No Kid Hungry recently announced ten national Summer Hunger Heroes hailing from nine states—and Arkansas is one of them!
Amanda West, Child Nutrition Director for the Monticello School District and President of the Arkansas School Nutrition Association was one of the ten honorees recognized for their work on rural non-congregate summer meals and new Summer EBT grocery benefits.
This year’s Summer Hunger Heros have shown outstanding commitment to summer hunger relief through their work to expand summer meals in rural communities and get the new USDA Summer EBT program underway. Summer has traditionally been the hungriest time of year for kids, as regular school meals are not available. This year promises to be different. New changes to summer meal rules offer flexible options like multi-day meal distribution and deliveries that reach kids in more remote areas of the state. And for the first time this summer, Summer EBT will mean $120 in grocery benefits for each eligible child.
“These summer programs offer nutrition for kids and real economic relief for families, and they’re only possible because of people who have committed their careers to this work,” said Eleni Towns, director, No Kid Hungry State Campaigns. “They’re the real heroes, doing the work, day after day, of ending hunger by connecting kids to food—whether it be delivering summer meals to their rural community or ensuring Summer EBT is available for kids in their state. They’re the face of No Kid Hungry.”
Amanda West, the Child Nutrition Director for Monticello School District in Monticello, Arkansas, is President of the Arkansas School Nutrition Association and has been a critical support to Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance’s Summer EBT outreach to school districts. Amanda lives by her personal code of supporting those in her community who are most in need, and works daily to support kids struggling with hunger, because, as she always says, “one hungry child is one too many!”
The No Kid Hungry 2024 Summer Hunger Heroes are:
Amanda West, the Child Nutrition Director for Monticello School District in Monticello, Arkansas, is President of the Arkansas School Nutrition Association and has been a critical support to Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance’s Summer EBT outreach to school districts. Amanda lives by her personal code of supporting those in her community who are most in need, and works daily to support kids struggling with hunger, because, as she always says, “one hungry child is one too many!”
- Jody Buckle, the Director of Food and Nutrition for the Humboldt Unified School District in Prescott Valley, Arizona.
- Melissa “Mel” Hill, the Programs Manager at Second Harvest of the Big Bend in Tallahassee, Florida.
- Cathy Gallagher, the Program Manager for the Kentucky Summer Food Service Program at the Kentucky Department of Education.
- Donna Riviello, the Director of Food Services for the Clyde-Savannah Central School District, in New York.
- Justine Roberts, the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Performing Arts and Science Academy in Marion, South Carolina.
- Constance Moore, the Senior Food Compliance Officer of the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid South in Cordova, Tennessee.
- Randy Herman, the School Nutrition Director for Louisa County Public Schools in Virginia.
- Eric Savaiano, the Economic Justice Program Manager for Food and Nutrition Access of Nebraska Appleseed.
We salute these heroes and all those who work tirelessly to keep our children nourished and healthy over the summer and throughout the year!