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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.

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.

PROBLEM. COOKING IS SOMETHING ANGIE RAMOS HAS ALWAYS BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT. NO, I HAD TO FIGURE A WAY I HAD TO TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND STARTED COOKING. AND IT JUST DEVELOPED. FIRST INTO HER CATERING BUSINESS. HOT TAMALES CATERING. WE’LL DO TIME. WE’RE GOING TO TAMALES ARE ENCHILADAS, RICE, BEANS. BUT MOST RECENTLY, HER LOVE FOR THE KITCHEN HELPED HER COOK UP A NEW PLAN INSPIRED BY CHILDREN. WHEN YOU’RE A LITTLE GIRL COMES IN HERE ASKING FOR A JOB. SHE HAS A LITTLE SIBLINGS WITH HER. AND I OF COURSE, I LIKE I MEAN, I CAN HIRE YOU. I MEAN, THAT WAS SOMETHING I CAN HELP YOU WITH. WAS. ARE YOU HUNGRY? YOU KNOW? WOULD YOU LIKE SOME FOOD? ANGIE SAYS THE GIRL SETTING. YES, AND CAME BACK WITH MORE SIBLINGS. SHORTLY AFTER A NONPROFIT BID FOR ALL KIDS WAS CREATED TO FEED KIDS COMING TO HER. I STARTED OFF THE KIDS COMING HERE AND PLAYING GAMES. IT JUST COULDN’T GET TO ME BECAUSE OF A LACK OF TRANSPORTATION. SO THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THE FOR ALL KIDS TEAM IS BRINGING THE FOOD. WE’RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO DO ABOUT 200 MEALS TO STUDENTS ACROSS THE MOYNE EVERY WEDNESDAY. AND FOR THE FIRST WEEK, THEY’LL BE GETTING LIKE, YOU KNOW, CAVITIES AND HALF GREEN BEANS. FOR OUR KIDS TEAM IS DISHING OUT HOT MEALS, PAIRING IT WITH BREAD WITH A LITTLE HELP. THERE YOU GO. SEE, THAT’S THAT’S WHAT I LIKE RIGHT THERE FROM SOME OF THE IOWA BARNSTORMERS WHO WILL BOTH DISH AND HAND OUT FOOD. WHEN THE TIME COMES, HOOVER IS ONE OF THE MAIN ONES. I WANT TO GET YOU IN NORTH IS THE ONE I WANT TO GET TO. REALLY. BUT FOR THE FIRST WEEK, YOU GET TO EAT. YOU GOT TO EAT. ANGIE RAMOS AND THE FOR ALL KIDS TEAM FOCUSED ON LINCOLN HIGH. STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE DAY, WALKING OUT SCHOOL DOORS TO SEE A NEW AND WELCOME SIGHT. PEOPLE PASSING OUT FOOD TO THEM, SPEAKING WITH THEM. I’M GOING TO BE HERE EVERY WEDNESDAY AND MAKING A PROMISE. ANGIE VOWS TO NEVER BREAK BECAUSE GOING HUNGRY. OH, IS THAT KID? IS SOMETHING SHE KNOWS ABOUT ALL TOO WELL. ANGIE SAYS LINCOLN HIGH IS THE ONLY SCHOOL WHO GAVE HIM THE OKAY SO FAR, BUT IT’S HER HOPE OTHER PRINCIPALS WILL REACH OUT TO BECAUSE SHE AND THE FOR ALL KIDS TEAM HAVE MOUTHS TO FEED. WE’RE ALL GOING TO GO SOMEDAY. WHY AM I HERE? YOU KNOW, I’M NOT GOING TO BE I’M GOING TO BE FORGOTTEN. OF COURSE. BUT LET ME HAVE MY JOY NOW. IN THE MORNING. KAYL
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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.

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."

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.

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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."