Melanie Discher and Marsha Davis are Sodexo-employed K-12 school cafeteria workers in Plainfield, Illinois.

Melanie takes enormous pride in her responsibilities, knowing that there is a good chance that she is giving many of the kids the one hot meal that they are going to get that day. She strongly believes in the importance of the quality of food that she is serving.

Marsha encourages more parents to become involved in what their kids are being served at school. She also knows that improved workplace standards for food service workers will only increase the quality and service for the kids.

Marsha and Melanie have seen kids go hungry because they can't afford the lunches. They both want to increase kids' access to the school meals programs. Melanie is concerned about the lack of access for many to nutritional and affordable meals, and advocates for greater participation in the school meals programs, and higher nutritional standards of the meals.

Both Melanie and Marsha recognize that their important role in education. A big solution Marsha advocates is better communication among all of the adult caretakers - parents, food service workers, teachers, and school administrators.

Melanie believes that it takes an entire community to raise a child, and that she is an integral part of that community. If she were provided fairer wages and benefits, paid sick days and respect on the job, Melanie knows that the service she and other food service workers provide can be even stronger.