- December 13, 2025
The fourth annual Flagler Radio Food-A-Thon has raised over $80,000 for Grace Community Food Pantries.
The local Flagler County radio stations – WNZF 94.9, Beach 92.7, KOOL 100.9 and KIX Country 98.7 – spent the four-hour live broadcast between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Nov. 7 raising funds for the nonprofit. Over 100 Flagler County businesses, residents, charities and local government officials came by Flagler Broadcasting studios to help with the fundraiser on Nov. 7, a Flagler Broadcasting press release said.
Dottie Colletta, Grace Food Community Food Pantry’s coordinator, said that donations made online and through PayPal are still being counted, but she’s confident the Food-A-Thon has raised actually at or close to $100,000. The Food-A-Thon has met its $100,000 goal before, but, Colletta said, the support is especially impactful now, during the federal government shut down.
“But to do it with the way the climate is right now, with people hurting,” she said, “the Flagler County people came through, knowing there's a need. They always do.”
Colletta said that, like other local nonprofits and food pantries, Grace Community Food Pantry has seen an increase in the number of people coming to the pantry since the pause on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It has not been a drastic increase for them, she said, but it is noticeable.
Typically, on a Saturday or Sunday, she said, the pantry at the Flagler Schools location on Education Way will serve around 500 households each day.
On the Nov. 8 and 9 weekend, that location saw 673 and around 580 households come through their pick up line, she said. That is not including the other two Grace Community Food Pantries locations she said, which have also had an increase.
The money from the Food-A-Thon “is extremely important,” she said, because it not only helps buy additional food but also helps pay for any repairs needed to their infrastructure, like the walk-in freezer and the refrigerators.
“I constantly want the community to know how very grateful we are,” Colletta said.
Among the many donors, Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly donated $5,000, the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia Flagler donated $6,000 and Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris made a personal donation of $3,000, the press release said. Flagler County employees and commissioners donated over $3,000 as well.
“I'm just going to say it this way, God always provides. He always provides the need,” Colletta said. “And Flagler County residents are really awesome. I see it firsthand.”
And not just with the Food-A-Thon: residents in neighborhoods will organize food drives and donations, and every month at least one school is hosting a food drive, too.
Beyond the donations, she said, multiple school organizations are reaching out to volunteer, like the soccer teams and the Flagler Palm Coast High School Junior ROTC program, and Rymfire Elementary School’s Problem Solvers.
“Here are children seeing a need, and they’re coming to volunteer,” she said.
For those still looking to pitch in, Colletta said the pantries really need dry goods like canned vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter and similar, though all food donations are welcome.
They also can always use volunteers, regardless of a person’s age, she said.
“I get them from six to seven years old, up to 80. They want to make a bag. They want to feel useful,” she said. “I don't care if you're 100, if you can put food in a bag, I want you.”
