{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Sweetie","description":" Champale Green-Anderson wasn\u2019t raised with wealth, but she remembers goodness all around her in north St. Louis. Today, through her grassroots effort called Sweetie and her organization Champ\u2019s Teardrops, she\u2019s become a vital neighbor and champion for the children of Penrose who face hunger and poverty. This encore episode of Impactually revisits one of our most-loved stories about how one woman\u2019s front-porch snack bags grew into a community lifeline during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. Key Takeaways Champale Anderson started Champ\u2019s Teardrops with just 7 dollars, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and snack bags for neighborhood kids who were coming home from school hungry. Her operation grew from 15 snack bags on day one to hundreds of snack and meal bags a day, especially during the Covid-19 school closures, serving children and unhoused neighbors. Food insecurity in the U.S. is deeply tied to poverty and shows up in children\u2019s health, school performance, and long-term opportunities, even when programs like the National School Lunch Program exist. Champale\u2019s \u201cno paperwork, no questions\u201d model centers dignity, trust, and open-door access for any child or adult who needs food or a place to check in. Her dream is to grow Sweetie into a rec center and safe space where kids can learn, play, and build memories beyond survival, from field trips to science adventures. Calls to Action Support or volunteer with local hunger relief programs, food pantries, and school-based meal efforts in your community. Donate to national and local organizations working on food justice and child nutrition, or start a grassroots fundraiser of your own. Look up Champ\u2019s Teardrops online and support Champale\u2019s work if you are able. Contact local and state officials to champion policies that expand access to healthy, affordable food and strengthen school meal programs. Share this episode and talk with friends, family, and neighbors about hidden hunger in your own community. We\u2019d like to extend our sincerest thanks to our guests Champale Anderson, founder of Champ\u2019s Teardrops and the heart behind Sweetie in north St. Louis Dr. Amanda Jacobs, adolescent pediatrician, for her medical insight on hunger, health, and adolescent development All the children and families in the Penrose neighborhood who inspire this story Featured Musical Artist Hannah Rose and the GravesTones \u2013 \u201cAre You Out There\u201d Their music is available on all major streaming platforms.  You can also find more information about Hannah Rose\u2019s on her Facebook page. Support Our Work This episode is made possible by the generous support of JLB Images, April Collins Potterfield, David Johnson and Christine O'Neill, and Humm Productions donors and listeners like you. Connect with Us: www.hummproductions.org Facebook: Humm Productions Instagram: Humm Productions ","author_name":"Impactually","author_url":"https:\/\/www.hummproductions.org","html":"