- January 23, 2025
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Food plays a critical role in a child's learning.
And one local nonprofit has been working to address that need in Volusia and Flagler County for over a decade: Food Brings Hope.
"Our mission is nurturing the body, mind and spirit of children so that they reach their full potential and I just know even a child if they’re hungry, they can’t learn," said Judi Winch, executive director for Food Brings Hope. "Research shows that, but I learned that firsthand in the classroom."
Back when she was an administrator at Westside Elementary in Daytona Beach, she recalls one Monday when she spotted a pair of brothers, one kindergarten and one in first grade, running up the sidewalk on campus. She told them to slow down, and the older boy explained to her that they just wanted to get to the cafeteria because they were so hungry. Neither could remember when they had their last meal.
The Ormond Beach Observer spoke with Winch on Monday, July 26, and this is what she had to say about her organization's mission, and its impact in the community.
You were preparing for retirement as a principal in 2015 when you took on your role with Food Brings Hope. What drove you to make this decision?
Oh my goodness — because of my passion and love for children. I was an administrator for 16 years, four as an assistant principal. I was at Westside Elementary where 95% of the children were living in poverty. I had been there for so long and, as I was walking through the classes and just dealing with children and parents every day and loving my job, I realized the importance of being fed and good nutrition making a difference in the academic success of a child. We ended up doing lots of nutrition classes and bringing in special speakers, but I also got involved with Food Brings Hope at that time too. In 2007, Ms. Hosseini started Food Brings Hope at one school, at Hinson, and then the next year she added Westside to it, so that’s how I really became involved with it, because we had the KidZone after school program at Westside until the time I retired. In fact, it’s still there.
I wasn’t ready to retire by any means, but I was in the [Volusia County Schools Deferred Retirement Option] program and it came up very quickly. Ms. Hosseini offered me the position knowing I didn’t want to leave the passion I had for children and making sure they’re successful and giving them the help they need.
In the past six years, what is the greatest way Food Brings Hope make an impact on local children?
The food that we send home, the food that we put in the bags that we give out in the food drives to all families, it’s always healthy and nutritious. We get fresh produce for the bags that we give out at the Mainland food drives. It’s important — like in Pierson, we always are giving out fresh produce at the pantries.
I think the impact that we’ve made is not just on the children, but on the families. The more that we help the children, the more they can share with their families. Food is primary, but along with that comes learning about the nutrition as well, and going on the field trips to learn what to choose at a grocery store, or when they go visit a Publix and learn about that too, and how important it is to pick out the fresh produce when shopping, and not the canned or something that is easy. We make sure that they are exposed to that also.
The academics can’t happen with a child that’s hungry, so I would say that, but also exposing them to the world and to what’s going on around them — making sure that they’re active and getting to go to an Embry-Riddle basketball game and getting to see Coach Ridder and having him talk to them and motivate them. Or at the Peabody when they went to the Nutcracker, and to see the cultural events. A well-rounded child is what we’re trying to reach.
What are some of your goals for Food Brings Hope mission for the 2021-2022 school year?
One of the things that we always want to do is add more schools so that we can add more children, so we look for the schools that are wanting to have our program. My philosophy, and the board seems to go along with it, is that it’s not the quantity of schools that we have, but it’s the quality of programs that we’re offering to the children.
In 2019, we added one program and one school. This year, I have six to present that are really, really interested. According to our budget, you can only do so much. I don’t know how many will be chosen, but it’s a great overview of our whole county as far as the schools that have reached out to me. They know about us — Superintendent Fritz is extremely, extremely supportive of Food Brings Hope and wants to see how many schools [we can serve.]
We want to increase the food bags. We want to increase VCAN so that we’re helping additional students. We’re always looking for ways. This year, we started a THT helpline— it was tutoring, homework help and test prep, and it was four days a week for fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders in schools in the Ormond and Daytona Beach area. They could call in and get help, and we want to expand on that.
We see what the need is and we move to answer that need.
What is one thing you want the community to know about Food Brings Hope?
I believe it’s that Food Brings Hope has the passion, enthusiasm and initiative to be a driving force in the community, as far as helping and aiding children and families in all areas of our county, and not just one specific area. Our immediate goal is to feed as many children as we can at this moment in time. Our long-term goal is to eradicate hunger in children in Volusia County.
I know we can do that to the families that are in need and are requiring our assistance. No child should go hungry.
