News

Help Food For Thought with 2024 Holiday Season

This holiday season, Food for Thought will provide Holiday Services over the Thanksgiving and Christmas school holiday breaks. We'll feed more than 700 families during each holiday service by distributing  at least 30,000 pantry staples and more than 11,000 lbs of produce across Walton and Okaloosa counties. Help us spread the joy of Thanksgiving by donating food or sponsoring a family for our upcoming services! Your generosity can make a difference in the lives of the children we

10th Annual Eggs on the Beach Raises $52,500 for Local Non-Profits

The 10th Annual Eggs on the Beach Big Green Egg Cooking Competition raised an impressive $52,500 for local non-profits, including Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food for Thought. Hosted by Bay Breeze Patio at Seascape Towne Center on Nov. 2, this year’s EggFest featured a diverse array of deliciously creative bites presented by 25 cook teams. Bites ranging from desserts to shrimp, ribs, venison, pork belly, brisket, sausage, and chicken were presented to tasters and judges to earn cook teams a spot

Celebrate Thanksgiving with Waterfront Dining: Select Saltwater Restaurants Open in Destin and Fort Walton Beach

Saltwater Restaurants invites families and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving at one of its scenic waterfront locations, including The Crab Trap in Destin, The Crab Trap at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island, and Surf Hut. Open on Thanksgiving Day, each restaurant offers a memorable holiday experience with traditional flavors and stunning coastal views. Each restaurant provides a unique Thanksgiving menu crafted to bring the warmth of a home-cooked meal to the beach. Guests can enjoy slow-roasted turkey with

Sponsor a Family with Food for Thought This Holiday Season

This holiday season, Food for Thought will provide Holiday Services over the Thanksgiving and Christmas school holiday breaks. We'll feed over 700 families during each holiday service by distributing 30,000 pantry staples and more than 11,000 lbs of produce. #YouCanhHelp food-insecure children across your community by Sponsoring a Family for the Holidays.Sponsor here!

Food For Thought 2023-2024 Annual Report

For more information, or to view the report, click HERE.

10th Annual Eggs On the Beach Cooking Competition Partners with Tony Chachere’s Seasonings and Angel’s Envy To Bring More Options to 2024 Event

The Emerald Coast’s official Big Green Egg EggFest cooking competition, Eggs on the Beach is celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Nov. 2, and is partnering with two well-known brands—Tony Chachere’s Seasonings and Angel’s Envy—to enhance the cooking competition. Presented by Bay Breeze Patio, the beloved annual event will include more categories for cook teams to compete, and more opportunities for tasters to sample delicious bites and beverages. Held at Seascape Towne Center in Miramar Beach, cook teams

11th Annual Stock the Pantry Party Is A Success

Food For Thought thanks the dedicated teams and generous sponsors for making the 11th Annual Stock the Pantry Party a success!  More than 37,000 food items were donated and more than $35,000 was raised.

Community Non-profits Invited to Enter a Cook Team in Eggs on the Beach Big Green Egg Cooking Competition

Bay Breeze Patio will host the 10th Annual “Eggs on the Beach” EggFest Grilling Competition, Nov. 2, at Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach. To enhance the grilling competition, Bay Breeze Patio is waiving the registration fee for non-profit cook teams. Grill masters are invited to register a team to benefit a designated charity, and compete for a chance to win a cash donation toward the cause. The non-profit team with the most “Taster” votes will earn the title of “best bite” and a $3,500 donation. “The

More Than $100,000 Raised at the Food Fore Thought Charity Golf Tournament

On Thursday, May 9, more than 100 golfers gathered at the Emerald Bay Golf Club for the inaugural Food Fore Thought Classic. The event, created in partnership with the Premier Property Group, provided an opportunity to honor the life and legacy of Jon Kazek. The tournament was opened by Board Member Garret McNeil, who introduced Sheriff Adkinson and Anne Kazek. Sheriff Adkinson and Anne shared remarks about Jon Kazek's generosity and love for the community. To honor Jon’s legacy and support the work of

