A Central New York teenager’s dream of erasing student lunch debt is garnering national attention.
Hormel Foods has selected Emma Falkenmeyer, a recent graduate of Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School, as one of its 10 Food Heroes Under 20 for 2024.
Falkenmeyer, 18, started an initiative called School Lunch Pals during his senior year of high school to pay off the school system’s student lunch debt.
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Read more: CNY teen launches ambitious fundraising campaign to eliminate student lunch debt
According to the initiative, which is from Sherrill, roughly 17 percent of children in Oneida County are food insecure, which is 0.5 percent higher than the national average.
The program actively raised funds from the community to pay off the debt owed to the VVS Food Services Department. By May 2024, School Lunch Pals had raised over $7,000 in its second year and used the funds to pay off the debt for over 3,100 lunches.
A month later, Falkenmeyer learned she would be receiving the Oneida County Youth Authority Outstanding Youth Leadership Award.
The award was given based on her positive leadership in inspiring her school and community to help those in need.
And just recently, she was awarded a Distinguished Service Award by the New York State Assembly.
She’ll now be heading off to Northeastern University… but before that she’ll be winning her biggest prize yet.
Hormel Foods, parent company of well-known brands like Planters and Spam, recognized Falkenmeyer for all the great work she has done to improve the school district by naming her one of their “Heroes.”
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As a Food Hero, Falkenmeyer will travel to Hormel’s global headquarters and meet with some of the most influential people in the food industry. She will also receive a grant to further support her efforts.
Hormel Foods said in a press release about Falkenmeyer’s significant contributions to the local community:
Emma founded School Lunch Pals in 2023 to raise funds to eliminate school lunch debt for her high school students and ensure that no parent or student is left to shoulder this financial burden alone. Currently, the local school district qualifies for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a breakfast and lunch program for all students, and Emma’s organization provides funds for students who previously qualified for free or reduced school lunches to purchase additional items not covered by CEP.
Falkenmeyer was recognized last year by the food brand as one of its “rising stars” after “raising more than $9,000” in 2023.
“Not only does she help students at her own school, but she also reaches out to local churches and other organizations to raise awareness and support for her mission,” the industry leader said at the time.
This year, she is one of four New York teens to be nationally honored, a great achievement for New York State.
Joining her were Skye and Will Nzeitung, ages 18 and 16, respectively, New York City natives and founders of Food For All New York, which they started after witnessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic firsthand.
Germany counts insects
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“To date, Food For All New York has rescued over 10,000 pounds of food and 20,000 food items. The organization also has an app that connects local organizations to streamline food rescue efforts,” the press release said.
The other winner is 16-year-old Steven Hoffen from New York City. “My visit to Israel and seeing Arab and Jewish women working together to build peace through hydroponics inspired me to take action.” In 2021, he founded Growing Peace, which has now grown to “deliver more than 33,500 meals of fresh produce a year to communities in need.”
Congratulations to all, but especially to Mr. Falkenmeyer, who is a shining example of goodwill and leadership in Central New York.
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