Rural Child Hunger Summit 2021: Spotlight on Emergency Meals-to-You: Reimaging Summer Meals in Rural Areas

Emergency Meals-to-You (eMTY) shipped shelf-stable breakfasts and lunches to National School Lunch Program eligible students in rural America during the pandemic. The program served over 38 million meals to 270,000 children. This panel will highlight how eMTY expanded access to school meals in rural areas. Session participants will learn about the program, lessons learned from shipping food to families, and how the concept of mailed food could inform future practice.

 

Speakers:

Cara Cliburn Allen, Research Analyst, Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty

Cara Cliburn Allen is a Research Analyst for the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty focusing on the Meals-to-You program. She is a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education and Leadership program at Baylor University and studies the effects of food insecurity on identity. She has led institutional data gathering and responses to food insecurity at Baylor where she served as the chair of the Food Insecurity Working Group.

Andrea Skipor, Program Manager, Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty

Andrea Skipor is the Program Manager for the USDA Meals-to-You Pilot Program. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker. Andrea earned bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Columbus State University and a master’s degree in Social Work from the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University. She has two years of experience working in Waco ISD as a social work intern.

Jordan Laccetti, Vice President of Sales, McLane Global

Jordan Laccetti is the Vice President of Sales for McLane Global. Jordan received his Bachelor’s degree in Business, as well as a Master of Business Administration, from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. As a seasoned sales professional with extensive experience in both sales and management, Jordan’s responsibility as VP of Sales is to set the direction for McLane’s Domestic Sales Teams, including U.S. Sales and Manufacturing, McLane Hunger Solutions, and McLane Health Solutions, and work to effectively and efficiently achieve McLane’s business objectives.

Shawn Mason, Operations Manager, PepsiCo Food for Good

Shawn Mason has been with PepsiCo for 26 years, the last 11 as manager of the Food for Good program where he leads new partner management, new business models and go-to market strategy. Since joining Food for Good, he has spearheaded key partnerships resulting in the delivery of tens of millions of meals across the United States, including the 2020 USDA demonstration program with Baylor University, Emergency Meals-to-You. Shawn also oversees Food for Good’s new e-commerce platform, FoodforGoodMealSolutions.com, which provides consumers with personalized solutions to tackle hunger. In addition to his role on Food for Good, Shawn also assists the PepsiCo Foundation with nutrition grantmaking and disaster relief responses. Shawn currently resides in the Chicago area with his family and is an avid Cubs fan.

Margie Saidel, Vice President of Nutrition and Sustainability, Chartwells K12

Essentially the “Chief Dietitian” for Chartwells’ 4,000 schools across the country – and a mom herself – Margie has turned her passion for public health into a career. She gives millions of students the nourishment they need every day to live healthy, happy lives. With decades of experience designing menus and nutrition education programs in schools, she leads a team of more than 60 dietitians who ensure students are fed great-tasting, nutritious meals. Her work includes developing the strategic approach to child nutrition, local community health and wellness initiatives and corporate social responsibility programs. Prior to joining Chartwells, she spent 12 years as a school food service director and taught food service management at the college and graduate levels. Margie is a registered dietitian and received a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. She is also certified with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in child and adolescent weight management. Her expertise has been highlighted in national media outlets, including Reader’s Digest, USA Today, Real Simple and Women’s Health.