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CEOs Across Industries Join No Kid Hungry to Help Close the Summer Hunger Gap

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Iconic Brands like Chipotle Mexican Grill, Denny’s, Inspire Brands, Fogo de Chão, Jack in the Box, Macy’s, Inc. and Tropical Smoothie Cafe Pioneering the Effort

WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ — No Kid Hungry, a national campaign focused on ending childhood hunger in the U.S. announced today the CEO Pledge to End Summer Hunger, a national movement uniting CEOs across industries to help increase the reach of summer meals programs from 2.8 to 30 million children. CEOs and top executives who are among the first to champion the effort include:  Christine Barone, CEO & President, Dutch Bros Coffee; Paul Brown, Co-Founder & CEO, Inspire Brands; Noah Glass, Founder & CEO, Olo; Darin Harris, CEO, Jack in the Box; Barry McGowan, CEO, Fogo de Chão; Danny Meyer, Founder & Executive Chairman, Union Square Hospitality Group; Brian Niccol, Chairman & CEO, Chipotle Mexican Grill; Tony Spring, Chairman & CEO, Macy’s, Inc.; Kelli Valade, President & CEO, Denny’s and Charles Watson, CEO, Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

Summer Meals Portland OR Youth Ambassadors 2023 222
Photo provided by No Kid Hungry

One in five kids in America lives with hunger. And for children who rely on free or reduced priced meals at school, summer can be the hungriest time of year. A recent survey revealed that 41% of parents struggle in some way to provide food for their household when kids are out of school. Without access to nutrition during the summer months, it is that much harder for kids to return to school ready to learn.

“Feeding children and feeding our communities should be a top priority,” says Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chão. “As a food industry veteran, I understand the value of making sure people have enough to eat. That’s why I’m proud to unite behind the CEO pledge to end summer hunger. There is strength in numbers and together, we can make sure every child in America is fed. Join us in this critical mission.”

Edelman’s 2024 Trust Barometer Report reveals that 62% of people expect CEOs to address societal issues. Pledge champions understand that. These top executives are putting their competitive spirit aside to help tackle hunger by 1) Mobilizing their brands and industries to help No Kid Hungry raise $50M over the next three years, 2) Lending their time and influence to raise awareness and 3) Advocating for change by celebrating and supporting policies that ensure kids have access to food all year-round.

“As business leaders, we have a shared responsibility to build a nation where every child is set up for success, and that starts with making sure they are nourished,” said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe.  “This is not just a moral imperative but it’s also a strategic vision that drives our entire network of franchises to raise funds for No Kid Hungry.  I am honored to join my peers to help rewrite history and make summer hunger a thing of the past.”

Thanks to bipartisan legislation long advocated for by No Kid Hungry, 30 million children stand to benefit from the USDA’s new and monumental changes to the summer meals program. Traditional summer meals programs were only reaching 13% of the kids that needed them due to accessibility barriers like transportation. 

The new programs offer flexible options like multi-day meal distribution and deliveries that reach kids in remote and rural areas. Secondly, eligible families will receive $120 in grocery benefits for each eligible child. No Kid Hungry is leading the effort to roll out these changes and is planning on raising and investing $50 million over the next three years to help schools, community organizations and state agencies get the resources they need to implement the new programs this and every year.

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“The expansion of the summer meals program is a huge win, but summer hunger will only end if local communities have the resources to implement these new programs” said Kelli Valade, Denny’s president and CEO. “I’m excited to build on our fourteen-year partnership with No Kid Hungry and our love of feeding people to make sure our nation’s children have the summers they deserve – free of hunger. I call on my peers to join us – the time is now.”  

“No Kid Hungry’s promise is that every child in every community gets the nutrition they need year-round,” said Anne Filipic, CEO at Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. “We have a monumental opportunity to address the longstanding challenge of summer hunger and are inspired by our pledge champions who recognize the importance of using their resources and influence to help us meet this moment.”

The restaurant industry leaders that make up No Kid Hungry’s Dine Advisory Board are the architects behind the CEO pledge. They are rallying the industry to raise half of the needed investment – $25 million over the next three years. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/ceopledge.

About No Kid Hungry

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

Media contact
Allison deBrauwere Ruta, [email protected]

SOURCE No Kid Hungry

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The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

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Black communities are using mapping to document and restore a sense of place

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file 20240202 25 m9rzc0.jpg?ixlib=rb 4.1
Five Black young men, dressed in suits, sit atop a white car with an Illinois number plate.

These highways displaced many Black communities. Some Black activists are using mapping to do the opposite: highlight hidden parts of history. Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division

Joshua F.J. Inwood, Penn State and Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee

When historian Carter Woodson created “Negro History Week” in 1926, which became “Black History Month” in 1976, he sought not to just celebrate prominent Black historical figures but to transform how white America saw and valued all African Americans.

However, many issues in the history of Black Americans can get lost in a focus on well-known historical figures or other important events.

Our research looks at how African American communities struggling for freedom have long used maps to protest and survive racism while affirming the value of Black life.

