Stermer headshot

Emerson Fellow

Judy Stermer

11th Class, 2004-2005

Judy earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and religious studies from the University of Dayton. She was involved in the Center for Social Concern where she developed programs for the Dayton Campfire Boys and Girls and for the Summer Appalachia Program. Judy also spent time in Guatemala studying Spanish and working with women and children in transitional housing.

Field placement: Vermont Food Bank

Barre, Vermont

Judy worked to expand the Kids Café network in Vermont and improve the effectiveness of the Vermont Foodbank's outreach to current Kids Café coordinators.  Her work involved visiting existing Kids Café sites, conducting a needs assessment of each, and evaluating the supportive role of food banks.  She created a resource guide, a web site, and an operations manual for current and potential coordinators and worked with two communities in the initial planning stages of opening Kids Cafés.

Policy placement: NETWORK

Washington, D.C.

Judy planned and facilitated NETWORK’s collaborative relationship with a women’s empowerment and leadership program near Alamo, Texas, and similar organizations in the southwest United States.  Judy also worked on economic justice issues to develop a broad understanding of public policy work at the federal level, while assisting NETWORK members with educational materials surrounding particular issues.

Hunger Free Community Report

The Resource Guide to Starting and Sustaining a Kids Café aids Kids Café coordinators with starting an out-of-school-time program and includes funding ideas, operational suggestions, and budget planning.  It also provides nutritious meals, nutrition education, and enrichment activities for school aged children in their communities.