Montgomery Native Honored as 2017 School Nutrition Hero for Charity Work
The national, non-profit School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) has recognized Timikel Blakey Sharpe, MS, Deputy Director of Food Services for the Los Angeles Unified School District, as one of five 2017 School Nutrition Heroes for the work she has done for her hometown of Montgomery, AL.
The Heroes are nominated by peers and chosen by SNF to represent the professionals who have dedicated their lives to serving the needs of school children and the community.\
A native of Montgomery, Timikel has never forgotten her roots. In 2008, determined to reduce the number of homeless families in her hometown, Sharpe opened the “Vision of Grace Transition Home.” The Sheridan Heights home became a place of refuge for local homeless families, providing them with a safe, temporary space to live.
Through hard work and use of her own resources, Timikel purchased and furnished the three-bedroom home with everything a family needs. She achieved 501(c)3 status within three years of purchasing the home, making it tax-exempt, and has used some of her retirement savings to keep the home financially stable. In 2015, Timikel’s outreach grew further, allowing her to remodel, furnish and open a second home with three bedrooms to help her in her mission to reduce homelessness in Montgomery.
“Timikel is a perfect example of what we look for in a School Nutrition Hero,” said School Nutrition Association CEO Patricia Montague, CAE. “Her love of both the city she now calls home and the one she once called home is unparalleled. Working to better the health and lives of those in her hometown is something we are proud to honor.”
All of the 2017 School Nutrition Heroes will be recognized at SNF’s Celebration of School Nutrition Heroes, during School Nutrition Association’s 45th Legislative Action Conference in Washington, DC in April.
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