June winner

Nourishing young minds

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Noblesville, Indiana-based nonprofit Fueled for School alleviates hunger in local schools by distributing nutritious meal packs to students experiencing food insecurity, promoting the educational value of nutrition and improving access to local food.

Food for thought

In 2017, a group of Hinkle Creek Elementary School teachers pitched in for a day at a local food bank. While volunteering, they learned the food bank put together weekend meal packs for students in a neighboring school district. Inquiring further, they discovered that every district in Hamilton County had a weekend meal pack program except Noblesville Schools.

That seed of discovery grew into Fueled for School, a nonprofit committed to eliminating food insecurity in Noblesville’s schools.

Operated by a small team of Noblesville teachers and school staff who have witnessed firsthand students going without proper meals, Fueled for School sends home hundreds of hungry students with meal packs to keep them nourished on weekends, holiday breaks and even summer vacation.

“Nearly one in four students in Noblesville Schools experiences food insecurity,” says Kristina Trusty, executive director of Fueled for School. “Feeding those students not only reduces the stress of persistent hunger, but is instrumental in helping them focus and succeed academically.”

Over the past five years, Fueled for School has raised more than $300,000 to support food donations and served over 500,000 meals to students.

“Nearly one in four students in Noblesville Schools experiences food insecurity.”

–Kristina Trusty, executive director of Fueled for School

 

An agency rallies community support

Fueled for School’s all-volunteer staff has achieved these milestones with the help of financial and in-kind contributions from community partners, notably WalkerHughes Insurance.

One of Fueled for School’s most ardent supporters – Kristina Trusty’s husband Dennis – serves as WalkerHughes’ director of technology. A few years ago, Dennis alerted the agency to the important work Fueled for School was doing for the community’s children, nominating it for WalkerHughes’ Charity of the Quarter program.

Since then, WalkerHughes has partnered with Fueled for School to raise awareness and attract financial support to address food insecurity in the schools. For example, through its Charity of the Quarter program, the agency made a donation for each client referral it received over three months.

WalkerHughes’ marketing team also offered to create a promotional video that the nonprofit could share to its social media pages.

“We have donated financially, we have donated food and we have donated our time,” says Stephanie Marsh, WalkerHughes’ director of client engagement. “But it was most rewarding to donate our marketing talents to help Fueled for School raise its profile in the community.”

One Noblesville resident sponsored Fueled for School for a matching grant of up to $15,000 – and WalkerHughes’ ongoing marketing support helped make sure the nonprofit received every last dollar.

“We have donated financially, we have donated food and we have donated our time. But it was most rewarding to donate our marketing talents to help Fueled for School raise its profile in the community.”

– Stephanie Marsh, director of client engagement at WalkerHughes

 

Every dollar raised feeds a child

Some community partners, such as the Gatewoods Vegetable Farm and Greenhouses, provide fresh produce that the nonprofit includes in its school break and holiday meal boxes. Others contribute funds that help pay for food.

Fueled for School’s board is entirely unpaid, so all donations go toward feeding students and educating families to promote food self-sufficiency.

A grant of $10,000 would provide 2,000 weekend meal kits – or cover meals for all the children in the program for an entire eight-week summer break.

 

Feed a kiddo with a click

Help WalkerHughes win $10,000 for Fueled for School by clicking the vote button. Get them an extra vote by cheering them on in the comments below.

746 Votes
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Mariah Kulkin
9 months ago

Way to go!

Kathleen Rakoczy
9 months ago

Great.

Curtiestine Madu
9 months ago

No child should go hungry. Thank you.

Al Moss
9 months ago

The need is real, supporting education and the student is worthy

Melinda Snow
9 months ago

I think this is an absolutely amazing program and I am thrilled that WalkerHughes is so involved with it.

Amber Koehl
9 months ago

What an amazing way to give back to the community!

Sherry Berhalter
9 months ago

Great way to support the community!

Kathleen Rakoczy
9 months ago

Great Program!!

Darold Eason
9 months ago

Great program!

Damian Marciniak
9 months ago

Thank you everyone for voting!!!

Robert Christernsen
9 months ago

Great program, thank you WalkerHughes

Laura Kessie Sheiss
9 months ago

What a great program!

Lucy Scammahorn
9 months ago

Thank you for supporting the kids

Al and Becky Moss
9 months ago

Heck Yes!

Ryan
9 months ago

Very proud to work for a company that is involved in positive outcomes for those in need within the community.

Vivian H
9 months ago

What a great program!

Lisa
9 months ago

Best of luck and thanks or caring about the kids!

Jaclyn
9 months ago

Fueled for School is a great program for the Noblesville community!

Rosa
9 months ago

Such a great program! Thanks for helping kids

Christina
9 months ago

What a great way to go community involvement…..

Sandy Earl
9 months ago

Rooting for you! Thank you for everything you do!

Jodi Meyer
9 months ago

Thank you for helping the community!

Leslie Kepler
9 months ago

Best of luck! Great people helping others!

Danielle Daniels
9 months ago

Love Fueled for School!! ❤️

devyn p
9 months ago

Great people doing great things!

Kevin Mandrell
9 months ago

Every vote counts ✅

Sarah Cooke
9 months ago

Voting for this great cause!

Claudia Crawford
9 months ago

Great company! Supports the community!!

Maureen Dempster
9 months ago

Great cause!

Jennifer Connolly
9 months ago

This is a great! Voted!

Chelsey Crawford
9 months ago

Love this agency and organization. Such wonderful work with the community!!

Stephanie Marsh
9 months ago

Love F4S and all the work they do in our community!!!

Adrienne Fazi
9 months ago

This is such an amazing organization and agency.

Danielle Shearer
9 months ago

Good luck!

Damian Marciniak
9 months ago

Keep the votes coming in!

Jonathan Smith
9 months ago

A great cause ran by great people!

Jessica Greene
9 months ago

What a fantastic cause! Good luck!

Mariah Kulkin
9 months ago

Congrats!

J. Sandlin
9 months ago

Such a great cause, with such a great group of people who support and run this program!

Kayla Chiara
9 months ago

Great work done by the WalkerHughes team! You got this!

Kerrie Oliver
9 months ago

Best of luck!

Damian Marciniak
9 months ago

What a great mission and meaningful cause for the kiddos!

Austin Smith
9 months ago

Such a great cause!

Dawn Bennett
9 months ago

What a great program! People helping people is what makes the world go around!

Brandi Sheets
9 months ago

This program has a piece of my heart!! Love the support this agency gives to them!

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