Summer Food Service

Summer Food Service  With support from the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, we are starting our Summer Services Strong!  This generous group donated $10,000 to help fight child hunger in their community this summer! Thank you for your support!  The average food-insecure child is at risk of missing 110 meals during summer break while removed from the free/reduced meal plan they depend upon from school.   You Can

2024 Read to Feed

Food For Thought Asks for Community to Help Local Food-Insecure Children

Food For Thought has received $6,000 toward its holiday outreach and more than 4,000 food items! More is needed.  During the holidays, life can be tough for the 3,600 children who are food-insecure and enrolled in our programs. They are unable to access free or reduced-cost lunch during the school break. For some, this may be the only source of food they have.  In less than two weeks, FFT will be providing Christmas Services to feed 700 families. By sponsoring a family and donating food items, you can

Food For Thought Releases 2022-2023 Annual Report

Food for Thought is pleased to announce that its Annual Report for the fiscal year 2022-2023 is now available. Thank you to all those who contributed their time, talents, and resources to make FFT's 12th year a success! View the annual report here.

Thanksgiving Season with Food For Thought

Every year, Food For Thought Outreach provides special services to the families enrolled in our program for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The food-insecure children we serve face increased needs while schools are closed for the extended holiday breaks. Our services help bridge the meal gap and ensure critical access to food. Together, we can help make this season one of comfort and joy for the families we serve in Walton and Okaloosa counties.  During the 2022 holiday season, we served 700 families

Food For Thought’s Summer Impact Review

Sponsor a Student for our Biggest School Year Yet with Food For Thought

$7 Fills a backpack in our Backpack Program! #YouCanHelp fill a backpack with food and empower a child! Sponsor a student for one week or the entire 2023-24 school year for children in Walton & Okaloosa Counties. Click here to sponsor a student. To sponsor multiple children, just add multiple backpacks to your cart!

Food for Thought Summer Services Begin Soon

With only 4 weeks left in the school year, we are getting ready to start our Summer Services. Food for Thought helps bridge the meal gap with 8 weeks of Summer Services, across 5 distribution locations in Walton and Okaloosa Counties. We’ll be serving the families of children in our programs and providing 75% fresh food items. #youcanhelp support our efforts by donating food and sponsoring a family for the summer.   Sponsor a FamilyThrough our Summer Services, we feed the entire family with weekly

End of the School Year Drive with Food for Thought

With ten weeks remaining in the school year, now is the time to come together and help our community finish strong! Join us in helping to serve food-insecure students across Walton and Okaloosa County for their final ten weeks before summer begins.Sponsor a student Organize a food drive

Ruby Slipper Baytowne Wharf Offers ‘That Brunch Life’ in Miramar Beach

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Ruby Slipper Baytowne Wharf celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting. Ruby Slipper offers a vibrant and inviting atmosphere for locals and visitors alike. Brunch is front and center every day. The menu features inspired and playful twists on traditional Southern brunch favorites, including Eggs Benedicts, Beignets, Bananas Foster Pain Perdu and White Chocolate Bread Pudding Pancakes, as well as eye-opening cocktails. Ruby Slipper Baytowne Wharf is part of the Ruby Slipper

Food For Thought Holiday Season Success

Thank you to our generous donors this holiday season! Your contributions fueled our services over Thanksgiving and Christmas and made an immediate impact in the lives of the children we serve.  •Giving Tuesday - Just over $34,000 raised •Sponsor a Family  - Just over $8,000 raised•Holiday Food Drive - 12,000 food items donated •Brunch with Santa raised $6,0000   On behalf of the Children we serve, Thank You!  With the generosity of our volunteers, FFT was able to serve more than 1,400 families for

Holidays at Food For Thought

The Holiday Season is here at Food for Thought Outreach! Every year, we provide a special service for both Thanksgiving and Christmas for the children enrolled in our programs across Walton and Okaloosa counties. With the extended holiday breaks from school, food insecure children will miss many meals and families struggle to cover the increased needs during this season. Food For Thought will bridge the meal gap in the lives of the children we serve and support families during the holidays.  Last Holiday