For the second year in a row, Horizon partnered with FFEN - Foundation for Essential Needs to give back to the community on Give the Max Day on November 17th.
When FFEN contacted us and asked if we were interested in partnering again, we knew instantly we wanted to be a part of their great cause.
The light bulb went on right away when this opportunity came up. We knew we wanted to present something bigger and more personal than a cash donation – we wanted to donate a refrigerator to a food shelf in need.
We presented the refrigerator idea to FFEN and they were as equally excited and grateful. They landed on Denise Togbah, who runs Task Force Inc. in Crystal, MN to receive the refrigerator. Denise has been running this food shelf for two years, with minimal assistance. “The Horizon team believes strongly in FFEN and its members mission of providing food to those in need. We could not think of a better way of showing our appreciation of their partnership by providing a donation of a commercial refrigerator to one of their newest members, who desperately needed this tool to aid in their goal”, says Todd Sherner, VP of Sales and Business Development at Horizon.
In FFEN deciding on Task Force to be the recipient of the cooler, it will allow them to be eligible for TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) which is a source for free refrigerated food such as fresh produce, dairy, fruits, and vegetables that Denise would have otherwise had to pay for out of her own pocket.
The TEFAP eligibility also gives Task Force access to the Minnesota Food Shelf Program grant, which is an annual automatic award and puts her on the radar for a lot of other things.
“Because she’s TEFAP eligible, it allows us to use TEFAP funds to spend on her program for equipment as well. Because Horizon donated the cooler instead of us purchasing it, we will have that much money to spend on Taskforce or other projects. This cooler is a huge win for them.”- Quentin West, FFEN
Horizon, along with Terry Johnson from one of our delivery partners, Superior Express (who also donated their truck and time!), met Denise at Task Force on Give to the Max Day. As the fridge was coming off the truck Denise said she liked the big red bow. Little did she know it was on there because it was a gift that FFEN and Horizon had kept a secret. She was overwhelmed with joy and so appreciative. “This is the best Christmas present ever – the best gift all year. I’ve been praying for this”, Denise said. It was such a heartwarming moment, and we are so happy we got to be a part of it. Denise said she is so grateful to FFEN and Horizon and while she’s still open to other donations, this will help her serve her community even more.