Honorees from across the US will be welcomed
today at company's global headquarters; philanthropic achievements
to be recognized and celebrated
AUSTIN,
Minn., Sept. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel
Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food
company, today announced its second cohort of 10 Under 20 Food
Heroes. This diverse group of remarkable young people, hailing from
communities throughout the United
States, is working to create a better world by designing
innovative ways to bring about a more transparent, secure and
sustainable food system.
To recognize these 10 individuals for their contributions, the
company is hosting the group today at its global headquarters in
Austin, Minn. During their visit,
honorees will have an opportunity to connect with and learn from
Hormel Foods leaders and discuss opportunities to further scale the
impact of their respective projects. In addition, Hormel Foods will
provide all 10 Under 20 Food Heroes with a financial grant to
support and continue their initiatives.
"We are proud to celebrate the incredibly inspiring people and
the transformative work of this year's class of 10 under 20 Food
Heroes," said Wendy Watkins, senior
vice president and chief communications officer for Hormel Foods.
"These talented thought leaders are putting their innovative ideas
into action to help solve some of the greatest challenges we face
in our food system. Their work is making a meaningful impact in
their communities and the greater world, and we are honored to know
them."
Hormel Foods launched its 10 Under 20 Food Heroes program to
celebrate and honor the remarkable food-related achievements of
young change-makers across the United
States. Starting this year in conjunction with the second
class of 10 Under 20 Food Heroes, Hormel Foods is expanding the
scope of this program by recognizing honorees in three new
categories: Rising Stars, Alumni Achievement and Ambassador.
- The Rising Stars category recognizes young individuals who have
just begun their philanthropic journeys. Hormel Foods will provide
support, guidance and mentorship as they grow.
- The Alumni Achievement category honors 10 Under 20 Food Heroes
from our inaugural 2020 class who have continued to amplify their
impact on the world.
- The Ambassador category recognizes an organization or
individual who embodies the spirit and values of the 10 Under 20
Food Heroes program.
"It is our sincere honor to support these young change-makers in
their quest to make the world a better place," said Jeff Baker, group vice president of Retail
Marketing – Value-Added Meats at Hormel Foods. "It's astonishing to
see how much they've already accomplished at such young ages. Their
humanitarian efforts are an inspiration to us all."
The 2023 class of 10 Under 20 Food Heroes honorees is comprised
of:
Shrusti Amula, 16 years old, Maryland: Rise N Shine Foundation
- Shrusti Armula founded the Rise N Shine Foundation after
identifying food waste as a contributor to global warming and
climate change. She recognized the potential to use this fact in
addressing hunger and homelessness. She started her composting
program in a local school and witnessed the positive impact it had.
Rise N Shine has now formed partnerships with local schools and
multiple corporate sponsors. Currently, the organization runs
composting programs in eight schools and has donated over 150,000
meals to those in need, with an additional 200,000 pounds of food
waste diverted from landfills as a result of the organization's
efforts.
Cavanaugh Bell, 9 years old,
Maryland: Cool & Dope
- This year's youngest 10 Under 20 Food Hero, Cavanaugh Bell, created Cool & Dope, a
nonprofit organization that aims to end bullying, spread positivity
and do good. So far, his organization has helped over 10,000 people
with food and critical medical supplies. He has been nationally
recognized by Vice President Kamala
Harris and other elected leaders.
William Cabaniss, 17 years
old, Tennessee: Vanilla Feeds
Tomorrow
- William Cabaniss founded Vanilla
Feeds Tomorrow to support the increased demand at food banks
in his community. Inspired by a news report and concerned about
food security during the COVID-19 pandemic, William decided to use
his love of baking to raise money. He started making and selling
his own vanilla extract, donating the proceeds to Second Harvest
Food Bank to fight hunger in East
Tennessee. Vanilla Feeds Tomorrow has donated over
$200,000, which has provided more
than 601,215 meals to local residents.
Claire Chi, 17 years old,
Pennsylvania: Dancing Against
Hunger
- Claire Chi founded Dancing
Against Hunger in 2022 to fight food insecurity in schools by
providing youth with accessible dance education and opportunities
for social empowerment. Dancing Against Hunger organizes dance
workshops so that young people can feel at home amid change,
collecting thousands of dollars in donations for food banks through
its events. The organization has already amassed over 900
participants and collected more than 2,300 donations for local food
banks, distributing directly to schools and low-income
families.
Mari Copeny, 15 years old,
Michigan: Flint Kids
Projects
- When the Flint Water Crisis struck her hometown, Mari Copeny refused to remain silent. She
fearlessly used her voice as a catalyst for change, not only for
Flint, Mich., but also for
communities across the nation grappling with similar issues of
toxic water. Through her Flint Kids project, she has
raised over $600,000 to support
children in Flint, including
distributing 17,000 backpacks filled with school supplies.
Ethan Hill, 13 years old,
Alabama: Ethan's
Heart-Bags4Blessings
- Ethan Hill founded Ethan's
Heart-Bags4Blessings in 2016. He used $100 of his Christmas money to purchase essential
survival items, distributing them in multipurpose 5-gallon buckets
to unhoused individuals living under a local freeway underpass. To
date, he has distributed 3,900 care packages and survival kits. He
continues to provide emergency food, drinks, shelter referrals,
clothing, sleeping bags, first aid supplies and hygiene products to
prevent malnutrition and health issues among people without
housing.
