On March 22, students, faculty and community members gathered in Biotech G10 for Fueling the Future: The Intersection of Education and Food Security, an event co-hosted by two student-run programs in the Einhorn Center — Cornell Hunger Relief Program (CHRP) and Big Red Buddies (BRB). The shared goal for the collaboration was to support the local community through hands-on programming to directly impact local families and expand awareness about food insecurity. The event spotlighted how educational institutions play a key role in addressing food insecurity and promoting health equity, particularly in early childhood.
The afternoon opened with a powerful keynote by Angela Odoms-Young, the Nancy Schlegel Meinig Associate Professor of Maternal and Child Nutrition at Cornell. Drawing from her decades of research in health equity, food justice and community resilience, Odoms-Young explored the social and structural barriers to food access and emphasized the importance of culturally responsive solutions. Following the keynote, Amanda Reinard, education services manager from Tompkins Community Action (TCA) and the local Head Start program, described how the consistent presence of Cornell student volunteers positively impacts the children they serve.
After hearing from speakers, attendees rolled up their sleeves to assemble over 100 spring break supply kits for Head Start families to use in April. The kits included basic groceries, snacks, an activity developed by the Sciencenter as well as a family pass to use during break, a book and scarves donated by the Piano Society.
“It was a great opportunity to make a direct impact on the community through the hands-on supply kit making,” said Esther Ju ’26, co-president of CHRP. Isabel Szarfarc ’26, president of Big Red Buddies, shared that the event allowed their organization to “expand our efforts beyond our normal classroom volunteering” and highlighted how meaningful it was “to make a tangible impact on the children we support.”
The event’s collaborative spirit was echoed by attendees and organizers alike. “It fostered a sense of community and should be an annual event,” shared Jeri Cheraskin, DVM ’87. And one participant reflected, “While the keynote speaker was great, hearing from Head Start directly as a community partner was the highlight of the event.”
That emotional connection, coupled with hands-on service, underscored the power of combining education with action. The Einhorn Center supports student-driven efforts like CHRP and BRB, whose commitment to meaningful, community-based engagement continues to build bridges between campus and the broader Tompkins County community.
This event was funded, in part, by Cornell’s Student Activities Funding Commission.
Kennedy Young ’28 is the Einhorn Center’s student social media assistant.
