Cooking up a breakfast program with love

What's been the most fulfilling part of working on this project?

The most fulfilling part of the project was to be able to give back to the community where I (and the members of my group) grew up. As children of immigrants, we were able to make a small change in the lives of children by providing them with one of the most important and possibly only meal of the day (breakfast).

What have been yours and your community partner’s biggest challenges working through your project?

The biggest challenges were understanding and realizing the genuine love and hard work it would take to create a breakfast program. Before we officially started, we created a spreadsheet of all our ideas. Most of our ideas were not approved. One of the big challenges for us was also starting the program during COVID. During COVID, we had to adapt our program around the needs and safety of the students. We were also delayed in starting the program in schools. We didn't know what to expect, however, we were able to overcome our challenges by asking for advice from our mentors, friends, and families who were able to guide us and support us. 

If you had the chance, what would you do differently?

As a team, we have learned a lot. Something we would do differently is to have a couple of backup plans in case something goes wrong. It is totally okay and normal for things to feel like they are not going as planned. Try it again, a different way, and keep going!

Any wisdom/advice to pass on to others who might try a project like this?

Don't be afraid to reach out to people! Ask for help from members of your community, and from the people around you.