Former Arizona Cardinal Drew Stanton Helps Launch Major Initiative to Tackle Arizona Youth Food Insecurity

Today, on the 2022 NFL season’s opening day, NFL Drew Stanton went on the offense against childhood hunger. He and other dignitaries unveiled Mission 57: End Student Hunger to equip schools in high-need communities with Grab and Go school meal packages to fight food insecurity in Arizona.

Stanton was joined by Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee CEO Jay Parry; Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers; Glendale Elementary School District Superintendent Cindy Segotta-Jones and students; and officials from GENYOUth; Fry’s Food Stores; and Dairy Council of Arizona to present Glendale Elementary School District with 11 Grab and Go meal packages, including breakfast carts, milk coolers and NFL FLAG-In-School kits.

One of the Grab and Go carts was on display for use by Glendale School District students. Monica Garnes, division president of Fry’s Food Stores, said the donation will help provide additional access to fresh, nutritious food for local children. “We want students to be able to focus on their studies rather than be disrupted by being hungry,” she said. 

In the coming months, a total of 57 schools throughout Arizona will receive meal equipment packages to help increase access to over 8.5 million school meals for more than 31,000 Arizona students.

Today’s Mission 57 kickoff coincides with Hunger Action Month. In Arizona, 84 percent of students qualify for free/reduced-price school meals based on household income, but just 55 percent of students who qualify participate in school breakfast. Arizona ranks in the bottom half — 29th out of all states — in school breakfast participation.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit genyouthnow.org

About Karen Werner

Karen Werner is the editor of Frontdoors Media. She is a writer, editor and media consultant. She has interned at The New Yorker, worked at Parents Magazine, edited five books and founded several local magazines. Her work has appeared in Sunset, Mental Floss and the Saturday Evening Post.
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