[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 12, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S3957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        TRIBUTE TO SUZY DeYOUNG

 Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Suzy 
DeYoung from Cincinnati, recipient of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 
Award for Outstanding Public Service. The Jefferson Awards Foundation 
was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, 
Jr., and Sam Beard to power others to have maximum impact on the things 
they care about most.
  Suzy cares about helping her community and has a passion for good 
food. She was born to be a chef. Her father, Pierre Adrian, was head 
chef at the five-star Maisonette restaurant in Cincinnati and her 
grandparents were chefs in New York. She and her sister co-ran La 
Petite Pierre restaurant until Suzy split off to focus on La Soupe.
  Now, Suzy is more than a chef. She is a business owner, 
transportation manager, teacher, and a fundraiser.
  In response to growing childhood poverty rates and the fact that one-
third of all food produced worldwide is either lost or wasted each 
year, Suzy DeYoung started La Soupe to close the gap between food waste 
and hunger. La Soupe rescues otherwise wasted produce to create 
delicious and highly nutritious meals for customers, nonprofits, and 
food-insecure families.
  In 2016 alone, La Soupe rescued 125,000 pounds of food from going to 
the landfill and donated over 95,000 servings to people living in food 
insecurity.
  La Soupe partners with Kroger, Jungle Jims, Crosset Company, Sugar 
Creek, and various local organic farms who provide ingredients allowing 
La Soupe's team of volunteer chefs to share their culinary magic 
turning rescued produce into soup or sometimes stew or gumbo or a 
casserole to feed to people who are hungry.
  Suzy also spends time helping parents learn how to feed their kids 
and teaches weekly cooking classes at area schools, sending kids home 
with ingredients and recipes to cook for their families. In addition, 
she operates a retail ``Soupe Shack,'' where sales of the meals made 
from rich ingredients fuel donations to Cincinnati's food-deprived 
individuals.
  An energetic social entrepreneur, Suzy has inspired chefs to create 
and give. She has inspired parents to provide healthier options to 
their families, and she has also inspired kids to pursue culinary 
careers.
  I would like to congratulate Suzy DeYoung and thank her and all of 
the volunteers at LaSoupe for their dedication to closing the hunger 
gap for so many in greater Cincinnati.

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