MILWAUKEE — A Wauwatosa business is making a difference—one free meal at a time. Delicious Bites, a Black woman-owned catering and baked goods company, is giving back to local educators through a special program called #FeedTheTeachers.
For owner Tomira White, this initiative is personal. Before becoming a business owner, she was a teacher herself. She understands the hard work and dedication that educators put in every day, often without much recognition.
"As a former teacher, you realize people don't do much to celebrate teachers," White said. "Teachers do a lot!"
That belief led her to create #FeedTheTeachers, a donation-driven program that provides warm, homemade meals to educators as a way to show appreciation.
When asked why she chose teachers, White’s answer was simple: They deserve it.
"I feel like they deserve it. They work really hard," she explained. "We hear people talk about the youth and how challenging they can be. I know post-pandemic, it's even more difficult because students have a lot of different barriers now."
For teachers like Kanika Burks, the gesture means everything. She teaches at Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy and was recently awarded a free meal through the program.
"It's awesome to be recognized, for someone to say, 'I just want to give you some positive praise for your hard work,'" Burks said.
She knows firsthand how demanding the job can be.
"I think educators oftentimes don't get a lot of praise. They come in and do their best. You're dealing with possibly 27 different minds, and it can be challenging, but our teachers are always up for the challenge."
Now, the team at Delicious Bites is working to expand the program, hoping to reach even more teachers with more free meals. The program to feed the teachers is a community-funded effort. Fernando De La Sancha, a team member at Delicious Bites, encourages the community to get involved.
Watch: Wauwatosa business giving back to educators, one meal at a time
"#FeedTheTeachers is the hashtag we have going on here," De La Sancha said. "You click on that, and you can nominate a teacher or donate to the campaign. Tell us what they do for the community, and we'll reach out and make sure they get a free meal."
Tomira White hopes the movement continues to grow because, in her words: "They deserve to be celebrated."
To learn how you can support the program or nominate a teacher, CLICK HERE: https://www.thedeliciousbites.com/feed-the-teachers
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