Fontana Unified Kitchen Operator Honored with 2024 Hunger Hero Award for Commitment to Child Nutrition

Virginia Primrose Elementary School Kitchen Operator Nailly Salib has been recognized for her dedication to fighting child hunger and commitment to supporting school meals, earning a 2024 Hunger Hero Award from the No Kid Hungry national campaign.

City of Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren and No Kid Hungry School Meals Access Manager Robin Hernandez presented the award, along with a certificate, a trophy, and goodie bags, to Salib during Primrose Elementary’s fifth-grade promotion ceremony. Warren honored Salib’s dedication to ending hunger with a speech during the event, which was also attended by Fontana Unified Superintendent Miki R. Inbody and Board of Education President Marcelino “Mars” Serna, on May 24.

Every May, No Kid Hungry – a campaign of Share Our Strength, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger – celebrates school employees and programs that ensure every child has the nutrition they need to reach their full potential. 

“I feel so honored, proud, and blessed,” Salib said. “This is not an individual award, but a team award. We are a team that works together to achieve the same goal every day – to feed our kids and fight hunger with nutritious meals so the kids can achieve success every day to be able to learn.”

Food services employees and school programs like at Primrose Elementary and throughout Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) help ensure every child has access to nutritious meals each day to grow up happy, healthy, strong, and ready to learn. 

Fontana Unified continues to offer free youth meals in the summer, with weekday lunches available Monday through Friday from June 3 to July 26 from 11 a.m. to noon, throughout Fontana.

Salib is among six honorees for this year’s California Hunger Hero Awards and has worked for the Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) Food Services team since 2011 and at Primrose Elementary for nearly a decade.

“We treat the kids as if they were our own kids – we offer meals that we make with care and love. Our team goes above and beyond to make sure the kids are satisfied with what they are eating,” said Salib, who credits her staff, including Kitchen Assistant Silvia Aresti, for providing the children their meals with care and attention.

Nominations for Hunger Heroes opened in March and Salib was nominated by Primrose Elementary Vice Principal Dr. Salvador Rodriguez. No Kid Hungry accepts nominations for employees who rally against child hunger and who champion school meals in the classroom and beyond. 

Salib thanks her family, including her husband and two adult children, for fully supporting her and her love for the job.

“Nailly exemplifies a friendly, warm, and caring persona, focused entirely on ensuring students are nurtured, and served the best meals with a smile,” FUSD Senior Director of Food Services Louie Mays said. “She cares for students and believes that kids who are provided good meals will be better prepared for their education.”