The Georgia Women’s Legislative Caucus on March 13 presented Sarah Menis, an 18-year-old high school senior from Dunwoody, with the esteemed Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award.
The recognition comes in acknowledgment of her commitment to addressing food insecurity through her nonprofit initiative, Front Porch Food Drive.
The Galloway School junior took action starting in late 2023 after learning that Dunwoody’s food pantries were running short of needed supplies. She started Front Porch Food Drive, collecting 535 pounds of staples for Malachi’s Storehouse in the initial effort.
In order to publicize the effort, Menis delivered brown paper bags with flyers to homes in her neighborhood that provided information about the drive. She said her neighbors were thrilled and thanked her for giving them the opportunity to give in such an easy way.
State Sen. Sally Harrell (D-40) nominated Menis for the award, citing her remarkable leadership in founding and expanding a critical community service organization.
“I was so impressed and inspired by Sarah’s Front Porch Food Drive initiative. It’s such an important service to the community. When it was time to nominate this year’s Servant Leader award, I immediately thought of Sarah,” Harrell said.
The Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award, presented annually during Women’s History Month, honors women who have made significant contributions to their communities through service and leadership.
An announcement about the award said female Georgia senators and representatives select outstanding women from their districts to receive the recognition. The award is named after Honorable Nikki T. Randall, the first African American woman elected to the Georgia Assembly from Middle Georgia, and a dedicated advocate for women, families, and communities.
At 18, Menis is the youngest recipient of this year’s award. Through her strategic partnership with the Community Assistance Center (CAC), Menis has successfully built a growing network of volunteers who operate their own food drives.
To date, the organization has collected more than 3,000 pounds of food to support local families experiencing food insecurity.
