Picnic Project is all about using food to build community.

Since 2010, Ryan Bozeman and Mark Thompson have been sharing food with our neighbors in need. From the early days of serving catering leftovers picnic-style in Centennial Park to its current weekly sharing of fresh produce, meat and pantry staples, Picnic Project's core values have remained the same - there is room for everyone at the table!

We are so grateful for the way our community has stepped up, with empathy and collective action, to support people who unexpectedly found their paychecks and benefits interrupted this year. The need is still elevated, but together we can continue to rise to the challenge .

What does Picnic Project do?

Picnic Project strengthens its neighbors and positively impacts Sanford through community events and reliable access to food. Our weekly free food distributions and mobile events offer easy access to nutritious ingredients, health and wellness resources, all while nurturing connection.

🥬 We share groceries.

Every week at Picnic Project, as well as twice monthly off-site, we have fresh, healthy food items to share with the community. We are part of the Healthy Pantry Network and put a priority on having a selection of produce and nutrient-dense pantry items available at each event. We also fulfill referrals from local hospitals and law enforcement, the health department and FEMA. In 2024, we added School Market days to our off-site rotation, encouraging our local elementary school communities to help themselves to free fresh produce and groceries once a month. This year, we expanded our school outreach further - we now share over 1000 "Picnic Packs" a month with 8 local schools. Each pack contains easy-to-prepare items to ensure that no student is going hungry.

🎉 We celebrate.

Picnic Project has always loved coming together around a table. Throughout the year, we host events to do just that. Our annual Christmas party, Easter Feaster, birthday parties, community days and others give us the chance to celebrate with our neighbors.

🧘‍♀️ We educate.

We host a monthly Eat Well, Live Well lunch & learn series with Advent Health and Seminole Health. Each fun, interactive session includes health and wellness education, culinary demonstrations, a nutritious lunch, and the sharing of fresh produce.

👨‍🌾 We garden & glean.

Our volunteers travel to local farms to rescue produce that would otherwise have been wasted. Each year, we are able to save thousands of pounds of beautiful, local fruits and vegetables that goes directly to our neighbors. We also pick up donations from local grocers and tend our on-site garden.

⚖ We advocate.

While we recognize the need for direct assistance, we also know the importance of working systemically to improve the outcomes of the folks around us. We do this by writing letters, having our representatives visit Picnic Project, and even go visit them in their local offices and Washington DC to discuss legislation that is important to alleviate hunger and poverty.

What your donations power...

Together, We Can Rise to the Challenge

Collectively, we can meet the rising demand and ensure that our neighbors have access to healthy, delicious foods.