2014-15
Winners
Alyssa AguilaSalt Lake City, UT
Jordan Artis, Humble, TX
Daniel Ayala, San Antonio, TX
“…hire from within the neighborhood.
If all positions (line cook, wait staff,
and bussers) were hired from within the
neighborhood boundaries, the lifestyles
of those employed would improve. “
“Make a meal card that underprivileged
families could use for their children. This card
will serve as a free meal ticket for a child
once per day at Denny’s. [with} proper paper
work administered and proof that the child is
actually in need of food for them to be able to
obtain the card.”
“Denny’s has great purchasing power for
food items [to use] to persuade its suppliers
to join in efforts towards combating
childhood hunger. For instance, Denny’s
suppliers may be willing to decrease the
costs of supplying certain food items that
are provided to children.”
Margarita Brokaw,
Northern Arizona Univ. - Yuma
“Team up with Meal on Wheels because there
are many grandparents or seniors that help
raise their grandchildren, especially when
parent are either single parents or both
parents have to work. {If they] take a registry of
children that reside in the home then they can
coordinate meal delivers for both seniors and
children in the same household. “
Jha’Laini Byers, Chino, CA
“...we can be a bigger voice to increase
the process [of awareness about Denny’s
No Kid Hungry campaign]. Once the
movement is known about, it may open
eyes to non healthy eating families. “
Kiana Cole, Pine Bluff, AR
Austin Barrazza
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
“…recruit residents to volunteer their
time. This could be in partnership with
local service groups and organizations,
but with the overall objective to foster a
sense of community engagement.”
Briana Coles
Univ. of Colorado- Denver
“Under-utilization of resources is the
“…PAPERBAG20: we stuffed paper bags with
problem rather than lack of resources.
sandwiches, granola bars, chips, and water.
Increasing the visibility of these programs,
[and] went to homeless shelters in the area.
educating parents on what is available,
They didn’t accept food into the shelter because
of safety. [so instead] we passed out the bags in and focusing energies on assisting them in
completing the required paperwork would
the park [to] homeless individuals.”
be great areas to focus attention on. “
Brandon Fernandez, Hidalgo, TX
Daimiris Garcia, Univ. of Florida
Ashley Griggs , Wilmington, DE
Alissa Gunter, Spring Valley, CA
“…fight child hunger by visiting
communities and offer meals to the family
whose children are suffering from hunger.
Also, Denny’s can provide money for the
families of the children to buy groceries or to
eat at their restaurant. “
“Denny’s can bring into the media light
on childhood hunger, donate profits to
volunteers directly working to save these
children, and by even encouraging other
companies to join the fight and raising
contributions against childhood hunger. “
“Serving the homeless allowed me to see the
happiness in their eyes as they received food
for Thanksgiving in the year of 2013.”
“For every high school student or faculty/
staff member at Monte Vista High School
in Spring Valley, CA who performs a
community service act or volunteers
for an hour in the name of Denny’s, the
restaurant donates twenty dollars to the
local food bank.”
2014-15
Winners
Jarrett Harper, Hawaiian
Gardens, C A- Fisk University
Trevor Holmes, Nashville, TN
Clark Atlanta University
Teylor Isome, Cincinnati, OH
Dillard University
“I volunteered at a church every Saturday
to help the homeless, I got to see strong
emotions [and] They were happy because
they got it from someone who always spoke
to them, asked about their troubles, and
treated them as equals.”
“I am a part of a program called the “Hot
Lunch Program” and every day we give back
to the homeless and seniors that are in the
neighborhood and out. We make sure that
they have a good amount of food to help
them threw out the day.”
“This experience opened my eyes a lot
because this was my first time feeding the
poor and I saw how grateful they was to eat
dinner, a meal most kids I know would take
for granted. […] me take my family meals
more serious and appreciate them.”
Maghen LeBlanc , Greenville, SC
“…Donating excess food to area food banks and
local outreach programs serving the homeless.
My father is the manager of a Pizza Hut
restaurant, and their excess food is distributed
up weekly by local service groups. “Denny’s
Dimes” would offer customers a convenient way
to support the cause through contributions at the
cash register of their local Denny’s. “
David Naranjo, Lansing, IL
“…grants can be given to classroom
teachers allowing them to teach the children,
[and parents]how to prepare delicious,
healthy, and inexpensive meals from the
Denny’s menus [and] a cost analysis could
be done comparing the price of the meal to a
meal from a fast food restaurant.”
