Everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts—that’s the message behind Giving Tuesday. So today, as we celebrate the holiday, we’re shining a spotlight on Doron Pedahzur, a recent University of Texas at Austin graduate who worked as a youth ambassador for No Kid Hungry, our VB Gives Back partner.

“It is important for youth to be involved in eliminating childhood hunger because we are close in age to the people affected by this,” says Pedahzur. “We can resonate with those we are serving because either we or someone else we know has been personally affected.”

Here, we get to know Pedahzur—and, in the spirit of paying it forward, we’re doubling our donations all day long. That means that today every online order gives back even more to No Kid Hungry and its mission to end childhood hunger in the U.S. We hope you join us in supporting this important cause.

How did your experience with No Kid Hungry impact you?

My time as a youth ambassador was such a special and pivotal time for me. Prior to the internship I had no real idea of what I wanted to do in my career, and after, I felt like I had the direction and drive to alleviate problems in my community.

What were the days like?

My job mainly consisted of empowering the youth in Austin to make the best possible choices regarding their health and nutrition with the resources accessible to them. I led the farm-fresh challenge, which encouraged children to prioritize fresh foods in their diet. I also advocated for more accommodations to the food being served—for example, separating meats and dairy products for children who have religious dietary needs. Finally, I made sure the sites that distributed the meals were well equipped to meet the needs and demands of the communities. This included checking the food for accurate serving temperature and ensuring that each meal met all dietary requirements, and each site had enough meals for the kids.

What was your most memorable moment?

When I led the farm-fresh challenge for refugee kids, who mainly spoke Pashtu and hardly any English. They still interacted and engaged with my presentation. They taught me so much about how to stay positive, despite life dealing you an unfair hand.

What’s the most important thing you want people know?

Childhood hunger in the U.S. doesn’t discriminate—anyone can be affected by food insecurity. Food is a right, and anyone who doesn’t have access to healthy and affordable food should not be seen as less than.

Veronica Beard is partnering with No Kid Hungry to help end childhood hunger. For every purchase on veronicabeard.com between 10/1/23 and 12/21/23, $5 will be donated to No Kid Hungry with a minimum guarantee of $300,000. Learn more here.