It has been an extraordinary couple of weeks for Flagstaff Family Food Center. Two days before Thanksgiving, we had our largest one-day distribution of food with the first Holiday Helpings event in partnership with Northern Arizona University. It was a wonderful record-breaking event that brought out the absolute best in our community. NAU’s support played a significant role in bringing this event to life. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who stood with us to ensure that no family felt alone this holiday season.
The next week, we received an honor for our volunteer engagement efforts from Governor Katie Hobbs. She also joined us at our warehouse and helped pack food boxes for families.
Details on all of these happenings are below.
Together, they are a testament not only to our mission of Neighbor’s Feeding Neighbors, Every Day but also to the value we place on our partners, our volunteers, and our generous donors. You make this work possible and that is never taken for granted. As always, thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
Ethan Amos
President & CEO
Flagstaff Family Food Center
‘Holiday Helpings’ Delivers for Over 900 Families
On November 25, Flagstaff Family Food Center and Northern Arizona University teamed up for the first-ever Holiday Helpings food distribution at the NAU campus. It was an effort that exceeded all expectations and set a new record-breaking service for FFFC.
Thanks to a remarkable community effort, the drive-through distribution provided full Thanksgiving meal kits (turkey, side dishes, produce, pies, and more) to 931 households, serving more than 3,500 individuals. Previously, FFFC’s highest one-day distribution served 550 families.
“Holiday Helpings was an extraordinary demonstration of what makes Flagstaff special,” said NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera . “Through our partnership with the Flagstaff Family Food Center, and with the support of hundreds of dedicated volunteers from NAU and the broader community, we were able to ensure that families across our region felt supported during the holiday season. At NAU, community engagement is central to our mission, and collaborations like this reflect the shared values that make our Flagstaff community so strong.”
NAU’s facilities parking lot was transformed into a well-orchestrated hub of activity. This was supported by NAU Facility Services, NAU Police Department, the Lumberjack Care Center, NAU Foundation, Louie’s Cupboard, and numerous community partners. More than 170 volunteer hours were coordinated through NAU’s Axe of Service and the Center for Service and Volunteerism.
Despite the scale and the first-time logistics, the event ran smoothly. Challenges that arose were addressed quickly and everyone seemed to have a great time making sure we delivered a wonderful event.
Special thanks go to the sponsors who helped make the event possible: Desert Financial Credit Union, Dark Sky Brewing Company, Coconino Community College, Arizona Community Foundation, and Kinney, Inc.
Holiday Helpings not only set a new record, it set a new standard for what Flagstaff can achieve when it comes together.
Governor Hobbs Honors FFFC
Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs’ Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) honored FFFC during the 22nd Annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards. It recognizes individuals and groups meeting critical needs across Arizona through service and volunteerism. FFFC was honored specifically for its volunteer engagement work.
As the GOYFF noted in its presentation: “A key driver of FFFC’s success is its highly skilled staff, who excel at coordinating, training, and supporting volunteers. They provide clear guidance, emphasize the importance of each role, and help volunteers understand the tangible impact of their service.”
We are particularly proud of that acknowledgement! We know that our volunteers are a lifeline to our community and we work hard to make sure that the people who donate their time to us (more than 48,000 hours this year alone!) know they are welcomed, valued, and appreciated.
A couple of days after we received the honor, the Governor herself became one of those valued volunteers. During her trip to Flagstaff, she toured our facility and then helped pack up food boxes!
Thank you, Governor Hobbs – for both the GOYFF Award, and for the time you spent as part of our mission of Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Every Day.
Become a Hunger Hero Today!
Thanks to those of you who have stepped up this giving season with a monthly donation. Our Hunger Heroes campaign continues because hunger doesn’t follow a calendar. Providing food, hope, and stability 365 days a year requires ongoing support.
If you haven’t yet, please consider joining us as a recurring Hunger Hero donor. A monthly gift of any size helps us maintain predictable funding, stock our shelves, and provide consistent support to families throughout northern Arizona.
35 Years of Neighbors Feeding Neighbors
Christmas Day 1991 was the first meal that launched Flagstaff Family Food Center, and this year we are celebrating 35 years of serving northern Arizona.
Hope Is Powerful — and Right Now, It Goes Twice as Far
Our work begins with a simple belief: everyone deserves access to nutritious food and to be treated with dignity. Every day, we see how fragile stability can be.
Thank You, Hunger Heroes! (And there’s still time…)
The generosity of our Hunger Heroes on Giving Tuesday has immediately begun feeding families, children, and neighbors across Northern Arizona.
