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30 UNDER 30
CONGRATULATIONS COURTNEY!
On behalf of the staff team and board of directors of the La Crosse Area Family Y, YMCA of the USA, we are happy to announce that Courtney Kramolis, Food Program Director, has been selected from 220 nominees representing more than 70 Y associations for the fifth Annual 30 Under 30 Class honored by the Emerging Leaders Resource Network.
THE AWARD:
Courtney has been imperative when it comes to making sure children and families in our community are getting fed. Between our school-age programs, summer food service, and community health workers’ clients, she has gone above and beyond in meeting their needs. She often talks about how she loves her job because she just wants to make sure people are fed, and has said on multiple occasions that “I just don’t want people to feel hungry”.
Courtney established and grew our Y’s food pantry which includes food and hygiene products. Courtney has partnered with the local Salvation Army and Hunger Task Force to be able to provide meals throughout the community. She coordinated volunteers to deliver meals not only to our 10-summer school age care sites, but also to 11 other locations to reach those that needed it most.
One of the biggest populations in need in our community is the unsheltered population. Currently, there is a park that has been converted into a “campground” that hosts the majority of this population. Courtney worked with Hunger Task Force and utilized resources to bring meals to this population each week during the summer and continuing into the fall. Each week she was able to serve around 150 meals to individuals that otherwise may not have had food. Her work and commitment are truly remarkable.
ABOUT COURTNEY:
Courtney serves as the La Crosse Area Family YMCA Food Program Director and is responsible for the coordination of all food access related resources. In addition to overseeing the daily operations of the program, she is also responsible for partnership cultivation. Courtney’s Y story is very special. From swim lessons at 5 years old, Y summer camps, volunteering and her very first job, the Y has always been a place she found a sense of home.
Courtney is proud to be able to develop and maintain relationships within the community to provide an immediate impact for those affected by food insecurity. As a sign of a true leader, she is consistent in acknowledging that she could not make all of this happen without the dedicated team of individuals such as the self-dubbed “Food Crew”, the SAC Department and many community partnerships.
Her philosophy is that healthy choices can also be good-tasting ones and she enjoys teaching others about food, and about how to make nutritious lifestyle choices. On a personal note, when not at work, you can find her spending time with her husband Trevor and their two dogs, Chuck and Ruby. They enjoy hiking, golfing, and spending hours at the dog park! Born and raised in Madison, WI Courtney has really loved relocating to an area with so much to do and explore outside!
