Food for Thought embarked on its mission in 2010, starting as a small project focused on assisting food-insecure students and their families in one school. In 13 years, under the leadership of Tiffanie Nelson, it has blossomed into a pivotal organization dedicated to combating childhood hunger across Walton and Okaloosa Counties.
To help generate donations, we orchestrated an auction during our weekly Tuesday meeting. Team members and agents offered an array of items, unique skills, and exclusive opportunities for bidding. These offerings included: “Assistant for the Day,” a week-long lake house retreat, vintage paintings, car retouching services, and fishing charters. Things got quite heated, which led to some spirited bidding. All in good fun as the highest bidders not only won the prize, but the opportunity to donate to an amazing cause.
A few days after our auction, we had the privilege of personally observing the tangible impact of our efforts. After making an order with Sam’s Club, two of our agents rented a U-Haul and took the food to Food for Thought’s new warehouse, where many of our agents were waiting. With the help of the Food for Thought team, we unloaded and organized all the donations.
On August 24, Food for Thought hosted an event to celebrate the collective achievements of all participating groups. The occasion was complete with a beer and wine bar, local food trucks, and live music. We enjoyed connecting with other like-minded organizations and being able to see firsthand the display of the 87,000 donated food items from everyone who contributed—a testament to the remarkable impact of our joint efforts. We are extremely honored to have been recognized as the leading contributor this year. However, to echo the sentiment of Food for Thought’s founder, Tiffanie Nelson:
“The ultimate winners are the families whose lives are positively impacted.”
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who played a role in contributing their time, resources, and enthusiasm. If you are inspired to join us in supporting this meaningful cause, we encourage you to contribute at fftfl.org.
