Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2025
CONTACT
Julia Sclafani
Public Relations Specialist
Email: julia.sclafani@ececd.nm.gov
Mobile: (505) 699–5937
1120 Paseo De Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501
ALBUQUERQUE — A campaign promoting free summer food for New Mexico children has been recognized by the international Telly Awards.
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) Summer Food Program Campaign has won a Silver Award in the General Public Service/PSA category for a playful and engaging television spot promoting the Summer Food Service Program, which provides free, nutritious meals to children throughout the summer months.
The video takes a humorous approach to a serious issue: childhood hunger. The video opens in moody black and white, dramatizing the dreaded symptoms of “hangriness”—including tantrums, eye rolling, and sarcasm—before bursting into full color as kids enjoy a healthy lunch and regain their cheer. The video was used to promote the 2024 summer meals program. It was created in partnership with local creative agencies MediaDesk and Mood. The campaign can be viewed online in English and Spanish.
“We’re thrilled to see this lighthearted but impactful spot recognized nationally,” said ECECD Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “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, now in their 45th year, celebrate the best in video and television across all screens. With over 13,000 entries submitted annually from top agencies, production companies, and public institutions, winning a Telly represents a significant achievement in both creativity and public impact. In addition to ECECD, this year’s winners include Pixar Animation Studios, Hearst Media, ESPN, NASA, Telemundo and more.
“The concept of ‘curing hangriness’ gave us the perfect opportunity to approach hunger awareness in a way that’s entertaining, relatable, and visually dynamic,” said MediaDesk CEO José Viramontes. “We’re proud to have helped ECECD make an important message stick through laughter and storytelling.”
“Every parent and caregiver know the dreaded look of ‘hangriness’ on their kid’s face” added Virginia Root, with Mood, who served as creative director for the project. “By tapping into that universal feeling, I hoped that families would feel excited to take part in the ECECD’s incredible Summer Food Service Program.”
The PSA is part of ECECD’s larger effort to reduce food insecurity across the state by increasing awareness and participation in the Summer Food Service Program. With hundreds of meal sites located in communities across New Mexico, the program helps ensure kids stay healthy and energized all summer long. The Summer Food Service Program is underway at most locations for 2025.
To learn more about the program and find a meal site near you visit summerfoodnm.org.
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Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham launched the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) in 2020, making New Mexico among the first states to consolidate all early childhood programs and services under a single cabinet-level agency. Under this administration, ECECD has led the nation by expanding access to free New Mexico PreK, overseeing the largest investment in early childhood infrastructure in state history, and implementing cost-free child care for a majority of New Mexico families. Learn more about how ECECD supports children, families, and the early childhood professionals that serve our communities at nmececd.org. On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as @NewMexicoECECD.