Keeper of The Game, Pastime Training Center continue to strike out hunger with another record-setting food drive

FRISCO, Texas – The Keeper of The Game Foundation and Pastime Training Center teamed up together for the fifth consecutive year for the Strike Out Hunger Food Drive to benefit the Frisco Family Services Food Pantry. The event resulted in a record-setting 10,771 pounds of non-perishable food items donated, which is a greater total than the previous four campaigns combined. It is also the largest donation the facility has received all year.

The donations – collected from Oct. 12-Nov. 11 – have already provided countless meals during this holiday season for less fortunate individuals and families in the Frisco community. All in all, the food drive will result in 8,975 meals.

“The amazing and much-needed donations provided by Keeper of The Game and Pastime Training Center help ensure numerous families in our community are able to put a warm meal on the table,” Frisco Family Services Executive Director Nicole Bursey said. “Since our fiscal year began in July, we have seen a steady increase of 25-30 percent in the amount of food distributed out of Frisco’s only food pantry.”

Added Frisco Family Services Food Pantry Manager Ronny Hill: “A donation that size was truly a gift.”

The annual four-week food drive also includes toiletries. In five years, nearly 16,000 pounds of food has been provided to Frisco Family Services. The totals have increased each year.

The event also serves as a competition between all Frisco ISD baseball and softball teams to see who can donate the most items. Liberty High School took home the trophy for the second consecutive year and won another pizza party from Keeper of The Game supporter Durkin’s Pizza. Scott McGarrh coaches the LHS baseball team, while Jill Bradshaw leads the Lady Redhawks softball squad.

“Congratulations to Liberty High School for becoming our first back-to-back Strike Out Hunger Food Drive Challenge Champions,” Keeper of The Game Executive Director Bryan Hoctor said. “They took collecting donations to a new level.”

Each Frisco ISD team had representatives at Frisco Family Services Food Pantry on Nov. 14 for the official donation drop-off event.

“A huge thank you goes to the Frisco ISD baseball and softball teams,” Hoctor said. “More than 90 percent of the food drive’s donations came from their efforts. I can’t wait to see how they make it even bigger and better next year.”

Donations were also collected at Middle School Matchup’s baseball and softball tournaments from Nov. 10-12.

“It’s an honor to team up with Keeper of The Game and Frisco Family Services for our food drive,” Pastime Training Center owner and former Major League Baseball player Jason Jennings said. “The holiday season is a great time to come together and help out our community. Hopefully with these donations, every family in need can enjoy this special time of year and be able to look forward to a fresh start in 2019.”

To learn about more ways to help Frisco Family Services, click here.

To see a photo gallery of the Strike Out Hunger Food Drive drop-off event, click here.