We have been working on the “Living Black Atlas,” an educational initiative that highlights the neglected history of Black mapmaking in America. It shows the creative ways in which Black people have historically used mapping to document their stories. Today, communities are using “restorative mapping” as a way to tell stories of Black Americans.

Maps as a visual storytelling technique

While most people think of maps as a useful tool to get from point A to point B, or use maps to look up places or plan trips, the reality is all maps tell stories. Traditionally, most maps did not accurately reflect the stories of Black people and places: Interstate highway maps, for example, do not reflect the realities that in most U.S. cities the building of major roads was accompanied by the displacement of thousands of Black people from cities.

Like many marginalized groups, Black people have used maps as a visual story-telling technique for “talking back” against their oppression. They have also used maps for enlivening and giving dignity to Black experiences and histories.

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An example of this is the NAACP’s campaign to lobby for anti-lynching federal legislation in the early 20th century. The NAACP mapped the location and frequency of lynching to show how widespread racial terror was to the American public.

Another example is the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s efforts to document racism in the American South in the 1960s. The SNCC research department’s maps and research on racism played a pivotal role in planning civil rights protests. SNCC produced conventional-looking county-level maps of income and education inequalities, which were issued to activists in the field. The organization also developed creative “network maps,” which exposed how power structures and institutions supported racial discrimination in economic and political ways. These maps and reports could then identify urgent areas of protest.

More recently, artist-activist Tonika Lewis Johnson created the “Folded Map Project,” in which she brought together corresponding addresses on racially separated sides of the same street, to show how racism remade the city of Chicago. She photographed the “map twins” and interviewed individuals living at paired addresses to show the disparities. The project brought residents from north and south sides of Chicago to meet and talk to each other.

Maps for restorative justice

Restorative mapping is an important part of the Living Black Atlas: It helps bring visibility to Black experiences that have been marginalized or forgotten.

An important example of restorative mapping work comes from the Honey Pot Performance, a collective of Black feminists who helped create the Chicago Black Social Culture Map, or the CBSCM. This digital map traces Black Chicagoans’ experiences from the Great Migration to the rise of electronic dance music in the city. The map includes historical records and music posters as well as descriptions of important people and venues for that music. Millions of African Americans migrated from the Deep South to the industrial North between 1942 and 1970. In this photo, Black youngsters are dressed for Easter on the South Side of Chicago, April 13, 1941. AP Photo/Library of Congress/FSA/Russell Lee

While engaging Black Americans in the effort, the CBSCM map tells the story of Chicago through a series of artistic movements that highlight African Americans’ connection with the city.

After years of gentrification and urban renewal programs that displaced Black people from the city, this project is helping remember those neighborhoods digitally. It is also inviting a broader discussion about the history of Black Chicago.

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Restoring a sense of place

An important idea behind restorative mapping is the act of returning something to a former owner or condition. This connects with the broader restorative justice movement that seeks to address historic wrongs by documenting past and present injustices through perspectives that are often ignored or forgotten.

The CBSCM map is not a conventional paper map. While it includes many things you would find in such a map, such as road networks and political boundaries, the map also includes links to fiction writing and the Chicago Renaissance, art and music, as well as expressions of food, family life, education and politics that document a hidden history of Black life in the city. The map provides links to specific historic documents, socially meaningful sites, and to the lives of people that tell the story of Black Chicago.

Thus, the map helps highlight how this geography is still present in Chicago in archives and people’s memories. Through this digital representation of Black Chicagoans’ deep cultural roots in the city, the mapping aims to restore a sense of place. Such work embodies what Black History Month is about.

Joshua F.J. Inwood, Professor of Geography and Senior Research Associate in the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State and Derek H. Alderman, Professor of Geography, University of Tennessee

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Unlock Educational Opportunities: Scholarships Available for Arizona High School Seniors!

The Archer Ragsdale Arizona Chapter announces scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors in Arizona, including the Ashby-Herring and William A. Campbell Memorial Scholarships. Apply by deadlines for support.

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Arizona scholarships

Hello ARAC members and supporters!

It’s that exciting time of year again – scholarship season! 🎓 If you know any graduating high school seniors in Arizona who are planning to further their education in college, make sure to share the news about the incredibly valuable Ashby-Herring and William A. Campbell Memorial Scholarships.

Ashby-Herring Scholarships: Empowering the Next Generation

The Archer Ragsdale Arizona Chapter is thrilled to provide two $1,500 scholarships to deserving students through the Ashby-Herring scholarship program. This initiative is all about supporting African American high school seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence and are on the path to college.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Graduating high school senior from Arizona
  • Planning to attend a 2 or 4-year college/university
  • African American
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Demonstrated financial need

The deadline to apply for the Ashby-Herring scholarships is fast approaching—April 15! This is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain financial assistance as they embark on their college journey.

Students can simplify their application process by applying through the Arizona Community Foundation. One application opens the door to over 160 eligible scholarships, making it easier for them to find the right funding for their educational goals.

