USA Scholarships
Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship 2027 - $10,000
The Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship is Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation''s flagship youth award for students who treat hunger like a problem they can actually solve, not a poster drive. National scholars receive a $10,000 academic scholarship, a separate $5,000 grant for a hunger-relief charity of their choice, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Sodexo Charity Classic Presented by PepsiCo, where the 2027 event is scheduled for May 5-7 in Scottsdale, Arizona. You can apply from anywhere in the United States if you are between 5 and 25 years old and can document creativity, leadership, and real impact against food insecurity. The portal on us.stop-hunger.org opens each year on August 20 and closes on October 20. Since 2007 the programme has named more than 100 national scholars and hundreds of Emerging Leaders, paying out more than $1.3 million in scholarships and grants combined.
What is the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship?
Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation named this award for Steve Brady, the foundation''s founder and a relentless advocate for ending childhood hunger. The scholarship does not reward a generic essay about caring. It rewards young people who already built something: a mobile pantry route, a school weekend meal programme, a data tool that helps grocers donate faster, or a campaign that changed local policy.
The money split matters for how you plan. Ten thousand dollars lands with you for education. Five thousand more goes to a hunger charity you pick, which lets you double down on the mission that got you noticed. Winners also fly to the Sodexo Charity Classic, a hospitality industry event where suppliers and operators gather around Stop Hunger''s mission. That trip is not a vacation add-on. It is where scholars meet executives who can fund or scale community work.
Applications run August 20 through October 20 each year on us.stop-hunger.org. You can be anywhere from kindergarten age through twenty-five, which makes the applicant pool wildly diverse. What ties winners together is proof: photos, partner names, pounds of food moved, kids fed on weekends, volunteers trained. If you are comparing awards, the Ron Brown Scholar Program targets high school seniors with a different demographic focus, while the Mental Health America Young Leaders Council pays a stipend for advocacy cohort work rather than a single project prize.
Eligibility
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✓Age 5 to 25 on applicationThe Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship is built for young people from elementary age through college and early career. Sodexo lists the eligible band as 5 to 25 years old. If you are outside that range, the foundation directs you to other Stop Hunger programmes instead of this national scholar track.
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✓Significant hunger-relief impact in your communityYou need a track record of action against childhood hunger, not a single canned-food drop. Food rescue apps, school pantry networks, policy advocacy, STEM projects that improve access, and multi-year volunteer programmes all qualify when you can show outcomes and who benefited.
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✓Creativity and leadership others followReviewers look for students who design solutions, recruit peers, and keep projects running after the first event. Describe how you engage your school, faith community, or neighborhood and what changed because of your work.
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✓US-based hunger workThe award celebrates domestic anti-hunger leadership. Your primary project should serve people facing food insecurity in the United States, even if you attend school online or split time between two states.
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✓Able to attend the Sodexo Charity Classic if selectedNational scholars must attend the all-expenses-paid Sodexo Charity Classic on the dates the foundation publishes for your award year. Official rules treat failure to attend as grounds to revoke the scholarship, so block the May window before you apply.
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✓Complete official application and rulesYou grant Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation a non-confidential license to use submitted materials for promotion, and you certify accuracy on every form field. Incomplete files or missed attestation steps can disqualify an otherwise strong project.
Benefits
- Academic scholarship $10,000
- Charity grant $5,000 to your hunger nonprofit
- Sodexo Charity Classic trip All-expenses-paid industry event
- Industry networking Meet food and hospitality leaders
- Emerging Leader recognition Separate honour tier with smaller awards
- Full college tuition Not covered
Document checklist
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✓Online Stop Hunger scholarship applicationApply through the link on us.stop-hunger.org/grants/youth-scholarships while the August 20 to October 20 window is open. Create your account early so uploads and attestations are not rushed on the last night.
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✓Project and impact narrativeDescribe the hunger problem you tackled, the community you serve, how you built the programme, and measurable results such as meals moved, families reached, or policy changes. Use numbers wherever you have them.
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✓Leadership and mobilization summaryExplain how you recruited volunteers, partnered with schools or nonprofits, and kept momentum across semesters or seasons. Reviewers want evidence that others joined because of your leadership.
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✓Recommendation from a hunger partner organizationOfficial materials ask for a recommendation letter tied to the organization where you did hunger-relief work. Choose someone who supervised the project and can confirm your role, not a family friend.
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✓Supporting photos or media if requestedBe ready with photos, news clips, or social posts that document your work. The foundation may display winner stories publicly after selection.
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✓Winner verification forms if selectedPast cycles required award confirmation paperwork and travel details within weeks of notification. Missing those deadlines can forfeit the scholarship and travel benefits.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship?
It is a national youth award from Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation for students ages 5 to 25 who lead measurable hunger-relief work. National scholars receive $10,000 for education plus a $5,000 grant to a hunger charity they select, along with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Sodexo Charity Classic.
When is the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship deadline?
The foundation lists an annual window from August 20 through October 20 on us.stop-hunger.org/grants/youth-scholarships. Submit before October 20 for the cycle that feeds recognition the following spring.
How much is the Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship?
Each national scholar receives a $10,000 academic scholarship and a $5,000 grant paid to a hunger-relief organization of the winner's choice. That split is unusual among youth awards because it funds both the student and the cause.
Who can apply for the Stop Hunger scholarship?
Students anywhere in the United States who are 5 to 25 years old and can show creativity, leadership, and impact fighting food insecurity. You do not need a minimum GPA on the public youth page, but you do need a real project story.
Do I have to attend the Sodexo Charity Classic?
Yes if you are named a national scholar. The trip is part of the award, and official rules say failure to attend can revoke the scholarship. The 2027 event is scheduled for May 5-7 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
What is the difference between a national scholar and an Emerging Leader?
National scholars receive the $10,000 plus $5,000 grant package and attend the Charity Classic. The foundation also recognizes Emerging Leaders with smaller awards for strong hunger work that may still be growing. Apply through the same youth portal and read the current rules for tier descriptions.
Can college students apply for the Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship?
Yes. The age cap is 25, so undergraduates and many graduate students qualify if their hunger project is active and well documented. High school founders and elementary-age advocates with adult support have also won.
Where do I apply for the Stop Hunger scholarship?
Start at https://us.stop-hunger.org/grants/youth-scholarships during the August 20 to October 20 window. The page links to official rules and the application form when the cycle is open.
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