Paige Matthews, Powder Springs, GA
Bennett College for Women
“…Society always assumes that people that are
homeless and suffering from hunger are those
who have always had a rough life. One woman’s
husband made over six figures and she lost
everything when he left her, re-married someone
else and took their children. She had given up on
life and became homeless due to depression.”
Jairu Nathan, Dallas, TX
“The guiding principles that lead my life
are go to school, maintain a 3.8 gpa and
play sports. [–] graduate high school,
graduate college with my masters, and go
to the NFL. When I go to the NFL I’m going
to give back to the community and give to
orphanages. “
Braylon Johnson, Dallas, TX
“I want to go to collage so I can be a game
maker […] and go to an engineer school
so that I can learn how to invent games
and become a millionare. I really love
games and can’t wait to see what makes
them work and how they are created.My
goal is to turn my grades around and to
prove the haters and nah sayers wrong.”
Alyson Montemayor,
Streamwood, IL
Donnell Murray, Los Angeles, CA
Sarah Orozco
Salt Lake City, UT
Beatriz Ortiz, California State
Univ. - Channel Islands
“[Denny’s] should partner with places
Midnight
mission to donate left over food
“…offer the children coloring sheets
from
their
restaurant to families on the
that parents could buy for them in
street
who
are
homeless. This would be a
exchange for donating towards feeding
great
way
for
Denny’s
franchises to interact
another child elsewhere. […] hang these
with
the
community
and help bring the
illustrations throughout it’s facility to
people
of
the
community
together for a great
encourage others to participate.”
cause. “
“…hosting a 5k would be one of the
best ways to earn a lot of money for
the cause meanwhile people enjoy
themselves. We can all work to end child
hunger together.”
“Denny’s can contribute to end hunger
by asking for a dollar donation a day
foundation. At each Denny’s location, a
flyer and real-life story will be available
at the register for customers to read and
donate.”
2014-15
Leticia Perez, Lindsay, CA
Jamie Perry, Desoto, TX
“Perfectly good food is thrown away
because someone accidently forgot no
mayonnaise. This food can be given to
homeless shelters in the area […] and
provide schools with gift cards during the
holidays so that faculty can give them to
underprivileged kids at their schools. “
“I used to want to go to the military but I have
changed my mind on that and decided to be an FBI
agent. Me and my mom have looked up information
about it and I know that the requirements are really
hard but I know I can do it. […] My mom says we
all have choices in life and someone else’s life story
does not have to be my own.”
Winners
Alexandrea Pitts, Las Vegas, NV LaKendria Powell, Cleveland, OH
“organize community gardens that will
“…creating children-specific shelters
provide fresh fruit and veggies. [to be]
where the hungry adolescents could go
distributed through the school system,
and receive a meal and a place to stay. In
dropped off at homes, The garden can
addition, the shelters could provide eligible also be used as a market for people to
teenagers with work study programs in
come browse around and make donations
order to get jobs and make an income that
for purchasing more crops and noncould provide them with food. “
perishable items.”
Tiffany Provost-Holloway, Concord,
NC, Fayetteville State Univ.
Jimmitriv Roberson, Arcadia, LA
Grambling State University
“…We didn’t want to give the homeless
downtown Charlotte money because lord knows
what they would do with that or buy them food
because you wouldn’t know if someone was
allergic to the food you gave them. So we got
gift cards and loaded them up.”
“I realized that I touched the lives of many
people, I genuinely gave from the heart, and
that I should always be appreciative for what I
have because I could be put in someone else’s
position who is less fortunate than I am.”
“Denny’s can end child hunger in my
community by raising public awareness
of childhood hunger and organizing food
drives and fundraisers. They can get the
word out by going to school and church’s
to talk about the situation and try to get
people involved. “
Naja Smith-Woods, Oakland, CA
Briana Starks, Conway, SC
Alexander Smith, Luther, OK
Langston University
“local public school students come after
school on Wednesday’s so we cook and
afterwards have ice cream. Wesley Wednesday
is after school and practice which means they
are hungry; we make sure they leave here on a
full stomach.”
