Hormel Foods is celebrating the efforts of remarkable youth throughout the United States who are working to create a better world by designing innovative ways for a more transparent, secure and sustainable food system. To recognize and spotlight these 10 young individuals for their contributions, Hormel Foods is launching its inaugural “10 Under 20 Food Heroes Awards” program during its first-ever Spirit Week, a companywide virtual celebration set for Sept. 14-18.
The Food Heroes Awards ceremony will be taking place during Spirit Week in lieu of the previously scheduled ceremony set for the company’s second annual Small Change Big Impact Food Summit at Harvard University. The change was due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Small Change Big Impact Food Summit, which brings together leaders and experts from across the entire industry, fosters forward-thinking ideas to create a better food system. It is scheduled to return next year.
Suggesting ways to feed those in need and efforts to save our planet, this incredible group of 10 Under 20 Food Heroes has demonstrated that anyone can make a difference in the world, regardless of age, background or resources. For their work, Hormel Foods will present award winners with grants to use on their journey as the next generation’s great change-makers.
In addition to the 10 Under 20 Food Heroes, Hormel Foods will be honoring 19-year-old Joshua Williams, who is a true change-maker. Now a junior at NYU’s Stern School of Business, when he was just shy of 5 years old, he started Joshua’s Heart Foundation in Miami Beach, Florida. His mission has long been to put an end to poverty and food insecurity. Since 2005, Williams’ foundation has raised almost $2 million in financial support, distributed more than 3 million pounds of food, served more than 600,000 individuals, donated more than 200,000 toys, books and clothes, and recruited more than 60,000 young people to help him do all of this incredible work. Team members at Hormel Foods were so energized by Williams, they decided to make him the first ambassador for the 10 Under 20 Food Impact Awards. He is a tremendous force for good in the world and continues to inspire up-and-coming change-makers who are just getting started in their efforts to improve the lives of others in their communities.
The inaugural class of 10 Under 20 Food Heroes honorees, in no specific order, are:
Elise Simokat, Hurricane, West Virginia – Age 13 – Founder, Box to Belly Challenge
Grace Callwood, Hartford County, Maryland – Age 16 – We Cancerve
Liam Hannon, Cambridge, Massachusetts – Age 13 – Lunches of Love
Mikaila Ulmer, Austin, Texas – Age 15 – Founder, Me & the Bees
Adam Fellows, Sherrill, New York – Age 19 – Food Pantry Sherrill
Kiki Hardee, Vista, California – Age 6 – Kiki’s Kindness Project: School Lunch Debt
Jahkil Jackson, Chicago, Illinois – Age 13 – Project I Am
Bradley Ferguson – Age 19 – Founder, Post Crashers
Lucas Hobbs, Age 17 – Eagan, Minnesota – ChefLucasFood
King Middle School (Portland, Maine)