A Changemaker's Return

When Claire Chi first visited Hormel Foods headquarters in 2023, she wasn’t an intern or employee. She was a high school student being honored as one of the company’s 10 Under 20 Food Heroes for combating food insecurity. That program introduced her to Hormel Foods and its culture of mentorship and service — and it left a lasting impression.

Now a student at Stanford University, Claire had already established herself as a changemaker well before arriving on campus. In her home state of Pennsylvania, she founded Dancing Against Hunger, a nonprofit that blends dance education with community food drives to make a tangible impact in the fight against food insecurity. Her creative approach to advocacy drew the attention of Hormel Foods, and the mentorship and support she found within the company inspired her to return.

This summer, she returned as an Inspired Intern, once again finding the same welcoming environment she remembered from her Food Hero experience, along with new opportunities to learn, grow and contribute.

Today, as she balances college with leading her nonprofit, Claire continues to expand her impact in the fight against hunger. Now with her summer internship nearing its end, she reflects on her journey with Hormel Foods, the lessons she’s taking with her, and the values that guide her career aspirations.

Q&A Claire Chi

What inspired you to return to Hormel Foods for an internship?

When I was here back in 2023, I remember visiting headquarters and having a mentorship session with Florence Makope. She walked me down the hall to her office, and everyone was so friendly, saying hi. That same welcoming environment has been consistent throughout my internship. I also remember going for dinner with my dad to Bella Victoria in Austin, and a few Hormel Foods employees came up to us and were really encouraging about the work I was doing in my community. That made a big impact on me. Hormel Foods team members are very personable and supportive, and I really appreciate that.

It wasn’t just the culture that brought me back. Hormel Foods has so many recognizable brands, including ones from my childhood and others I hadn’t tried yet. I got to see firsthand how much Hormel Foods invests in making a positive social impact, both globally and locally. During the Food Hero experience, we participated in a food-packing event, and seeing employees engaged in service made me realize how much the company and its people care about giving back. That’s something I wanted to be part of.

You were recognized as one of the Hormel Foods 10 Under 20 Food Heroes for your nonprofit work. Can you share more about that initiative and why you started it?

In my freshman year of high school, I started a nonprofit called Dancing Against Hunger. It’s dedicated to fighting hunger by providing accessible dance education and youth leadership development. We host dance events like performances and workshops and pair them with food drives or community feasts. Dance is the tool we use to bring people together and raise awareness. We’ve engaged over 4,200 participants.

That work brought me to Hormel Foods for the 10 Under 20 program. Since then, I’ve continued learning how to combat food insecurity through policy. I served a two-year term on the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. I’ve worked with the School Nutrition Association and congressional offices to advocate for comprehensive food security policy. It’s been very rewarding and impactful.

What personal experiences shaped your commitment to addressing food insecurity?

I used to live in Mississippi from 2006 to 2014, when it was ranked 50th in the country for education achievement. About 30 percent of children were living in poverty. That experience motivated my advocacy in Pennsylvania for the universal free breakfast program, which now provides 1.7 million students with free breakfast every day.

During COVID, I saw miles of cars lining up at food banks. These organizations were overwhelmed with requests for help. Hunger can be very visible, but it can also be invisible. Your friend might not tell you they don’t have lunch that day. That’s why I started my nonprofit — to combat hunger in my community.

Coming back to Hormel Foods was meaningful because hunger is a difficult issue to tackle. Policy can reach a lot of people, but it’s slow and full of roadblocks. Nonprofits can be under-resourced and struggle to scale. Hormel Foods has the resources and the ability to be proactive. I saw the potential for a food company like Hormel Foods to make a huge impact.

How do you continue to grow Dancing Against Hunger while managing a full-time college workload on the other side of the country?

I continue to serve as Dancing Against Hunger’s Executive Director, and we’ve expanded beyond State College and now operate nationwide. We’ve partnered with Stanford and retirement homes in the Bay Area, and we’re doing a second-year partnership with Penn State for a series of events. I’m really grateful to continue this work, especially with support from Hormel Foods.

Looking back on your internship, was there a moment that stood out as especially meaningful or memorable?

This internship has been such a hands-on experience, literally. I had the opportunity to hand model a few times for the food studio. It was a very unique experience and a lot of fun. I got to learn about everyone who works in the studio, their stories and backgrounds. It was one of a kind, and I’m very grateful for it. It also represents all the hard work and collaboration that goes into bringing a final product in front of the camera.

I also had the chance to work closely with the Global Impact team this summer, which was such a meaningful part of my internship. One of my favorite moments was presenting to the Hormel Foods senior leadership team, where I proposed a company contribution to support a nonprofit partnership. I also spoke with them about my success as a former 10 Under 20 Food Hero and what led me back to Hormel Foods as an intern. Presenting those ideas to the leaders of a Fortune 500 company was an incredible experience. It demonstrates how much interns are trusted here, and it gave me a real sense of what it’s like to contribute to decisions that can make a tangible impact.

What lessons from your internship at Hormel Foods will you carry into your nonprofit work and your career?

Whether it’s a nonprofit, business or government group, the spirit of community engagement and global impact I’ve experienced at Hormel Foods will definitely stay with me. I’ve learned so much from different communications teams — brand PR, external, internal. From the global-impact team specifically, I’ve learned how to measure the differences we’ve made in the world and how to set goals for future initiatives without restricting ourselves to arbitrary numbers or timelines. That flexibility is something I’ll bring into long-term planning for my nonprofit and my career overall.

A Changemaker’s Return

Q&A Claire Chi

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