In 2023, Dale retired as Founder and Executive Director of Serving Our Kids and entrusted me with carrying his vision forward. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to continue growing the mission he began.

Today, because of the unwavering support of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, community partners, and Board of Directors, Serving Our Kids continues to fulfill that vision. I am incredibly proud to share that this school year we will provide more than 6,000 weekend meal bags each week to children experiencing food insecurity throughout Southern Nevada.

This milestone belongs to every person who has believed in our mission. Thank you to every volunteer, donor, sponsor, community partner, and board member whose generosity, compassion, and dedication have made this achievement possible. Together, we are changing lives, one weekend meal bag at a time.

As I prepare to retire from my role as Volunteer CEO later this year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible people who have made this journey so meaningful. It has truly been a privilege to serve alongside so many compassionate individuals who share one common goal: ensuring no child goes hungry.

Your generosity, encouragement, partnership, and friendship have meant more to me than words can express. Together, we have made a lasting difference in the lives of thousands of children, and I have every confidence that the future of Serving Our Kids has never been brighter.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in our mission and for allowing me to be part of this extraordinary journey.

With sincere gratitude,

Laurie Tanakaya
Volunteer CEO
Serving Our Kids Foundation

Are you passionate about strengthening our community and ensuring local children have the food they need to thrive?

Serving on the Serving Our Kids Foundation Board of Directors is an opportunity to use your professional expertise, leadership, and passion to make a lasting impact on the lives of children throughout Southern Nevada.

Our Board of Directors provides strategic leadership, helps guide the organization’s future, and works alongside an incredible team of volunteers, staff, and community partners committed to ending childhood hunger. Whether your background is in business, finance, legal, education, healthcare, marketing, or community leadership, your experience can help shape the future of our organization.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Please submit your résumé and a brief statement explaining why you’d like to serve to Jennifer Wilson at jenniferw@servingourkids.com by September 15. Together, we can nourish more children, strengthen more families, and build a brighter future for our community.

At Serving Our Kids, we know that fighting childhood hunger takes more than food, it takes committed partners who believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. We’re proud to shine the spotlight on NV Energy, whose generosity and hands-on volunteerism are helping us make an even greater impact as students return to school.

To kick off the 2026–2027 school year, hundreds of NV Energy employees will rise before dawn to pack 18,000 weekend meal bags during a two-day volunteer event. Their incredible effort will help expand our weekend meal bag program from 4,500 to more than 6,000 meal bags each week, ensuring thousands more food-insecure children across Southern Nevada have nutritious meals to take home over the weekend.

For many children, Friday afternoon means uncertainty about where their next meal will come from. Thanks to partners like NV Energy, those children can head home with the nourishment they need to return to school on Monday ready to learn, grow, and thrive.

As our CEO Laurie Tanakaya shared, “Every meal bag we pack together is a promise kept to a child who might otherwise start the school year hungry. We’re so grateful that NV Energy’s employees show up before sunrise, ready to work, because they understand what a weekend meal bag can mean to a child walking into that first day of school.”

NV Energy’s commitment extends far beyond financial support. Their culture of volunteerism inspires employees across the company to give back, strengthen their communities, and make a lasting difference in the lives of local children.

We are deeply grateful to NV Energy, the NV Energy Foundation, and every employee who volunteers their time. Together, we’re ensuring that more children in Southern Nevada have access to the nutrition they need, not just during the school day, but every weekend.

Thank you, NV Energy, for helping us feed dreams and fuel brighter futures.