b'They went from making $9/hour to making $15/hour and had benefits their very first day of work.Cheryl currently lives in McKinney with her husband. She has two children and four grandchildren who learn from her example. In I WAS A GIRL ON A MISSION TO FEED PEOPLE AND WANTED TO TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY I WANTED TO BE TREATED. WE ARE WHAT I CALL THE TAJ MAHAL OF FOOD PANTRIES.- CHERYL ACTION JACKSONfact, one of her sons has worked with her from day one. Cheryl pictured here with her mom, Minnie: I was soShe notes that September is Hunger Action Month. When asked grateful to my mother, and I wanted to honor her; Iwhatmotivateshereachday,Cherylanswers,Knowingthat wanted the world to know her name, says Cheryl. Apeople are depending on me, and parents are depending on me to put food on the table for their children.small voice inside me said to feed the hungry, and so IFor her dedication to feeding the hungry in a dignified manner, embarked on Minnies Food Pantry. foreducatingthemabouttotalwellness,fortrainingthemto make a better living, and for her overall relentlessness in achieving Minnies served its first meal April Fools Day in 2008, a fitting dateher mission, we present Cheryl Action Jackson with our Very because people said no one in the city of Dallas and its surroundingInspiring Person Award.area was hungry.The joke was either on us or on them, Cheryl says. It wasnt longEditors Note: Minnies Food Pantry is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization that before I put that opinion to rest, as we began to serve numerousprovides overone million mealsto more than60,000 individualsannually. peopleexperiencingfood-insecuritywithhealthymeals,freshAs one of the largest food pantries in North Texas, it has been named the #1 meats, and fresh produce to prepare meals for their own families. Charity in Dallas and Community Partner of The Year by The City of Plano. If people had to visit a food pantry, Cheryl felt they should be ableLed by Cheryls relentless activism, Minnies Food Pantry has been featured to do so with dignity. The Oscars red carpet came to mind. Fromon many national television shows, including Good Morning America and that moment on, visitors to Minnies Food Pantry would hold theirThe Ellen DeGeneres Show.For more information, go to head high and walk the red carpet, be greeted with music, candles,www.minniesfoodpantry.org.and smiles from the employees and volunteers.I was a girl on a mission to feed people and wanted to treat people the way I wanted to be treated, Cheryl adds. We are what I call theOur Very Inspiring Person Award honors the everyday, and not-Taj Mahal of food pantries. so-everyday, heroes in our midst. Those whose tenacity, integrity, She is aptly referred to as Cheryl Action Jackson, as she tirelesslyand courage inspire others to exemplify the same character and promotes her cause. Minnies Food Pantry has been featured in theput their families and community first, in spite of the challenges media and on many television shows. After Cheryl tried for eightlife has thrown at them. For complete details or to nominate, visit years to get her attention, Oprah Winfrey was so impressed withgoodLIFEfamilymag.com or email Tricia@goodlifefamilymag.com.Cheryls relentlessness that she personally donated over $600,000 and was the keynote speaker at the Minnies Food Pantry Gala last year, which raised $1.3 million.Minnies Food Pantry also offers food and health education to assistMINNIES FOOD PANTRYits clients with overall wellness. In addition, there are programs to feed children 18 and younger breakfast and lunch during theOver the last decade, Minnies Food Pantry has been providing healthy meals, summer months when they cant get food at school, and of course,educationalresourcesandred-carpettreatmenttoeverypersonwhohas they provide food for the holidays. They feed seniors, veterans, andwalked through their doors. From single parents trying to feed their children, struggling day laborers and have recently moved into three newto business executives who have been laid off, the face of hunger is changing buildings, one of which will house Minnies Empowerment Center,daily. But through it all, Minnies Food Pantry remains a source of not only food, a training facility to teach their clients skills, so they can go out andbut encouragement and hope. At Minnies Food Pantry, the goal is to ensure that get jobs to better support themselves.every person who walks through their doors is treated with the utmostWe want to put ourselves out of business, says Cheryl. If peopledignity and respect as they receive healthy meals, fresh meats and fresh produce learn, get a better job, and earn more money, eventually they wontto prepare meals for their own families.need a food pantry. To stay connected with Minnies Food Pantry visit our blog or find us on Facebook MinniesholdsjobhiresasCherylcallsthem,notjobfairs.at www.facebook.com/minniesfoodpantry or follow us on Twitter & Instagram: Amazon was their first company, who hired applicants on the spot.@MinniesPantry14GoodLifeFamilyMag.comSEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2019'