Food For Thought (FFT) outreach, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization serving Walton and Okaloosa Counties. This group of dedicated volunteers works to fight child hunger through five, year-round programs with a goal to fight the negative impacts of Child Hunger in the lives of Food Insecure children in grades K-12. Their goal is to support a child’s development and educational experience by bridging the gap between school meals during weekends, Summer and Holiday breaks, as well as offering learning and life-skill resources through the Emeril Lagasse Full-Circle Kitchen and our Full-Circle Gardens.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, FFT has had to change the way they operate the backpack program and volunteers. Prior to schools closing due to the pandemic, FFT created a set of health standards and guidelines for their volunteer staff to follow upon starting a volunteer shift. Guidelines include not volunteering if sick (even a little), wash hands/sanitize before entering pantry, setting up additional hand sanitizing stations, and the group moved to only plastic bags instead of backpacks to help prevent the spread of the virus.

Once schools closed, FFT has continued the same protocols/standards to keep volunteers and staff healthy, but have modified food distribution to a direct pick-up service, where families can come to one of the three pantry locations to pick up a bag of food for the week. FFT continues to work with the school districts to help bridge the meal gap and provide food to families during this time of crisis. For more information about the Food for Thought Outreach, please call Tiffanie at (850) 290 – 4056 or visit www.fftfl.org.

Food For Thought Outreach received a generous donation from Isagenix® through the efforts and the help of Jim and Tammy Pierce. FFT is extremely grateful for the Isagenix donation (retail value of $55,000), which will provide 6,700 meals and enough smoothie mix for over 6,400 smoothies. The Isagenix meals and smoothie mixes will help provide specific nutrition children need in order to grow and thrive. Food For Thought is grateful to have the continued support of Isagenix since 2016. Thank you!

Etablished in 2002, Isagenix provides systems for weight loss, performance, vitality and well-being, personal care and beauty, and financial wellness​. With more than 400,000 customers worldwide and more than 100 products, packs, and systems globally, the company is committed to supporting healthy change in its customers’ and independent distributors’ lives. For more information, visit www.Isagenix.com​.

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