PROGRAMS
We offer services year-round! Scroll further to learn more.
Backpack Program
Our Weekly Backpack Program distributes backpacks to food-insecure children across Walton and Okaloosa County throughout the school year. Each backpack contains at least ten nutritional food items and gets delivered to schools on Friday morning to bridge the weekend meal gap.
Interested in becoming a Backpack Program Partner? Click here to learn more!
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
3600+ STUDENTS SERVED EACH WEEK
SERVING 35
SCHOOLS
OVER 115,200 BACKPACKS DELIVERED
Thanksgiving Services
Our Thanksgiving Services serve the food-insecure children enrolled in our programs and their families during the Thanksgiving break. We offer 5 distribution locations to serve families in Walton and Oklaoosa counties.
Interested in becoming a Holiday Service Partner? Click here to learn more!
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
700+
FAMILIES
SERVED
530 TURKEYS
DISTRIBUTED
6,000 LBS
OF FRESH PRODUCE
Christmas Services
Our Christmas Services serve the food-insecure children enrolled in our programs and their families during the holiday break. We offer 5 distribution locations to serve families in Walton and Oklaoosa counties.
Interested in becoming a Holiday Service Partner? Click here to learn more!
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
700+
FAMILIES
SERVED
700 LOAVES OF BREAD
DISTRIBUTED
2,100 BAGS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED
Summer Services
During the summer break, food-insecure students are removed from the free or reduced cost meal plan they rely on at school. For some, this is their only access to food. Our Summer Services help bridge this meal gap when food-insecure children are at risk to miss 110 meals.
Interested in becoming a Summer Service Partner? Click here to learn more!
BY THE NUMBERS
Data from 2023-2024
7,000
CHILDREN
SERVED
12,000LBS OF FRESH PRODUCE
60,000+ PANTRY STAPLES
Emeril Lagasse Full Circle Kitchen
The Full Circle Kitchen Program serves our mission by providing the most at-risk youth in our community with positive, hands-on learning in the kitchen. Students learn valuable skills to help them gain independence in the kitchen and beyond.
In addition to Program Classes for children-in-need in our community, we also offer Culinary Classes for local youth wanting to advance their culinary skills. When parents sign their children up for our Culinary Classes, it provides the funds for at-risk youth to participate in our Program Classes.
HOW WE ENROLL
HOW WE ENROLL STUDENTS INTO OUR PROGRAM
Our enrollment is open to students from Pre-K to 12th grade at partner schools who are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch meal programs.
Enrollment forms are included in school orientation packets that go out to every student at the beginning of the school year. We accept students into our programs at any time during the school year.
If you want more information about how we enroll schools and students, please email tiffanie@fftfl.org.
HOW WE ADD A NEW SCHOOL
Schools reach out to us when they need our services and are placed on our waiting list in the order in which they apply. As our resources grow, we can move schools from the waiting list and into our programs.
Food For Thought provides year-round programs that fight child hunger and support students in need. Our services include weekly backpack deliveries, in-school pantries, holiday meal support, and summer programs—all designed to ensure children have consistent access to nutritious food. By meeting this basic need, we help students stay focused, healthy, and ready to learn.