Hushaw, an Aptos High freshman, thrives on challenges. Last year, she competed in the high school Central Coast Ski/Snowboard Series [CSSS] as an eighth-grader.

“It made me feel empowered,” Hushaw said, admitting that she was scared to compete against girls twice her size. “When you bolt out of the gate in front of [the other competitors] and get to the bottom of the hill and look back at them, it’s confidence-building.”

Hushaw has been snowboarding since age 6, when the pint-sized skier decided that the bunny slopes were for babies.

“I made a deal with my dad that if I started snowboarding, he would let me go up the mountain on a chairlift,” said Hushaw, explaining her real motivation for switching from skiing to snowboarding.

Hushaw credits her teammate Greg Frayo on the Santa Cruz Snowboard Team and team manager Paul Merril, as well as the support of her parents, with giving her the confidence she needs to compete.

At the first CCSSS competition this year, Hushaw won both the Boarder X and Giant Slalom events, earning the first wild-card invitation to compete in last Saturday’s Pro Boarder Andy Finch Slope Style Invitational at China Peak Mountain Resort. She has since taken two more wins in GS and anotherwin and a second in Boarder X. Hushaw is currently leading the CCSSS girls in points for the season in both events and plans to take her competitive game to Tahoe next season.

But Hushaw does more than shred powder. This winter, she dedicated her snow season to fighting hunger as part of the Grind Out Hunger campaign.

Hushaw, who celebrated her 15th birthday on Valentine’s Day, is an outspoken Hunger Fighter.

“Did you know that one in four people in Santa Cruz County goes hungry every day?” asked Hushaw, adding, “It’s horrible. You could be standing in a group of four people, one of them is hungry or feeding themselves with food that’s not healthy.”

Grind Out Hunger is a campaign started by Danny Keith, a local philanthropist and owner of Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop on 41st Avenue. Keith founded Grind Out Hunger with the goal of inspiring kids to help kids.
“Marissa Hushaw is just a perfect example of what can happen if you allow the youth to identify the problem and work out their own solution,” Keith said. He added, “Not only is she raising money for Grind Out Hunger, she’s an advocate.”

“Marissa’s passion for fighting hunger is just incredible,” agreed Shawn Hatjes, Grind Out Hunger program director. “She consistently wants to move to the next step.”

Grind Out Hunger provides support for kid-directed fundraisers and partners with local schools to collect food and monetary donations for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Since Dec. 1, Hushaw has raised $2,150 for Grind Out Hunger — $1,150 more than her original goal. On March 7, the young activist received a Grind Out Hunger Generation Next Award honoring her achievements.

“If you can feed someone, then why not do it?” asked Hushaw. “If we live in a place where we’re surrounded by fields growing strawberries, lettuce, all this good healthy food, why can’t we feed ourselves?”

The campaign started with Hushaw reaching out to friends and family, but it began to snowball when the China Peak ski and snowboard community got involved.

“The people at the repair shop at China Peak started donating their tips,” Hushaw said. “And now we’re going to have a Grind Out Hunger Rail Jam.”

Grind Out Hunger says it can turn $1 into three pounds of food. If that’s true, Hushaw’s campaign has already raised enough money to donate thousands of pounds of food to those who need it in the county.

“Anyone can make a difference, you just have to have a starting place,” Hushaw said. “Through Grind Out Hunger, I know everyone has a starting place.”

Hushaw will continue her Hunger Fighter campaign until April 1. To donate, visitwww.grindouthunger.org/marissahushaw.

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To read the article on the Sentinel Website please go to: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/ci_20186754/marissa-hushaw-fighting-hunger-one-snowflake-at-time