Miriam is the new Program Manager at Challah for Hunger. She engages the alumni network, grows national partnerships and helps develop the skills and knowledge of student advocates who fight to end hunger on their college campuses. 

We sat down with Miriam to learn about her years of involvement with Challah for Hunger, her new role and, of course, her favorite non-traditional challah recipe!

You've had a connection to Challah for Hunger for some time before joining the staff. How did you first become involved?

I first became involved when I was a sophmore at the University of Vermont. I love baking and am passionate about food justice, so joining our chapter seemed like a no brainer. What I didn’t expect, however, was that I immediately felt a sense of community and support from the chapter leaders. From there, I held several positions on our executive board and joined committees for the national office.

How have you seen the organization change over the years, and how were you a part of that?

Challah for Hunger has grown and changed in such impactful ways. When I was a student, there were several leadership opportunities for specific projects. Now that we’re two years into the Campus Hunger Project, our initiative to take action against campus food insecurity, all students have opportunities to effect change on their campus in breadth and depth. And we’ve already seen student advocacy create changes on campus, from new policies to opening food pantries.

What are the biggest strengths that you're bringing to your new role?

As a chapter student leader and then as a Repair the World fellow, I learned lots of different skills and gained important experiences in talking about food insecurity, as well as working on a team. I think that versatility and flexibility are an important part of any role.

What part of your job are you most looking forward to?

I’m most excited to continue to build relationships and create new ones with folks in the Challah for Hunger network. I work most closely with student leaders and I really enjoy seeing the ideas and drive they bring to their chapters.

What's the most non-traditional style of challah you've ever baked?

I am a big fan of making and eating pizza challah. You can get so creative with different types of cheeses and toppings! Best eaten right out of the oven.

 

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is proud to empower emerging leaders to explore their values, identity and new ways to strengthen their communities. We believe that as we work together to repair the world, it is important to share our diverse experiences and perspectives along the way. We encourage the expression of personal thoughts and reflections here on the Schusterman blog. Each post reflects solely the opinion of its author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Foundation, its partner organizations or program participants.