She is described by her peers and those she has mentored as a "pioneer and a champion of nutrition for children" and after 60 years of service, Gertrude Applebaum is still not ready to quit. She began her career as the director of child nutrition for Corpus Christi ISD. She developed the third centralized kitchen in the country, participated in the first White House Conference on Food and Nutrition under the administration of former President Richard Nixon, and has devoted much of her personal time to the Texas SNA, National SNA, and the Global Child Nutrition Foundation. Her work in the industry continues to impact the welfare of children in the United States and abroad.