Five Students and Five Sodexo Employees Recognized for Fighting Hunger in their Communities
BETHESDA, Md. (May 7, 2025) –The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is proud to announce its 2025 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars and Heroes of Everyday Life®. Five students and five Sodexo employees will receive a $5,000 grant to continue their work to fight food insecurity within their communities. Top award recipients were honored at the Annual Sodexo Charity Classic presented by PepsiCo in Frisco, TX. The five students also received a $10,000 educational scholarship.
“Since its establishment, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has been persistent in its efforts to eliminate childhood hunger, while also empowering people and communities to rise above food insecurity,” said Joan McGlockton, Chair, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and Associate General Counsel, Corporate Affairs, Sodexo. "We extend our deepest gratitude to the 2025 Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars and Heroes of Everyday Life® who courageously embrace fighting hunger by dedicating time, resources, and energy in their communities.”
The Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholars for 2025 are:
- Adam Belouad, Hand to Hunger, 12th Grade, Falls Church, VA --
Adam is the founder and Executive Director of Hand to Hunger, an international organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity. Under his leadership, he has served over 220,000 meals and mobilized 62,500 student volunteers. He also developed SporkAI, an app that helps reduce food waste by generating custom recipes. - Shrusti Amula, Rise N Shine Foundation, College Freshman, Clarksburg, MD --
Shrusti is the founder of Rise N Shine Foundation, a youth-led initiative tackling food waste in public schools. She led composting and food recovery programs that have rescued 350,000 meals and diverted 206,000 pounds of waste. Her advocacy helped secure $1.25 million in state funding for food waste programs. - Ryan Gustis, The Backpack Project, 12th Grade, Woodridge, IL --
Ryan is the founder of The Backpack Project, which has provided thousands of backpacks filled with food and essentials to people experiencing homelessness. With over 2,000 volunteer hours, he has also led food drives for the West Suburban Community Pantry. - Nate Henry, Grassroots Grocery, 6th Grade, Bronx, NY --
Nate is a dedicated volunteer with Grassroots Grocery, helping provide food to over 1,000 people in the Bronx, Harlem, and the Upper East Side. With over 160 service hours, he is also working to establish a middle school service club focused on food insecurity. - Aakash Suresh, Joshua’s Heart Foundation, College Freshman, Pembrook Pines, FL --
Aakash has dedicated over five years to fighting food insecurity through Joshua’s Heart Foundation, where he served as Vice Chair and Head of Operations. He developed an AI-based predictive modeling tool to optimize food distribution, benefiting over 100,000 people. He also volunteers with Bread for the World, using data-driven solutions to drive hunger relief and policy change.
Click here to view a video about the 2025 Stephen J. Brady Scholars.
The Foundation also awarded seven $1,000 hunger-fighting grants to students receiving the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Emerging Leaders designation:
- Lola Beach, Feeding Children in Poverty; 10th Grade, Tulsa, OK
- Madeline Erwin, Co-Founder of BackpackBuddy.org; College Sophomore, Winfield, WV
- Steven Hoffen, Growing Peace, Inc.; 11th Grade, New York, NY
- Kallen Mutchie, The Traveling Table Mobile Food Pantry; 12th Grade, Nampa, ID
- Arden Pala, Bags of Hope; 10th Grade, San Diego, CA
- Maya Puterman, Fresh Opportunities; 12th Grade, New York, NY
- Justine Sanchez, Create, Grow, & Eat; 12th Grade, San Juan Capo, CA
The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation also awards Sodexo employees who invest time, talent, and resources to fight hunger in their communities. These employees, recognized as Heroes of Everyday Life®, are honored for their efforts responding to immediate food needs in their communities, as well as empowering people to rise above food insecurity.
“Congratulations to our 2025 Heroes of Everyday Life® who exemplify relentless determination through their volunteer work in their communities,” said Roxanne Moore, Executive Director, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation. “They persevere and inspire others in their personal and professional lives to be changemakers for a hunger-free world.”
The 2025 Heroes of Everyday Life® are:
- LaQueisha Brown, General Manager, Pontiac Street Market, Fort Wayne, IN --
LaQueisha is a dedicated community leader who serves on the Brightpoint Board, supports local food programs, and mentors teen moms. At Pontiac Street Market, she helps families in a food desert access fresh produce. Through Blessings in a Backpack, she provides school supplies and meals to underserved children, ensuring they have the resources to succeed. - Donna Bundas, Operating Reporting Specialist, Service Operations; Las Vegas, NV --
Donna Bundas and her husband, Joe, personally fund and prepare meals the homeless community, providing food to around 200 people weekly. With no outside assistance, they have made it their mission to ensure that those struggling with homelessness have a warm meal and a reminder that they are not forgotten. - Charity S. Chandler, Director, DEI Experience, Transversal, Watertown, WI --
Charity and her wife, April, are passionate advocates for their community, using their bakery and volunteer work to support students and teachers. They have helped raise over $15,000 for local causes, including funding school pantries, paying off student lunch debt, and providing graduation grants. They also assist local organizations that aid veterans, women's shelters, and homeless LGBTQ+ youth. - Louise E. Long, Senior Contract Analyst; Supply Management, Rockville, MD --
Louise has been a pillar of support at Rainbow Place Women’s Shelter, managing kitchen operations and providing meals. She personally steps in when donations fall short, organizing supplies, picking up essentials, and assisting vulnerable women in need. Beyond the shelter, she works with social services to locate and aid homeless individuals, connecting them with resources for long-term support and stability. - Antonio “Tony” Norman, Cook, Sodexo Dollar Tree, Chesapeake, VA --
Tony Norman’s journey from personal struggles to dedicated community service is truly inspiring. Initially required to volunteer at St. Mary’s Church, he found purpose in helping others and has continued for over a decade. He works in the soup kitchen and food pantry, assisting hundreds of families weekly. Beyond his church service, Tony offers support to those in need, sharing his own experiences to inspire hope and change.
Click here to view a video about the 2025 Heroes of Everyday Life®.
The Foundation also awarded five $1,000 hunger-fighting grants to Sodexo employees receiving the Heroes of Everyday Life® Honorable Mention designation:
- Bobby Berveridge, Food Service Worker, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, NE
- Amy Galvin, General Manager, Bayridge Hospital, Lynn, MA
- Kristopher Hernandez, Driver, The Kipp School, Houston, TX
- Carl Ventimiglia, Operations Manager, Francis Howell School District, St. Louis, MO
- Rebekah Washington, Operations Manager, Sodexo at Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Leonard Wood, MO
The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is an independent charitable organization with a mission to fight against hunger and food insecurity. Building on 25 years of leadership, in collaboration with volunteers, NGO partners, donors and the unique ecosystem of its founding partner, Sodexo, the Foundation is scaling up innovative hunger-fighting solutions. These solutions are poised to have a broader and deeper impact on ending hunger in the most vulnerable communities. Visit Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation’s Linktree to connect to their social media channels and follow their impactful work throughout the year.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is a division of Sodexo Group, a global Fortune 500 company operating in 45 countries and a leading provider of sustainable food and integrated facilities management in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam, at every moment in life: learn, work, heal and play. Across the U.S., the company employs over 100,000 people and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs by annually purchasing goods and services from a wide range of small to large businesses. Sodexo North America is committed to meeting the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and to contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all.