At the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, we are amazed every day by the people we serve and the selfless community members who help us provide nourishing food to those who need it. The perseverance, grace, and love we witness between our guests across the region, combined with the ingenuity and compassion of our partners, reminds us every day of why we do what we do.
Sometimes, it’s good to take a step back from the day-to-day work, and let that sink in.
That was certainly the case when we met Belinda, a Waynesboro native who is raising her three wonderful, active grandsons—Tyleeq (13), Drealyn (9), and A.J. (6).
Grandma Belinda had a great role model
As a grandmother caring for her grandsons, Belinda learned from the best. She herself was raised by her grandmother Beatrice, or Grandma B, as she was affectionately called. The life lessons learned many years ago are now being passed on to the next generation. Thanks to their grandmother, Tyleeq, Drealyn, and A.J. thrive in school and in life.
But, making sure her three grandkids have enough nutritious food to eat every day is a challenge. And Belinda is not alone. According to USDA data, 33 percent of all households led by a single female in 2022 was food insecure.
Belinda is grateful that the kids can enjoy free breakfast and lunch at school, but after school and during holiday breaks it can be challenging to feed the active boys.
Tyleeq
Tyleeq is the oldest of the three kids, and he helps take care of his siblings when he can. He also helps his grandma, because he understands how much she does for him and his two brothers. Tyleeq loves to play football, and he’s proud to be on his school’s football team. But, spending time with his family, and playing with his brothers gives him perhaps the greatest joy. During the summer, you can find the boys on a local basketball court or playing cornhole around the house.
Drealyn
Drealyn is the middle child and if there’s one thing he likes to do it is give hugs. Everyone he knows can expect a big hug when they come across Drealyn. He loves to spend time with his siblings and enjoys playing games with them.
AJ
As the youngest of the three, AJ is considered grandma’s baby. “He’s always wanting, grandma, grandma, grandma!”, Belinda said. But ask Tyleeq, and he’ll tell you that AJ is the rowdy one of the bunch, but in a good way. Like his brothers, AJ loves spending time with his family. If that’s not outdoors, there are well-loved toys in the family room that they play with.
A passionate chef
Thankfully, the Boys and Girls Club in Waynesboro, which receives food from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, offers a healthy and nutritious alternative, courtesy of chef Genie Foster.
As part of a summer meals program, Chef Genie prepares both breakfast and lunch for kids who would normally eat those meals at school. And when school is in session, she prepares meals for an after-school program as well. Genie has a few tricks up her sleeve to make sure kids, including Tyleeq, Drealyn, and A.J., eat healthy.
Take her green beans, for example.
“The thing about it, is kids don’t like vegetables,” she said. “But when I cook green beans, I spice it up and put stuff in, and all of a sudden, the kids are like ‘Oh my gosh, what did you do with that?’”
Chef Genie has a knack for figuring out little tricks to help ensure kids eat enough healthy food. And she’s seen the difference it can make.
“When kids are full, their energy is higher. But when kids are hungry, you’ll see them in the corner, not wanting to play.”
Happy kids inside and outside the classroom
Thanks to the love and care they receive from their grandmother, free breakfast and lunch at school, and a passionate chef in their corner during the summer months, Tyleeq, Drealyn, and A.J. can do what they do best; be happy, play outside when they can, and thrive in the classroom.
“Eating food at the Boys and Girls Club is great,” Tyleeq said. “It means when I get home, I’m not hungry.”
It’s that simple.
Having access to enough food that helps him keep his energy levels up, also gives Tyleeq the energy to help his grandmother. “My grandmother does so much for us,” he said. “She brings out the best in us, so I do anything I can do for her.”
Grandma B would be proud.
The key to success: Forging local partnerships
The challenges that Belinda and Tyleeq, Drealyn, and A.J. face, unfortunately, are not unique. Thousands of similar stories play out across our region and nation every day. That’s why the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank continues to steward existing relationships like the one with the Boys and Girls Club in Waynesboro. At the same time, we continuously try to forge new partnerships to reach even more families. Together, we can eliminate disparities in access to nutritious food and actively improve the health of our neighbors who are food insecure. Both of these core goals are part of our new, 5-year strategic plan to end hunger in the Blue Ridge.
As for Belinda, she’s grateful that her grandkids can benefit from the relationship between the Food Bank and the Boys and Girls Club to fill an important gap when school is closed.
“It’s good, it’s nurturing, because they’re not coming home hungry,” Belinda said.
Would you like to get to know this family’s story a little better? Click here to watch Belinda and Tyleeq.