LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Colin Andrzejczyk was nominated by a colleague, Jason Finley.

Colin Andrzejczyk and Food for Thought - Video

Mr. Andrzejcyk has worked tirelessly as a school and community leader to make a difference in students' lives through the Food for Thought program. This program is an effort by Randolph Union High School and its partners to address and raise awareness of food insecurity, its impact on the education of students, and its challenge to the well-being of the greater Randolph community. This program's outcomes address food insecurity and positively add to the school's culture of a caring, nurturing atmosphere.

Now in its 6th year, Food for Thought is carrying its impact to a broader audience as the served population grows along with the awareness of the program, not only as a school-based opportunity, but also as a community resource. The future of Food for Thought will continue to focus on providing "a little extra in the pantry" for students while also looking for ways to address food insecurity among their support networks.

Mr. Andrzejczyk oversees the distribution of Food for Thought bags of groceries to students and families once a month, focusing on long weekends, school vacations, and other extended times away from school when families feel the pinch of needing a little more the most. As Food for Thought moves into the future, Mr. Andrzejczyk hopes to continue this model while providing more opportunities for students to access prepackaged bags throughout the school year.

This school-based program has historically been funded solely through grants and community donations. In adhering to high moral and ethical standards, Mr. Andrzejczyk is adamant about ensuring that a student's access to food happens without any stigmatizing criteria (sign-ups, financial forms, or qualifying entry points). To that end, he hopes to put the Food for Thought program in a financial situation where he can focus on getting food into cupboards rather than donations into a bank account.