Invitations went out to schools, churches, and various organizations to participate in a friendly level of rivalry for a great cause. Tiffanie Nelson, founder of Food For Thought, issued a challenge: collect 200+ food items, and compete in the Food Drive Competition. Those accepting the challenge in Walton and Okaloosa Counties went to work gathering food which would be displayed on a round table at the event with a chance to place 1st, 2nd or 3rd amongst fellow competitors. Some businesses were unable to collect food, but that was no reason for not helping to “Stock The Pantry.” Backpack sponsorship was available for a $500 donation, which allowed each sponsor to place signage on the sponsor wall at the event. The competition was fun, friendly and very successful.
The fruits of the effort of teams that gathered food or became a sponsor for the cause were realized when Food For Thought opened the doors for their Second Annual Stock the Pantry Party! Round tables were filled and lined with elaborate displays of food gathered by the teams who participated. The most popular items included plastic jars of peanut butter and jelly, granola bars, fruit cups, snack crackers and breakfast bars. Guests meandered among the team tables in awe of the generosity and willingness of each individual team member to accept the challenge to meet a need in our community. It was obvious that each team had made a significant contribution to the food pantry, but like every competition there are always winners and this year the 1st place team was The Ohana Institute Team, which won by a landslide with an unbelievable 11,300 food items gathered. San Destin Realty took second place with 2931food items gathered. Wells Fargo Team took 3rd place with 2372 food items gathered. This year Backpack sponsors committed to donating $500, but the grand total raised for this year’s outreach was $9400! Organizers commented that due to the combined efforts of all who participated in the event FFT will be able to meet the needs for the first few weeks of school for each child enrolled in the program.
Guests in attendance were treated to food, fun and games. Pizza By The Sea catered pizza and salad, Pop Stop Popsicles offered refreshing popsicles and family games were set up by Rent Gear Here. Organizers were sure to keep this event not only family-friendly, but fun for the children, which is appropriate since the focus of this organization is on children.
Food For Thought, a not-for profit organization based in Santa Rosa Beach, Fl, provides backpacks filled with healthy, easy to prepare food for students who are dependent on free or reduced school meals. Founder/Director Tiffanie Nelson says the goal is to support a child’s development and educational experience by bridging the gap between school meals during weekends and holiday breaks. Food For Thought has been working to fight child hunger since 2010 and currently serves 15 schools in Walton and Okaloosa Counties, providing backpacks for 1200 children each week. This is a 56% increase over last year. Every month Food For Thought sends out over 50,000 food items to help battle food insecurities in Okaloosa and Walton Counties.
These statistics are staggering. For more information on helping with Food For Thought contact Tiffanie Nelson at info@fftfl.org .
