Local Teen Wins Art Competition, Tackling Summer Hunger in Style!

Bay County, USA - In an inspiring display of creativity and social awareness, Nazarena Capdevila, a bright 12th-grade student at Booker T. Washington Senior High School, has clinched the top spot in Feeding South Florida’s sixth annual “Feed Your Creativity” art competition. This competition invites talented young minds from elementary, middle, and high schools across Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties to submit artwork that sheds light on pressing community issues.

The winning artwork by Capdevila will proudly adorn a 36-foot semi-trailer truck wrap, transforming the vehicle into a vibrant moving billboard that will traverse the streets of South Florida. It’s a brilliant way to raise awareness about summer hunger—a significant concern in the region.

Addressing Summer Hunger

As part of the “Summer Hunger Ends Here” initiative launched by Feeding South Florida, this campaign aims not only to highlight the issue of summer hunger but also to gather vital funds and support. Over 300,000 children in South Florida depend on free or reduced-price meals during the school year. When summer arrives, families face an uphill battle to provide adequate nutrition for their children.

Feeding South Florida works actively to combat this summer hunger by sponsoring the USDA Summer Food Service Program, which offers meals to children at various Summer BreakSpots and through pop-up pantries located in low-income neighborhoods. This initiative engages the community, involving students, parents, and teachers to take part in tackling the issue head-on.

Community Engagement Through Art

The „Feed Your Creativity“ campaign isn’t just about choosing a winner; it serves as a platform for young artists to express their thoughts and feelings through art. Submitted artwork gets showcased on the organization’s website and during a gallery night event, which becomes a heartwarming community gathering. Here, attendees can reflect on the pressing issue of summer hunger while celebrating the creativity of up-and-coming artists.

During this annual event, a winner is announced, and their artwork gains added significance as it features on one of Feeding South Florida’s 18-wheel trucks. This year’s competition underscores the organization’s commitment to raising awareness about childhood food insecurity while promoting artistic expression among local youth, making a real difference in the community.

The Bigger Picture

Feeding South Florida stands at the forefront of crafting solutions to summer hunger. Local governments, school districts, and private nonprofits are encouraged to sponsor summer meal sites, thereby providing children with access to nutrition in safe spaces. Ideal locations for these meal sites can include schools, parks, recreational centers, and places where children naturally gather, such as YMCAs or Boys and Girls Clubs.

There’s more to this than just serving meals. To qualify, these sites must be situated in areas where a substantial number of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Such structured efforts highlight the commitment to ensuring that kids from every background have access to nourishment during the summer months and beyond. The sponsors of these meal programs receive reimbursements for each eligible meal served, further incentivizing the fight against food insecurity.