Impact Report 2024 - 2025

Our team addressed the problem of food insecurity and the lack of accessible nutrition education in our community, particularly among students and their families. This need is directly aligned with our impact area of improving community health and wellness through food access, education, and empowerment. To better understand the landscape, we researched local food assistance programs, existing nutrition workshops at our school, and school-based meal initiatives, noting gaps in culturally relevant cooking education and opportunities for direct family engagement. We also consulted reports from the LA Food Bank, USDA food insecurity data, and surveyed students and families to assess their needs and interests. This research helped us design a program that not only provided food resources but also empowered families with practical, sustainable cooking skills.

Our team’s top achievements from the GirlsBuild project include volunteering consistently at the LA Food Bank every month, which allowed us to directly support hundreds of families facing food insecurity. We successfully assembled and distributed food kits that provided essential ingredients to those in need. We created a series of engaging cooking video tutorials that taught students how to prepare healthy and affordable meals at home. Our fundraising efforts made significant progress toward purchasing a mobile kitchen that will expand food education opportunities next year. Finally, we built stronger community connections by recruiting students’ family members to share their cultural recipes and teach cooking lessons, paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable program.

• Lesley Huinil, 12th Grade Lead: