Student wins prize in Sodexo contest
Callie Hale, of Romulus, understands the importance of food insecurity, and how dealing with adversity at a young age can dramatically influence the development of a child.
Hale, a senior at Alma College, chose the Kids Coalition Against Hunger, a nonprofit organization based in Michigan, as the beneficiary of a $ 500 prize she won as part of the Sodexo Spread the Joy sweepstakes.
Sodexo, the dining partner of Alma College, chose Hale as one of 30 winners from college and universities nationwide, to make a donation in their name to their campus food pantry or a local hunger-related charity.
“My studies at Alma have brought me to an interest in child advocacy,” said Hale, who is double-majoring in psychology and sociology. “The Kids Coalition Against Hunger is an organization that aims to help reduce the number of hungry children in the U. S., but also reaches out worldwide to address the issue of child hunger. I was particularly drawn to their efforts and mission statement when I was considering what charity I wanted to help support. “
According to a press release issued by Sodexo, the donation aspect of the sweepstakes was undertaken due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the issues that
food pantries have dealt with as a result of it, specifically maintaining adequate supply.
“I am glad that the contest served a bigger purpose than just benefiting myself,” Hale said. “I hope
that the Kids Coalition can benefit from the check and meet their 2020 goals.”
In addition to the donation money, Hale also won a $100 gift card, with encouragement to spend the money at locally owned businesses.
“COVID-19 has made food pantries even more cautious than they normally would be about ac
cepting donations, because they don’t want to spread the virus. That results in some real problems for people who rely on those services,” said Burt MCAtee, area general manager for Sodexo. “I’m grateful that students are thinking about nonprofit organizations during this time of year when hunger issues are a very real concern.”