Honoring Legacy: The William A. Campbell Memorial Scholarship

In addition to the Ashby-Herring scholarships, we are delighted to continue the tradition of honoring the legacy of William A. Campbell with the William A. Campbell Memorial Scholarship. Sponsored by Steve Campbell, the son of the late William A. Campbell, and Colonel Richard Toliver Ret., this scholarship aims to support students pursuing careers in STEM.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • High school senior with a minimum overall GPA of 2.7
  • Attending college/university with a major in any STEM discipline
  • Submission of a 500-word essay detailing how the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy has motivated you

One to two scholarships of $1,500 will be awarded annually, with applications accepted until May 31. This scholarship not only provides financial support but also connects students to a rich heritage of perseverance and excellence.

Workshops and Support

To ensure that applicants feel confident and prepared, several workshops have been scheduled to guide students through the application process. These workshops will provide valuable insights and tips to help make the application stand out.

For more information about scholarship offerings or to attend a workshop, please reach out to the Arizona Community Foundation at [email protected].

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Spread the Word!

Help us ensure that deserving students don’t miss out on these fantastic opportunities! If you know someone who could benefit from these scholarships, please share this information with them. Together, we can empower the next generation of leaders and scholars.

Let’s make education accessible and celebrated. Thank you for your support and for spreading the word!

Happy scholarship season! 🌟

For further details, check the Arizona Community Foundation website or contact our scholarship contacts. Your support can make a world of difference! https://www.azfoundation.org/scholarship-seekers/scholarships/

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

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The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

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Blizzard Entertainment Raises Over $2 Million for CureDuchenne: A Tribute to Community and Legacy

Blizzard Entertainment and World of Warcraft players raised over $2 million for CureDuchenne, honoring Mats Steen, a devoted player lost to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, while promoting awareness and community support.

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CureDuchenne,

In a remarkable display of unity and compassion, Blizzard Entertainment® and the gaming community of World of Warcraft® have come together to raise over $2 million for CureDuchenne, a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Inspired by the poignant documentary “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” the initiative has touched hearts and changed lives, honoring the legacy of the late Mats Steen, a devoted player known as Ibelin.

Honoring Mats Steen’s Legacy

Mats Steen, a young man from Norway, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at a young age, a condition that steals muscle strength, leading to severe physical limitations and, tragically, premature death. Mats lost his life at just 25, but his journey didn’t end there; his story is one of connection, joy, and community. Through World of Warcraft, Mats discovered a vibrant world filled with friendships and adventures that transcended his physical challenges.

His family, upon his passing, uncovered the wealth of community and connection that the game provided him—a life filled with support and laughter that they had never fully appreciated. In remembrance of Mats, players worldwide adopted a limited-edition in-game pet, a fox named Reven, with all proceeds supporting the critical work of CureDuchenne.

The Impact of the Fundraising Campaign

The response from the gaming community has been nothing short of extraordinary. The opportunity to adopt Reven provided players a chance to honor Mats’ legacy while contributing to a noble cause. The campaign not only garnered significant financial support—$2 million to date—but also raised awareness about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that affects around 300,000 individuals globally.

According to Debra Miller, Founder and CEO of CureDuchenne, this partnership has been a breakthrough. “Not only has it raised critical funds for research,” she said, “but it has also generated awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The World of Warcraft community has demonstrated that gaming can be a powerful force for good.”

A Community United

The success of this fundraising initiative emphasizes the strength of the community and the impact that gaming can have in addressing real-world issues. The World of Warcraft community rallied together, showcasing the power of connection and shared purpose. The campaign reached across borders and time zones, allowing players from diverse backgrounds to unite in support of a common cause.

Holly Longdale, Executive Producer of World of Warcraft, expressed gratitude for the community’s generosity. “Your kindness helps enable the incredible work of CureDuchenne and honors the deeply impactful life of Mats Steen. We invite everyone to continue supporting CureDuchenne and to carry on Ibelin’s legacy with compassion and joy.”

The Future of Duchenne Research

The funds raised are critical for advancing research efforts aimed at finding treatments and improving care for those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. CureDuchenne is committed to accelerating research initiatives and to supporting families affected by this progressive disease. Their work includes funding early-stage scientific research, enhancing patient care, and providing educational resources to families.

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CureDuchenne’s mission is clear: to bring treatments to everyone affected by this relentless disease, regardless of their financial status or geographical location. As the organization continues its vital work, the funding from the Blizzard partnership will play a crucial role in driving groundbreaking research forward.

The collaboration between Blizzard Entertainment and the World of Warcraft community serves as a shining example of how gaming can transcend entertainment to become a force for social good. The $2 million raised for CureDuchenne is more than a financial contribution; it symbolizes a tribute to personal legacy and a community united by purpose.

As we remember Mats Steen and cherish the friendships forged in virtual worlds, let us continue to advocate for those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Together, we can harness the power of community and gaming to drive change, support vital research, and ultimately, help find a cure. If this campaign inspires you, consider supporting CureDuchenne or participating in similar initiatives within the gaming community to make a difference. For more information on how to contribute, visit CureDuchenne.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which Microsoft acquired (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

SOURCE CureDuchenne

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