Youth Service America (YSA) Stop Hunger Classroom Challenge 2026

📖 About Youth Service America (YSA) Stop Hunger Classroom Challenge

Each year, millions of children in the United States face hunger. This challenge invites K–12 classrooms to take something your school already does to help—like a food drive, a backpack program, or another hunger project—and make it stronger, smarter, and more student-led.

After signing up, YSA will provide:

• A Teacher Resource Guide.
• A project toolkit to help students lead meaningful discussions and take action.

🎁 Benefits of the Challenge

• Simple and flexible for any grade level.
• Focuses on student voice and leadership.
• Strengthens projects schools already do.
• Celebrates both short-term and long-term replicable solutions.
• National recognition for 29 classrooms:
  • 24 Semi-Finalists will receive $250 or $500.
  • 5 Finalists will receive $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, or $2,500.
• Finalists will pitch their projects to the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation team for grants up to $2,500.

✅ Requirements

• Open to schools in the United States.
• Invites K-12 classrooms to lead the projects.

📅 Application Date and Process

1. Sign Up

• It takes just a few minutes to join the challenge.
• Sign up by February 6, 2026.

2. Hold One Classroom Conversation

• Use the provided prompts to help students reflect on hunger and imagine how to make their existing efforts more impactful.

3. Students Take Action

• Students plan and carry out a small project between November and February.
• Submit a short (up to 3-minute video) by March 6, 2026.

🗓 Application Deadline

February 6, 2026

🌐 Application Portal

For more details, visit the Youth Service America (YSA) Stop Hunger Classroom Challenge.

• Simple and flexible for any grade level
• Focuses on student voice and leadership
• Strengthen projects schools already do
• Celebrates both short-term and long-term replicable solutions
• National recognition for 29 classrooms - 24 Semi Finalists will receive $250 or $500, and 5 Finalists will receive $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000 or $2,500
• Finalists pitch to the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation team for grants up to $2,500