Raúl Torrez Attorney General | State of New Mexico
A campaign aimed at promoting free summer meals for children in New Mexico has gained national recognition from the Telly Awards. The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) Summer Food Program Campaign was awarded a Silver Award in the General Public Service/PSA category. The award-winning television spot humorously addresses childhood hunger, dramatizing symptoms of "hangriness" before transitioning to scenes of children enjoying nutritious meals.
The video, used to promote the 2024 summer meals program, was developed in collaboration with local creative agencies MediaDesk and Mood. It is available online in both English and Spanish. ECECD Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky expressed her delight at the national recognition, stating, "The Summer Food Service Program is a lifeline for many families. Using humor to highlight how a simple, healthy meal can transform a child’s day helped us connect with parents and caregivers in a fresh, memorable way."
The Telly Awards are in their 45th year and recognize excellence in video and television across various platforms. With over 13,000 entries each year from top agencies and institutions, winning a Telly signifies notable creativity and public impact. Other winners this year include Pixar Animation Studios, Hearst Media, ESPN, NASA, and Telemundo.
MediaDesk CEO José Viramontes commented on the campaign's concept: "The concept of ‘curing hangriness’ gave us the perfect opportunity to approach hunger awareness in a way that’s entertaining, relatable, and visually dynamic." Virginia Root from Mood added that by addressing the universal feeling of "hangriness," they hoped families would be eager to participate in the Summer Food Service Program.
This PSA is part of ECECD's broader initiative to combat food insecurity by raising awareness about the Summer Food Service Program. The program operates at numerous sites across New Mexico to ensure children remain healthy during summer months. For more information or to locate a meal site nearby, visit summerfoodnm.org.
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