Catering business owner starts nonprofit to feed DSM kids
In the first week, 4 All Kids founder Angie Ramos and her team handed out around 200 meals to students after school at Lincoln High School.
In the first week, 4 All Kids founder Angie Ramos and her team handed out around 200 meals to students after school at Lincoln High School.
In the first week, 4 All Kids founder Angie Ramos and her team handed out around 200 meals to students after school at Lincoln High School.
For many kids across the country, their most balanced or only meals come from school. After the school bell rings, it's up to their families, who may not have a lot of food at home.
A Des Moines woman known for her catering business, Hot Tamale Catering, is looking to provide for both kids who could be in those situations across Des Moines and kids who just want to eat.
Cooking is something Angie Ramos has always been passionate about.
"I just had to figure out a way to make ends meet and starting cooking and it just developed," Ramos said.
While Hot Tamale Catering is where it recently began for Ramos, her love for the kitchen helped her cook up a new plan that was inspired by children.
"When a 10-year-old little girl comes in here asking for a job and she has little siblings with her, I of course said, 'No, I can't hire you, but is there something I can help you with? Are you hungry? Would you like some food?'" Ramos said.
Ramos remembers the little girl saying yes and taking some food. That same little girl came back later, asking for more food for her siblings.
Shortly after. Ramos' created her nonprofit: 4 All Kids.
It started off with kids coming to her catering business off of SE 14th street. However, Ramos soon found that kids who wanted to come to her didn't always have the transportation easily available.
So starting the 2022-23 school year, Ramos and the 4 All Kids team plans to provide warm meals for kids after school bells ring every Wednesday. Thanks to donations from different local companies and organizations, the 4 All Kids team has the money needed and equipment like bags to keep the food warm in. It's why they are able to bring the food to kids.
"Hoover High School is one of the main ones I really want to get to," Ramos said. "North is another one I want to get to really."
Ramos has reached out to several school's principals to get the approval to come to their schools to hand out food. The first week 4 All Kids went ahead with their plan, was on Wednesday, Oct. 5. At that time, only Lincoln gave them the approval.
However, it's the 4 All Kids team's hope that other schools will soon follow Lincoln's move.
On the first Wednesday, Ramos prepared homemade spaghetti with some string beans. The team also packed bread as a side dish for students.
Members of the Iowa Barnstormers also came to Ramos' catering business to help pack the food. Altogether, around 200 meals were packed into containers and placed into the bags that kept them warm. The 4 All Kids team, along with the Iowa Barnstormers, traveled to Lincoln High School and passed out the meals as soon as the bell rang.
Within 20 minutes, every meal was gone. Some kids took the meals with them to go, while others ate them right there while talking to friends.
"We're gonna be here every Wednesday," Ramos yelled out on that Wednesday, as students approached the team for food.
The promise of food is one Ramos vows to never break because going hungry is something she knows about all too well.
"I was that kid," Ramos said. "I was that kid. We're all gonna go someday. Why am I here? I'm gonna be forgotten of course, but let me have my joy for now."