This Thanksgiving 25 students from Byck Elementary School’s culinary program will be equipped to provide dinner for themselves and their families over the holiday break thanks to a partnership with Dare to Care and GE Appliances. 

Fifth grade culinary students spent the morning with GE Appliances Ambassador Chef Damaris Phillips. learning and cooking specially curated holiday meals students can prepare in their new GE 7:1 Digital Air Fryer and Toaster Ovens. 

Students received the countertop oven, apron, and cooking tools for their homes along with the ingredients to recreate each recipe. 

The partnership honors the life of nine-year-old Bobby Ellis, who died 53 years ago of malnutrition at his Louisville home the day before Thanksgiving. At the time of his death, Bobby was a student at Byck Elementary School.

“At Byck Elementary, 100 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch,” said Allison Martin, senior director of Corporate Citizenship for GE Appliances. “The only meals some students may get that day are their meals at school. We partner with Dare to Care throughout the year to ensure families across our community have food support with healthier meal options they can make at home.”

Shortly after Bobby Ellis’ death in 1969, the community came together to create Dare to Care, now a regional organization dedicated to making sure no one in our community lacks enough food to live an active, healthy life. 

In addition to the GE Appliances cooking class and Thanksgiving meal, students were also provided information on how their families could access help at Dare to Care if they are experiencing food insecurity.

“We served 5.7 million meals to children in need last year, and it’s because of support from organizations like GE Appliances that we’re able to continue this work,” said Vincent James, president and CEO for Dare to Care. “Bobby’s story is a testament to the negative impact food insecurity can have on the lives of our children. We’re working every day to ensure no child or family experiences food insecurity.”

About GE Appliances

At GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make "good things, for life." We're creators, thinkers and makers who believe that anything is possible and that there’s always a better way. We’re a company powered by our people, made stronger through our diversity — allowing us to grow closer than ever before to our owners, anticipate their needs and enhance their lives. We’re certified as a U.S. Great Place to Work ™, named one of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women by Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media), Achievers Top 50 Most Engaged Workplaces, received a perfect score for the fourth year in a row on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and named one of the top 100 Internship Programs by Way Up.

Since 1907, we’ve built innovative, quality products that are trusted in half of all U.S. homes. We sell appliances under the Monogram®, Café™, GE Profile™, GE®, Haier and Hotpoint brands. Our products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, wine & beverage centers, air conditioners, small appliances, water filtration systems and water heaters.

To learn more about our company, our brands, our Corporate Citizenship efforts, our economic impact, and working for GE Appliances visit www.geappliancesco.com.

About Dare to Care Food Bank

Dare to Care Food Bank is the leading hunger relief organization in Kentuckiana. At Dare to Care, the mission is to lead the community to feed the hungry and conquer the cycle of need. Through partnerships with more than 300 local service agencies, such as food pantries, shelters, and emergency kitchens, we’re able to get the right food to families and individuals in need. Dare to Care exists to fill the nutritional gap and empower our community. In the past 12 months, Dare to Care distributed more than 19 million meals in eight Kentucky and five Indiana counties.

To learn more about Dare to Care, visit www.daretocare.org