EVENTS
EVENTS HAPPENING NOW
SIGNATURE FOOD DRIVE EVENTS
STOCK THE PANTRY
The Annual Stock the Pantry Event is a month-long food & fund drive aimed at providing the resources needed to start our backpack program for each new school year. This spirited community effort includes a friendly competition between our pantry locations in Destin and Santa Rosa Beach. In 2025, donations helped crown the “Pantry Champion” with the winner being the first location to collect 20,000 food items!
Holiday Food Drive
Each year, Food For Thought hosts a Holiday Food Drive to ensure local children and their families have access to nourishing meals during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. With the help of our community, we collect and distribute food to support thousands of students across Walton and Okaloosa Counties.
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
OVER 6,500 FOOD ITEMS COLLECTED
PB&J Food Drive
February is PB&J Month at Food for Thought. Each year, we challenge the community to donate jars of peanut butter and jelly to include in our backpacks. We set a goal we hope to reach each year and encourage people to donate by dropping off items at our pantries or by having items shipped to us from places like Amazon or Sam's Club. As always, we ask for no glass containers.
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
OVER 4,400 JARS COLLECTED
Spring Snack Drive
In April, we host a Spring Snack Drive where we accept individually wrapped snack items for our backpack program. We set a goal each year and encourage people to drop off items at our pantries or order snacks from places like Amazon or Sam's Club to be delivered to us directly.
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
OVER 7,800 FOOD ITEMS COLLECTED
YEARLY COMMUNITY EVENTS
Food For Thought is grateful to be the beneficiary of a variety of community-led events that help raise vital funds and awareness for our mission. From cooking competitions to seasonal functions, these events play a key role in supporting our programs. Each one represents the power of partnership and the incredible impact our community can make when we come together to fight child hunger.
Eggs on the Beach
Eggs on the Beach is an official Big Green Egg Fest Cooking Competition held at Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach, FL
Proceeds benefit Fisher House of the Emerald Coast & Food for Thought.
Join us November 1st 2025th for the 11th Annual Event
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is an annual global generosity movement encouraging people to give back to their communities and the world. Taking place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, it's a day for individuals, organizations, and communities to make a positive impact through donations, volunteering, or acts of kindness.
Bourbon & BBQ on the Bayou
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BBQ & Bourbon on the Bayou is a private fundraising event held each spring in support of the children served by Food For Thought Outreach. The goal of this event is to raise awareness of the needs of the community, and the scope of services provided to thousands of food-insecure children.
Read to Feed
Through the Read to Feed program, The St. Joe Community Foundation donates $0.25 to Food for Thought for every Accelerated Reader test passed by a Walton County student with a score of 80% or above.
Throwdown Weekend
We are proud to be a continued beneficiary of the Emeril Lagassee Foundation, Throwdown Weekend. We receive a grant in continued support of programs in our Emeril Lagasse Foundation Full Circle Kitchen.
Festival of Trees
The Festival of Trees event , held at Grand Boulevard, features Christmas trees decorated by local non-profits. Attendees of the event can vote on their favorites, and the trees stay on display through the holidays.
Food For Thought hosts a variety of events throughout the year to raise awareness and funds for our mission. From community gatherings to signature fundraising events, each one offers a meaningful way to get involved and support our programs. Join us to make a difference while connecting with others who care about ending child hunger.