Meet Dr. Latame Phillips | CEO of Hunger Busters and Fiscal Rights Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Latame Phillips and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Latame, how does your business help the community?
Food is the baseline in the hierarchy of needs. Hunger Busters is providing nutritious dinners ensures that children receive essential nutrients for their growth and development. A well-balanced meal can contribute to better physical health, reducing the risk of obesity, malnutrition, and related health issues. This, in turn, can lead to improved attendance and performance in school.

Proper nutrition is linked to improved cognitive function and academic performance. Children who are well-fed are more likely to concentrate better in class, participate actively in learning activities, and achieve higher academic results. This can contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing children with better educational opportunities and setting them up for future success. We have seen that Hunger Busters’ program is proven to improve a young scholar’s attendance, behavior issues and test scores.

Thus access to nutritious food is a basic human right, yet many children face food insecurity, especially in low-income communities. By providing healthy dinners to elementary school children, regardless of their socio-economic background, society addresses food inequality and promotes social equity. It ensures that all children have an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed regardless of their circumstances. Over a generation, we hope that more students for disadvantage neighborhoods, transform into pillars within their community and not be bound to social and nonprofit help.

For some children, the dinner provided at school may be their main meal of the day. By offering healthy dinners, schools can alleviate financial pressure on families struggling to afford nutritious food. This can reduce stress within households, improve family dynamics, and foster a supportive environment for children’s overall well-being.

What should our readers know about your business?
Hunger Busters is the best nonprofit you’ve never heard of! We have a ‘Food Rescue’ program in which we got to restaurants throughout DFW and pickup food that was not sold that day. Then, with the help of our faithful army of volunteers, we prepare dinner at the Hunger Busters facility. As the volunteers depart, our drivers load up the meals and take them to the afterschool programs. At the conclusion of the enrichment program, the students get the dinner from Hunger Busters.

Our flagship program, “Feed the Need,” aims to bridge the gap in food access by delivering nutritious food to so called ‘food deserts’.

I am most proud that Hunger Busters relies on donations, volunteers, and community support to sustain its operations and reach as many children in need as possible. Our work aligns with a broader effort to address food insecurity and promote the well-being of children and families in the Dallas area.

I am excited about our future because we are using the meals to unite other nonprofit organizations to work together to uplift the clients we serve simultaneously. By sharing information as well as families that need help, the time that social aid is need greatly decreases. We have seen an increase in the mission focus, shared resources and a decrease in financial restraints when multiple nonprofits come together.

Nonprofit organizations typically focus on specific areas or services within a community due to resource limitations, expertise, and mission alignment. While nonprofits play a crucial role in addressing various social needs, it’s unrealistic to expect any single organization to provide all services at a high level. I have learned that Collaboration not Competition reaps rewards for the communities we are serving and overall elevation of each individual organization.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am not a Dallas native however have been adopted by many families. For this reason, my friends that visit me would have a blast because I would introduce them to all the different people that I have been blessed to call friend here in the Metroplex. This would culminate on the weekend with a BBQ at house with my Dallas friends hanging with my best friend. Chicken, ribs, chops and kabobs would be on the grill coupled with tasty sides. The night would include with spades, dominoes, karaoke, trash talking, a journey down memory lane, political and social debates, conversations that would demand a ‘top ten’ list of whatever and more!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I cannot credit one person. I am truly the creation of the age old saying; ‘It takes a village.’ My village is unique because I have gleaned solid principles from my friends, family, friends that became my family, church, professional mentors and gang members. Yes, you read that correctly, gang members!

Website: www.HungerBusters.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hungerbustersofdallas/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latame-phillips-ph-d-688496100/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hungerbusters