One Arizona student is helping more children learn about and respond to childhood hunger.
An 8th grade student and Miss Mesa’s Teen 2026 through the Miss America Opportunity, Ivy reached out to Midwest Food Bank Arizona in late 2025 to ask how she could support local families through the Hope Packs program.
Since then, she has become a dedicated Hope Packs Ambassador, helping raise awareness about childhood hunger while encouraging other students to get involved through volunteering, outreach, and service projects.
In January 2026, Ivy gave a presentation at her father’s workplace to educate employees about Midwest Food Bank Arizona, childhood hunger, the Arizona Tax Credit, and the Hope Packs program.
A month later, she organized small student group events to create Encouragement Cards for Hope Packs. Students drew pictures and wrote uplifting messages on postcards that were later included in snack bags distributed to children across Arizona.
She also created Hope Pack pins and magnets to share with friends and classmates to help spread awareness about the program.
In April 2026, Ivy hosted an after-school volunteer event where students assembled Hope Packs and included the encouragement cards they had made earlier in the year.
Throughout the month, hundreds of community volunteers helped assemble more than 18,000 Hope Packs for students who may not have reliable food over weekends and school breaks.
So far, Ivy has also helped raise more than $5,000 to support the Hope Packs program.
"Ivy is a shining example of being a servant-leader. She is passionate about educating people on childhood hunger and has done well in encouraging others to get involved in helping to address this issue through volunteering, making a financial donation, or donating snack items."
Through each event and project, Ivy has helped other young people see that even small acts of service can encourage and support children facing hunger in their own communities.
Learn more about the Hope Packs program or find ways to volunteer with Midwest Food Bank Arizona at https://midwestfoodbank.org/locations/arizona/
