nutrition kids need to learn, grow, and achieve their dreams.
School nutrition programs are essential. They offer stability and certainty as children and families face instability and challenges.
Betty Wiggins in Texas
Betti Wiggins is the Nutrition Services Officer at Houston Independent School District where she has worked for almost five years. She is responsible for managing and implementing all the district’s school nutrition programs that serve 200,000 nutrition meals to students at over 280 campuses every day. Wiggins takes pride in her work and shared that “Every day that I can get up and do the things that I love to do and not necessarily having them be easy but having them be worth fighting for.”
Wiggins grew up on a farm in Belleville, Michigan, where she and her family grew food for themselves and their community. Betti remembers that her mother always told her, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” She added that, “There was always a sense of growing, producing, and then sharing our food.”
Betti’s experience of living and growing food on the farm inspired her to live a life of service by connecting people to food. For Betti, food not only provides a sense of nourishment, but it is also an opportunity to share warmth, history, and culture. She also understands that folks can come together, despite their differences, if they have the shared value of helping people in their community. Betti stated, “I want people to know that I am a willing participant and I understand that if we have community values, we can share a lot and help one another.”
Betti continually innovates to ensure that the families at Houston ISD have the food and the services they need. In November 2020, she teamed up with No Kid Hungry to provide holiday turkeys to 5,000 families in the district! When asked what makes her proud of the Black community she said “I am proud of how resilient we have been in the face of so many trials and tribulations… I celebrate my Blackness because it also gave me a sense of community and the possibility of what you could do. There is no adversity we can’t overcome if we’re given the opportunity.”
Join us in celebrating the work of Black heroes this Black History Month and beyond.
