During Black History Month and every month, we believe all kids have the power to be all they imagine. And food is the most important tool to help them reach their dreams. My story is one of a child who believed, because others believed in them while supplying them with the fuel they needed to succeed.
I was born and raised in Central New Jersey, in a large suburban town where everyone knew everyone. Our town was filled with different cultures, many great public schools and children were able to grow alongside their classmates from kindergarten through high school graduation. Although diverse, my town also had a very strong network of Black families who raised their children together and instilled in us many of the same core beliefs.
One of those beliefs is that we could truly be all that we wanted. My parents specifically did not shy away from the realities of the world, while encouraging me to follow my passions. I was often reminded that I had to “work twice as hard to get equal opportunities” in relation to my white counterparts and fellow students. My dad lived through the Jim Crow era and shared with me how unkind the world can be to little Black children. The culmination of those teachings made me an honor roll student, a medal earning New Jersey Orator and captain of my dance and cheerleading team. My community believed in me - and so I believed in myself. My community also fed me, literally.
My mother and father, like many of the middle to upper middle class families in our community, had 9 to 5 schedules, which ended long after our last school bell at 2pm. Therefore, my siblings and I participated in a myriad of afterschool activities. Each of these activities live in my brain with an attachment to food in some way: small Sun Chip bags in elementary and Kraft mac & cheese during SAT prep tutoring in middle school. My favorite memory of all being the homemade meals my mom made my cheer team on Friday nights before football games. In all the aspects of my life that made me who I am, two things remained constant - that my family and community consistently pushed me to be the best version of myself, while feeding my body and soul.
This year at Share Our Strength, the non-profit organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign, we are celebrating around the theme ‘Believe’. We believe all children have dreams of greatness in their future.
School is the place children spend most of their formative years working towards these dreams. And during those years of learning history and arithmetic, playing at recess with friends and joining clubs that enrich their world view - the thing kids need most is fuel. That fuel is food.
The programs we support, like breakfast after the bell and afterschool meals make a huge difference for the over 22 million kids who rely on free or reduced price meals. Looking back, I can’t imagine juggling all of my homework, studying and after school activities on an empty stomach. The food kids receive at school helps them to dream even bigger and brighter for their future selves.
While children spend plenty of time in school, they also spend a lot of time with their families. Some families need help to make sure their children can have all the nourishment they need, whether in school or at home. Particularly those in under-resourced communities or who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic or unemployment. These families depend on our help through things like grants and advocating for policies like increased SNAP funding and grocery benefits during the worst days of the pandemic.
My parents and community dreamed big for me before I even knew what or who I wanted to be. That unwavering belief turned me into a Howard University graduate, mentor, friend and a part of the Share Our Strength family. The food and encouragement I got then has fueled me today. If my fuel made me who I am, imagine what other children’s stories will be with their engines full.
