Richard W. Rodriguez
While in school at the University of North Texas, Viviana Mendez took a part-time job at Tarrant Area Food Bank just “to fill my additional time.”
“Little did I know that job would turn into a lot more than just ‘filling my time,’” she says.
Under Mendez’s leadership, the nonprofit’s Ready to Learn initiative, which she developed and manages, has grown by more than 500% across TAFB’s 13-county network. Ready to Learn is a childhood hunger solution that provides families and students with access to healthy, kid-friendly groceries at school.
Mendez is also leading efforts to establish the Ready to Learn Resource Center, a community hub for low-income families to access a market, child care, education classes, and assistance with state benefit applications.
Most important role model: “My mom has been the strongest influence … from instilling compassion and the importance of public service in me at an early age. My entire life I have had this incredible role model that demonstrated what it looked like to be a strong leader, present mom, and kind human being.”