2008 STOP Hunger Scholarship recipients

Rewarding involvement.

In 2007, the Sodexo Foundation announced a new program to recognize students who are active in the fight against hunger and poverty in the United States. Now in the second year of the annual STOP Hunger Scholarships, five students have been recognized for demonstrating an exemplary spirit of service. 

Kevin Kacvinsky, Junior at Franciscan University
Steubenville, OH
Kevin Kacvinsky has made a huge impact during his three years at Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. During that time, he has not only volunteered each week to feed and minister to the homeless in Pittsburgh, but also created a non-profit organization that will continue his work after he graduates next year. Kevin has also organized and helped to run 14 mission trips during school breaks.

Erik Krasney, Senior at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles, CA
The quarter of a million homeless and hungry living on the streets of LA's infamous “skid row” have a friend in high school senior Erik Krasney. The donations that he brings to ease their suffering include sack lunches and clean, warm socks through the Socks and Sacks program he founded. He also hands out sleeping bags to provide a warm place to sleep on chilly California nights.

Cassie Muller, Sophomore at Loudonville Christian School
Loudonville, NY
Cassie Muller, a sophomore at Loudonville Christian School first began helping fight hunger in Albany, seven years ago. For the past two years she has run a program that provides 1,000 lunches every day during weekends and school vacations-including summer break. Last year Cassie and her team prepared and served more than 50,000 healthy, nutritious meals to inner city children. View her story.

Travis Price, Senior at Palmer High School
Colorado Springs, CO
Travis Price knows firsthand that teenagers are always hungry, but was surprised to find out from friends about their own food insecurity. Knowing that teens more likely confide in other teens, Travis brought together a community coalition of adult and teen leaders to form Project TeenFeed. He also engaged eight area high schools and middle schools, as well as a local restaurant chain, to set up taco/chips bars to raise money and increase awareness about the issue of teen hunger. Travis also prepared a proclamation, signed by the mayor, declaring the last week in October “Teen Hunger Awareness Week.'”

Hannah Yoxall, 3rd Grader at McSwain Elementary School
Staunton, VA
Nine-year-old Hannah Yoxall has never forgotten what it was like to go to bed hungry. After being adopted and brought to America from her native China five years ago, Hannah was compelled by the empty shelves at her local food bank to raise awareness and collect food for the hungry in the Shenandoah Valley. Last year she collected 1,033 pounds of food-bringing her three-year total to more than 1,500 pounds for local needy families. View her story.

View the 2007 Scholarships Recipients