John Romero, Spartanburg, SC
“Organize a day for families to be able to
“Developing [community] gardens by reaching out eat at Denny’s. […]begin the food drive
to city council members to request the use of some at 8am on a Saturday morning and host it
of the empty lots in my neighborhood and seeking the entire day. […] at least one Saturday
donations from local stores for gardening supplies. each month. To help lower the cost of food,
Neighborhood families could donate their time to Denny’s could also advertise that they are
help with the garden in exchange for food. “
taking donations from the community for
an upcoming food drive. “
Amanda Scott
“Add a Donation line on each customer
receipt and a story about a hungry
child and how this program has helped
printed on the back of the receipt. The
same way customers leave tips for
their waiters, a customer can leave a
donation for a healthy meal coupon. [to
be given to] schools in the area. “
Lacey Tallent, Spartanburg, SC
“Children who are not on a third grade
reading level on time are much more likely
to see poverty and face hunger. High school
drops out rates need to decrease. Denny’s
role here could be providing information in
an appealing way to high school juniors and
seniors to explicitly inform them that they
need to attend college. “
2014-15
Josiah Temple, Fort Worth, TX
“I think that school is important because it gives
you an education. [and that] can lead to a good
job. [that] provides me with money and that can
help me obtain things I desire. I do not want to
have to struggle with money and have security.
I would like to have savings. I feel like savings
would provide a good state of mind that if I lost
my job I would have a backup plan.”
Khadijah Templeton
Longview, TX - Wiley College
“I know the people were grateful for having
something to eat. I am still proud of myself
to be a part of something that means a lot
to a lot of people. I enjoyed helping people, it
gave me a job in school.”
De’sha Winslow, Atlanta, GA
Devarea Williams, Garland, TX
“Since I was a young child, my dream has
always been to become an entrepreneur.
Because I have passion for cooking and
making other happy, I would love to
incorporate my love of culinary arts and
baking and own my own bakery.”
“I don’t just want to be tough I don’t want people
to be scared of me because I am a black boy. I
don’t want to get shot by the police for nothing. I
am a good person and want to show other people
I am a good person. I want to go to college [to]
become a police officer or build houses, .and to
teach so that I can help boys like I was when I
was in school. “
Xavier Young
Spartanburg, SC
“Denny’s could provide backpacks to
schools on Fridays, and send nutritious
snacks home , and allow parents and
children to dine in monthly using their
food stamp card.
Winners
Jorge Quinones Velez,
Hopewell, PA
Vester Waters, Detroit, MI
Mississippi Valley State University
“Many […] participate in the EBT
“As a new music artist I support a clothing
program, known as ‘food stamps’
label called Milestone Clothing. With some
program, where they can only buy of the proceeds of my new single entitled Get
so much [and] Denny’s can provide Right I was able to donate to Milestone and a
events like cooking classes, their hunger effort taking place in Detroit, Michigan
ingredients, and how to cook more for two needy families. After all, in the blink of
and healthy with less money. “
an eye, I could be the one in need!”
Dominique Williams-Jamerson
Lyman, SC
Shanay Wise, Dallas, TX
Paul Quinn College
“I run a community garden to provide
“..host a talent show. [proceeds] would go to
for the food program the North Texas
the high school guidance counselors [who]
would be in charge of buying groceries for food bank already had in place. Learning
to plant food and composting was
an afterschool snack bag for the kids to take
an awesome rewarding experience. I
home. In order to make sure that the money
is used to buy groceries, guidance counselors aspire in the near future to run my own
community garden in South Dallas to
would have to send the receipts back to
assist single parents and the elderly.”
Denny’s Corporate Office. “
Breanna DaSylveira
Alhambra, CA
Gilmore Augustus
Los Angeles, CA
Keylin Wesley
Los Angeles, CA
Kimberly Cervantes
Compton, CA
“When someone gives you
a hand up, they are showing
that they believe in you
and the greatness within.
When someone gives you a
handout, they feel sorry for
you and lack faith in your
potential to be better and
greater than your current
circumstances might
dictate. “
“…This “hand up” instilled
within me a newfound
appreciation for those
who truly believed in me.
I also realized that Loyola
had granted me so much
while I had not truly given
back to the school. I chose
to give back in service.
This included working as
a tutor, volunteering at a
local food service for the
homeless, and joining the
Junior Ground Crew. Junior
Ground Crew members
helped incoming freshmen
in Loyola’s annual freshman
retreat and served as the
retreat custodians. “
“I interpret the term “hand
up” to be synonymous with
the process of scaffolding:
a learning technique
which facilitates individual
progress and independent
thinking. Centrally,
scaffolding decreases
neediness and dependency
by gradually increasing
one’s confidence in his/her
own abilities; this confidence
propagates thinkers and
innovators.”
“I am a out speaking
representative for all
students in the Compton
Unified School District, and
(slowly but surely) I know, i
can change these students
lives, both emotionally and
academically. Hand ups
are most important to me
because I feel that change
needs to happen more
often, and it’s just so critical
to be that person. Everyone
can make a difference; it just
takes courage “