Foundation, Denny’s are partners in the Hungry for Education Scholarship Program, awarding 10 outstanding students $2,500 scholarships
The Tom Joyner Foundation and Denny’s Corporation (NASDAQ: DENN), franchisor and operator of one of America’s largest full-service restaurant chains, today announced the 10 students winners of the 2014 Hungry for Education Scholarship Program, a partnership between the two organizations that supports students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Students at 10 participating HBCUs submitted 250- to 500-word essays responding to the prompt “How can you or Denny’s have an impact on hunger in your HBCU’s community?” The winners’ schools and hometowns are:
Timothy Baba, freshman, Huston-Tillotson University, from Austin, Texas
Alexandria Brown, junior, Florida A&M University, from Tallahasee, Fla.
Sergio Butler, junior, Central State University, from Chicago, Ill.
Tarryn Delyons, freshman, Claflin University, from Columbia, SC
Diamond Giles, freshman, Norfolk State University, from Bowling Green,Va.
Alexis Rooks, sophomore, Clark Atlanta University, from Savannah, Ga.
Uriel Rose, freshman, Alabama State University, from Montgomery, Ala.
Ryan Taylor, freshman, Langston University, from Owasso, Okla.
Kiani Upshaw, junior, Southern University, from Gary, Ind.
Stephanie White, junior, Johnson C. Smith University, from Buffalo, N.Y.
Thomas Joyner Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Foundation, s aid he was impressed with the students’ ideas. “Each of these students have come up with very good ideas,” he said. “You can tell they put a lot of thought into these projects.
April Kelly-Drummond, Denny’s director of corporate diversity and community affairs, said, “At Denny’s, we are committed to providing the tools and resources students need succeed in all educational endeavors, while still making a difference in the lives of others. Each and every one of this year’s Hungry for Education Scholarship program winners demonstrate that shared commitment, both to their communities and to ending childhood hunger. Thanks to the Tom Joyner Foundation, our partner of more than a decade, Denny’s hopes that by awarding these scholarship to deserving students, we can all look ahead to a future where childhood hunger is a thing of the past.”
Each scholarship recipient exemplified a desire to end hunger in their communities through creative thinking and actionable ideas. For example, Diamond Giles at Norfolk State recommends creating the “Spartan Food Pantry” that would include a garden providing fresh fruits and vegetables to deserving students, faculty and local residents. Uriel Rose of Alabama State offered a multi-tiered approach to ending hunger, including an awareness campaign, a food drive and creating a “local hunger action group” that would work with local churches and other community groups to assist the hungry and homeless. Alexis Rooks of Clark Atlanta suggests that the four schools in the Atlanta Universities Center (including Clark Atlanta, Spelman, Morehouse and Morris Brown) partner with Denny’s to renovate one of the neighborhood’s vacant buildings into a kitchen/pantry to help feed the hungry in the area.
About the Tom Joyner Foundation:
The Tom Joyner Foundation (https://tomjoynerfoundation.com) was founded in 1998 as the brainchild of nationally syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner. The mission of the Foundation is to support historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with scholarships, endowments and capacity-building enhancements. The Foundation has provided necessary support to every HBCU in its 16-year history to help sustain and preserve the legacies of these valuable institutions. Through fundraising and donor development initiatives, $65 million has been raised to support more than 29,000 students attending HBCUs. Additionally, the Foundation has recommended internships, offered matching grant support, and career development to deserving students. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Denny’s Corp.
Denny’s is one of America’s largest full-service family restaurant chains, currently operating 1,700 franchised, licensed and company-owned restaurants across the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Guam, Puerto Rico and New Zealand. For further information on Denny’s, including news releases, please visit the Denny’s website at www.dennys.comand www.dennysdiversity.com.
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