The School Meals for All NC Leadership Team is deeply saddened by the passing of Chester Williams, founder and CEO of A Better Chance, A Better Community (ABC2), and a cherished leader, partner, and friend to our coalition.
For the past three years, ABC2 has been a cornerstone of School Meals for All NC’s leadership, and Chester was the heart and driving force behind the SMFANC Youth Ambassadors. Chester believed deeply in the power of young people. He didn’t just invite them to the table; he made sure they were heard, respected, and equipped to lead.
His impact reaches far beyond any single program. Chester’s legacy lives on in every Youth Ambassador who spoke up for their peers, in every student who learned that their story has power, and in every community strengthened by his belief that collective action, rooted in care and dignity, can transform lives.
We extend our deepest condolences to Chester’s mother, Maybell Williams, the ABC2 staff and board, the young people he mentored, and the entire ABC2 community. We are profoundly grateful for Chester’s leadership, partnership, and vision, and we are committed to honoring his legacy by continuing to uplift youth voices and work towards a future where every student has access to no-cost school meals. In the months ahead, we will honor Chester’s words and legacy together in ways that reflect the impact he made on all of us.
In the spirit of community—something Chester believed in deeply—we are sharing a statement from the ABC2 Board of Directors below, including information on how to honor Chester’s legacy and support his family and the work he built alongside young people.
Chester Williams changed lives. His light, leadership, and love for community will continue to guide this work.
With gratitude and remembrance,
North Carolina Alliance for Health
The Center for Black Health & Equity
Carolina Hunger Initiative
Message from the ABC2 Board of Directors
Dear Friends and Partners of A Better Chance, A Better Community (ABC2):
The board and staff are deeply saddened to inform the community that our founder and CEO, Chester Williams, passed away on Monday, December 8, 2025.
Chester Williams was a 45 year-old visionary, mentor, devoted son, and guiding light for Northeastern NC and beyond. He told FSG that his vision for the nonprofit he founded came to him in middle school, “but I didn’t have a platform just yet. Years later, I started ABC2 (https://www.abc-2.net/) with five other young people from my high school who had the same desire and passion that I did. We have made community change together since then by connecting young peoples’ passions to resources and instilling community pride in them, whether they stay or decide to leave for college.”
Since 2012, Chester has fed, informed, convened, trained, and inspired his neighbors and community through A Better Chance, A Better Community. “Chester was a bright light and encouraged everyone around him, especially the student Ambassadors,” shares board member and friend, Amiya Smith. “He gave youth so many opportunities to network, grow, and step into leadership, and he was always willing to provide whatever support he could. That is just a small part of what made Chester so special.” He also shared his leadership statewide through various organizations and boards, most recently as the chair of the Halifax County NAACP.
The board of directors and staff are rallying around Chester’s beloved mother, ABC2’s Positive Impact Officer, Maybell Williams. She has been and will remain a cornerstone of ABC2’s work, even through this difficult time. She has been faithful comfort for both Chester and the organization, and we are supporting her on this new unexpected journey.
We also remain thankful that our amazing staff, Tiwana Smallwood and Chantel Gillus, have continued the work of ABC2’s six programs through Chester’s illness, including support for our World Changers. We’ve also been joined by our partners at MDC’s Rural Prosperity & Investment team who are helping with temporary administrative and program management (https://mdcinc.org/projects/).
As arrangements are determined, we will share them with you, the community he loved so much.
Chester recently supported the World Changers through the loss of an ABC2 ambassador, encouraging the young leaders to support each other through listening and support. We similarly ask the same of the young leaders of A Better Chance, A Better Community. Please reach out if you need a listening ear or other support through this time. Look below for a list of resources cultivated by board member Shaniqua Harvey. Community was always Chester’s solution to the greatest of our issues, and we also recommend these or other resources in this difficult moment.
In an interview with CareShare in 2022, Chester shared that he “gave birth to something to the community, and my baby has grown and my baby is about to be a preteen, and I’m just amazed at how it has evolved even beyond what I put on paper, so I’m proud of it and I’m ready to see it grow and blossom into what it truly can and will become.” This board and staff are committed to keeping that work going in Chester Williams’ name. Like he did, we look forward to working with you to make Northeastern NC stronger and better for all its young people.
In the Spirit of Community,
The 2025 ABC2 Board of Directors
Amiya Smith
Kelby Hicks
Linda Wiggins
MaryJane Lyonnais
Shaniqua Harvey
PROGRAM QUESTIONS: If you have questions about ABC2 or its work, feel free to reach out to the staff through Tiwana Smallwood (Tiwana@abc2nc.org) or the board through Kelby Hicks (Kelby@abc2nc.org).
MESSAGES/REMEMBRANCES OF CHESTER FOR MOTHER MAYBELL WILLIAMS: To send messages to Chester’s mother, Ms. Maybell Williams, share your stories and pictures of Chester at https://chesterwilliams.muchloved.com/.
DONATIONS – In lieu of flowers:
Click here if you’d like to make a donation to ABC2 in honor of Chester: http://spot.fund/k427qdgsc
Click here if you would like to make a donation to support Chester’s mother, Maybell Williams, click here: http://spot.fund/62d8k11sc