The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, in partnership with Youth Service America (YSA), has opened the 2026 Stop Hunger Classroom Challenge, inviting K–12 classrooms across the United States to design stronger, smarter, and more student-led hunger-relief projects. This national initiative empowers students to make meaningful contributions in their communities while learning about leadership, service, and food insecurity.

About the Opportunity

What is the Stop Hunger Classroom Challenge?

The Stop Hunger Classroom Challenge encourages classrooms to improve existing school-based hunger efforts—such as food drives, backpack programs, or other hunger projects—and make them more student-led and impactful. Teachers guide the process, but students take the lead in planning, decision-making, and implementation.

After signing up, classrooms receive a Teacher Resource Guide, a project toolkit, and reminders to help streamline planning and ensure students can fully participate in the challenge.

How It Works?

1. Sign Up

Teachers can register their classroom in just a few minutes.
Sign-up deadline: February 7, 2026.

2. Hold One Classroom Conversation

Using YSA’s short prompts, students discuss hunger in their communities and explore how to improve an existing hunger project at their school.

3. Students Take Action

Students plan and carry out their project between November 2025 and February 2026, and then submit a short video (up to 3 minutes) by March 6, 2026.

What Classrooms Receive?

• A concise Teacher Resource Guide

• Access to YSA’s Resource Toolkit Quiz

• Email reminders about deadlines and how to submit the class video

Why Join the Challenge?

• Simple and flexible for any K–12 grade

• Encourages youth leadership and student voice

• Enhances hunger-relief projects your school already runs

• Supports both short-term and long-term 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 to the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation for grants of up to $2,500

 Timeline

• November–December 2025: Classroom discussion and project planning

• January–February 2026: Project implementation period

• February 7, 2026: Sign-Up Deadline

• March 7, 2026: Video Submission Deadline

• April- May 2026: Celebrate during Youth Service Month and Global Youth Service Day

• June 2026: Finalists recognized and funded

Eligibility

• Open to K–12 classrooms in the United States

• Projects must address hunger and be student-led

• Activities must be completed within the project window (November 2025 – February 2026)

Apply Here

• Sign Up and Apply Here:  https://ysa.org/grants/sodexo/