Michael Platt, 17 years old,
Washington, D.C.: Michaels
Desserts
- Michael Platt had to give up a
lot of his favorite activities after he was diagnosed with
epilepsy, but he found another hobby that he loved — baking
cupcakes. Michael turned his passion into Michaels
Desserts. For every cupcake Michael sells, he donates one to
someone who can't afford a treat. Since beginning his business, he
has helped thousands of people and continues to speak up about food
insecurity. Using his platform, Michael works as an entrepreneur
and justice advocate. He not only talks about food insecurity but
also about Black history in America. He has published two books.
His latest, "Recipes for Change," is a journey through a year in
Black history covering 12 important events and a recipe inspired by
each.
Michelle Song, 16 years old,
North Carolina: Community for
Environmental Sustainability
- Michelle Song founded the
Community for Environmental Sustainability in 2021, focusing on
nutrition education, reducing hunger and raising awareness about
bees and pollinators. She maintains a community garden and orchard,
runs a nutrition education program and distributes fresh food to
those in need. Michelle actively engages volunteers, including
students from local schools and universities, and conducts
educational STEM demos on gardening and beekeeping for schools and
summer camps.
Khloe Thompson, 15 years old,
Illinois: Khloe Kares
Project
- At age 8, Khloe Thompson began
serving her community by distributing her homemade "kare bags"
filled with essential toiletries to unhoused women. That was the
beginning of her Khloe Kares Project. Since then, her
mission has been to make the world a better place by showing her
neighbors, especially those in difficult situations, that they are
loved. The organization focuses on spreading awareness and
improving the lives of unhoused women by providing tools for a
successful transition into stable housing.
Te'Lario Watkins II, 15 years old,
LOCATION: Tiger Mushroom Farms
- Te'Lario Watkins II founded Tiger Mushroom
Farms when he was 7. Today, Tiger Mushroom Farms provides
fresh shiitake and oyster mushrooms to his community through
farmers markets, and you can even find his products on various
restaurant menus. Since becoming involved with the local food
scene, Te'Lario started a garden in his yard and donates the
produce to local food banks. He is also a Hunger Hero with "No
Kid Hungry" and hosts a friendsgiving every year to raise
money and awareness to end hunger.
10 Under 20 Food Heroes — Rising Stars 2023
Emma Falkenmeyer, 17 years
old, New York: School Lunch
Pals
- Emma Falkenmeyer established
School Lunch Pals in 2023 to collect funds to eliminate
student lunch debt at her high school, already raising over
$9,000. In addition to helping
students in her own school, she is expanding her efforts to local
churches and other organizations to raise awareness and support for
her mission.
Zachary Gwiazda, 15 years old,
Maryland: We Cancerve
- Zachary Gwiazda is the chair of the board of advisers at
We Cancerve, an antihunger advocacy group. For the past two years,
he has played a significant role in providing over 5,600 brunch
bags to school children experiencing food insecurity, demonstrating
creativity, leadership and collaboration. Most recently, he
successfully pitched and is currently in production for "On the
Move with We Cancerve," a quarterly youth show focused on the
transformative power of youth in progressive communities. It is set
to debut this month.
Skai Nzeuton, 16 years old, New
York: Food Security Club
- Skai Nzeuton started the Food Security Club at Stuyvesant High
School, collecting 3,000 pounds of excess cafeteria meals to combat
food insecurity and waste. Focused on future growth, the club has
already expanded to 50 student members and counting.
10 Under 20 Food Heroes — Alumni Achievement Award
2023
Since the launch of the 10 Under 20 Food Heroes program, our
inaugural class of alumni has sustained and expanded its remarkable
impact on the food system. The group's ongoing success is a
testament to the enduring impact of the program and the
transformative potential of young innovators. With continued
dedication and support from Hormel Foods, these alumni continue to
address critical issues.
- Grace Callwood —
We Cancerve Movement, Inc.
- Jahkil Jackson — Project I Am
- Lucas Hobbs —
Chef Lucas Food
10 Under 20 Food Heroes — Honoree Ambassador
2023
The Farmlink Project
- Started by a group of college friends in 2020, The Farmlink
Project connects farmers to food banks, delivering millions of
pounds of farm-fresh produce that would otherwise be wasted, to
feed families in need. The organization has moved over 100 million
pounds of food, delivered more than 83 million meals and prevented
in excess of 40 million carbon dioxide emissions.
Learn more about the program by visiting
10under20foodheroes.com.
About Hormel Foods — Inspired People. Inspired
Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in
Austin, Minn., is a global branded
food company with over $12 billion in
annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands
include Planters®, Skippy®,
SPAM®, Hormel® Natural
Choice®, Applegate®, Justin's®,
Wholly®, Hormel® Black
Label®,
Columbus®, Jennie-O® and
more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the
S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was
named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by
Forbes magazine for three
years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies,
has appeared on the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list by 3BL Media
13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for
its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The
company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People.
Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world's
most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more
information,
visit hormelfoods.com and csr.hormelfoods.com.
Contact:
Media Relations
Hormel Foods
media@hormel.com
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SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation