ENRICHMENT PAIRED WITH FIGHTING HUNGER: A WORD FROM SUMMER INTERN EMERODE

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This summer, I was blessed beyond belief when I became a youth ambassador for No Kid Hungry and Florida Impact to End Hunger. I have learned invaluable skills that I know I can take anywhere I go, and I have formed amazing bonds with my coworkers. Though I knew many communities I would work in were in food deserts, this internship helped me understand the intersectionality of hunger, economic, and even racial status. Most of the children that I got to know this summer were joyous and really wanted to make the most out of their summer. However, at first, they were hesitant to let me be part of their lives. Everyday I continued to be consistent in my efforts to reach them as they began to trust me more and more, and even started getting attached to me.

Throughout the summer, I found that the kids really valued the program because it gave them stability – they organized their days around mealtimes. The meals were enhanced by the multiple activities I planned as well as the partner agencies that we booked to come stimulate the kids. Summer is the hungriest time for kids in need and it is also a time where those same children backslide on the progress they made throughout the school year. So one of my goals this summer was to entertain them in an educational way – I ensured that they had fun, but also that they learned something new every day. From reading to them, to teaching them about how to communicate their feelings effectively to rewarding them with a dance-ice cream party, I learned so much about how amazing those children were.

Since this program is designed for the kids, I always stressed the importance of their input, from the lunches they were served to the partners who came out to entertain them. Most of the kids reported liking the lunches served last summer better.

With regards to the partners, Flipany, Swim Central, and Broward Sheriffs Office Outreach (BSO) were favorites among all of my sites. Some sites felt like one favorite partner had less involvement than the prior years and were disappointed. Personally, I created activity days for my sites and all of the kids were fans of them. Some favorite activities included Bob Ross Day (where we paint to express our emotions), Dance Dance Day (The last one still dancing wins a prize), and Future Day (Where we talk about what we want to do in the future and I bring them advice and resources).

This program is a blessing for the communities that get to experience it and has helped so many kids during a difficult summer period. It was my honor and pleasure to be part of something so life-changing.

THE UNSUNG HERO: A WORD FROM REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF SOUTH FLORIDA, SAM HOPWOOD

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This summer, we have been working hard to reach as many children as possible with the Summer BreakSpot program. We seek out gaps in service to add new sites and support novel delivery models, such as the mobile units, all with a goal of reaching children who previously may not have had access to free, nutritious meals when school is out. However, we often overlook the regular, existing sites which continue to reliably serve meals to their community. These sites demonstrate the everyday success of the program.

In July, I had the privilege of taking staff from Senator Rubio’s office to visit West Kendall Regional Library to see Summer BreakSpot in action. The library team ensured that every child in the building was invited to join for lunch, and had also set up a share table to try to reduce any waste. Every day, families come to the library to help keep their children learning through the summer, and to receive a nutritious meal. This dual benefit makes our libraries the perfect fit for Summer BreakSpot. Sites just like this exist across the state, and often go unrecognized, despite the crucial role they play in improving the health and wellbeing of our children. We greatly appreciate the staff at West Kendall Regional Library for their hospitality, and commitment to serving their community, both through education and nutrition.

– Sam Hopwood

Regional Director of South Florida

Florida Impact to End Hunger

A HEALTHIER, STRONGER MIAMI-DADE: A WORD FROM SUMMER INTERN SHIRBRINA

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Throughout the summer, I have participated in efforts to minimize the effects of food insecurity among children in Miami-Dade County. This included improving interactions between community members and outside groups. Furthermore, our work by participating in enrichment activities promoted community engagement. We were able to match the interests of the children we worked with while also meeting their needs.

Goals were met to introduce healthier lifestyles to the communities and to build relationships with the children and their families. We fueled their curiosity about healthy living and shown how we can make it possible together. There was no greater feeling to see children waiting for us as we arrived to the mobile suite and to greeted us with hugs and smiles. It was a phenomenal experience getting to learn about the conditions of the county to then pitch ideas of improvement in the future.

Florida is getting healthier and stronger each day, especially with the work of Florida Impact to End Hunger. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to work within a community and to be a part of a groundbreaking movement. This experience also has reassured me to pursue a career in community engagement and contribute to healthier environments.

– Shirbrina Jefferson