Neilly Salib, kitchen operator at Primrose Elementary School in Virginia, received the 2024 Hunger Hero Award from the No Kid Hungry national campaign in recognition of her work to end child hunger and support school meals.
Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren and No Kid Hungry School Meals Access Manager Robin Hernandez presented Salib with the award along with a certificate, trophy and gift bag during the fifth-grade promotion ceremony at Primrose on May 24. Also attending the ceremony were Fontana Unified School District Superintendent Miki R. Imbody and Board of Education Chairman Marcelino “Mars” Serna.
Each May, No Kid Hungry, a campaign by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger, celebrates school staff and programs that ensure every child gets the nutrition they need to reach their full potential.
“I feel so honored, proud and blessed,” Sariv said. “This isn't an individual award, it's a team award. We are a team working together to achieve the same goal every day, which is to feed children nutritious meals, fight hunger and ensure children are successful and able to learn every day.”
FUSD continues to provide free meals to youth through the summer, offering lunches weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, June 3 through July 26, at various Fontana locations.
Sariv, one of six recipients of this year's California Hunger Hero Award, has worked on the FUSD food service team since 2011 and at Primrose Elementary School for nearly 10 years.
“We treat the children as if they were our own, we serve them meals prepared with love, and our team does everything they can to ensure that the children are satisfied with what they eat,” said Sariv, thanking the staff, including kitchen assistant Silvia Aresti, for their efforts in providing meals to the children.
Nominations for Hunger Heroes opened in March and Salib was nominated by Dr. Salvador Rodriguez, vice principal of Primrose Primary School.
Salib thanked her family, including her husband and two adult children, for their full support of her and her love for her work.
“Neilly is the epitome of a friendly, warm and caring personality, committed to nurturing our students and focusing on serving the best food possible with a smile,” said Louis Mays, FUSD's senior director of food services. “She cares about her students and believes that children who are served good meals are better prepared for their education.”
