Heart2Heart Annual Food Baskets and Fundraisers

Heart2Heart is teaming up with Fair Grove community volunteers to donate money and food for the backpack program by giving away Thanksgiving food baskets and hosting a breakfast with Santa.

Heart2Heart is a nonprofit, volunteer organization whose goal is to help children and families in need by donating food and money. Their backpack program is designed to feed children who cannot afford to eat at home and make sure that they are not going to bed hungry.

Chari Burrell is one of the volunteers and representatives of Heart2Heart. “It is important for me to volunteer with Heart2Heart because I don’t believe that any child should ever go to bed hungry,” explained Burrell.

Towards the end of every year Heart2Heart has two big events, one of which is the Thanksgiving food baskets. The baskets will be delivered to backpack program families on November 19th. Burrell stated, “My role with Heart2Heart is to organize all of the events that we have.  I order all the food for the Thanksgiving baskets.”

Being a volunteer organization, Heart2Heart is always accepting donations of food, money, and volunteer work. The Thanksgiving food baskets will be arranged by Fair Grove Middle School Student Council members and will be picked up and delivered by community member volunteers.

Student volunteers have been helping in Heart2Heart events for years in Fair Grove. Every year, student classes are urged to donate non-perishable foods such as pastas, canned vegetables, and soups. Katie Fender, the Fair Grove Schools representative for Heart2Heart, said, “I think that students may find that if they volunteer with Heart2Heart they will feel so fulfilled by helping. They will go home after helping sort food knowing that they have made a difference for a family in their community.”

The second Heart2Heart event that is happening before the end of the year is Breakfast with Santa on December 4th, from seven to ten AM, at HillTop Pizza and Grill. The goal of Breakfast with Santa is to raise money for the Heart2Heart program. Fender hopes “…that this event increases fellowship within our community while raising awareness for Heart2Heart.”

In the past, Burrell recounted, “I have seen relatives of families that we are helping on a weekly basis talk to us at Breakfast with Santa with tears in their eyes, thanking us profusely for helping their families. I have seen families that we are helping come to these events because they want to give a little bit back to Heart2Heart.” They have even had community members and organizations offer to help as well.

For any families who are in need of receiving help from Heart2Heart, call (417) 893-0424 to check your eligibility.

“If we as parents don’t teach our children to care about other people, then we haven’t done our job.  Students can help and even see the results of the help they give,” encouraged Burrell. If interested in donating money, call the Heart2Heart phone number to make a tax-deductible donation. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the Fair Grove Middle School office any time throughout the school year.