Young people have an amazing potential to fight hunger and change the world for the better. We know it's true. We've seen it first hand from our student leaders and from stories many of you have sent us! 

Today, we have some great news for all those young leaders out there. This spring, Youth Service America (YSA) will award 100 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). 

They're looking for projects that engage peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative, youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in your community. Over 17 million children in the United States live at risk of hunger, including the 1 in 4 children who rely on free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs as their only guaranteed meals. 

YSA and Sodexo are calling on young people, ages 5-25, to help make sure your peers don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from, and can instead focus on learning and leading healthy and productive lives. 17 million children across the United States need your ideas and commitment to solving this issue through service.

**Note that as a Schools Fight Hunger School you receive preference for YSA grants. All you have to do is enter “Schools Fight Hunger” for the question on the application where it asks for a partner code.**

 Applications are due by midnight January 17th!

For more information, visit http://www.ysa.org/grants/sodexoyouth.