All Hands on Deck

First Choice Power was proud to be a part of the North Bosque Helping Hands Food Drive, which raised more than 32,000 pounds of food for the Bosque Valley food pantry. During the drive, students from Meridian, Iredell, Morgan, Kopperl and Walnut Springs schools collected canned goods and other non-perishable food items, and others in the community donated via collection boxes placed around town. After the donations were gathered, First Choice Power employees helped sort cans alongside the Honor Society of Meridian High School and volunteers.

To spur on donations, First Choice Power created a matching challenge for the drive. We matched every 10,000 pounds of food donated with a $1,000 grant, plus an additional dollar for every additional 2.5 pounds more than 10,000. With the total donations that came from the community, including 100 pounds of deer meat from our own Todd Clift, , our matching grant totaled $3,000! All donations count toward our Million Meals challenge, part of our Food First™ program.

Susan Green, board member and spokesperson for the food pantry, was excited about the drive and glad that the community made the matching challenge go so far.

“It’s basically getting more than ‘two for one’ on every dollar or can of food donated to our local food pantry during this drive,” Susan said. “The pantry’s board of directors and volunteers are thrilled and thankful for this generous offer.”  

The Bosque Valley Food Pantry, like others in the state, is experiencing increased requests from the community.

“Texas ranks as the second state in most need when it comes to hunger,” said Clift, First Choice Power’s account manager for Bosque County. “We believe that no one should go hungry and are making hunger our No. 1 cause. Through our Food First program, we have created multiple ways to help alleviate this issue and we hope our fellow Texans will join us.”