The 2011 Feds Feed Families Food Drive coincided with an ongoing “Biggest Loser” weight loss contest among members of the Illinois FSA State Office and the RMA Springfield Regional Office.
The objective: Team members must collectively lose the most weight and collect the least amount of food. That’s right, the least amount of food by filling up the other team’s collection box.
Participants were divided into two teams — The Weapons of Mass Reduction and the Lollapalosers. Various challenges took place, including using pedometers to determine the most steps taken by a team, creative team building activities and the food drive.
Teams were challenged to bring in nutritious, non-perishable food products to benefit the local food bank. Two collection boxes were set up in the foyer of the Illinois state office. Non-participants could also bring in a canned good or other food to support their favorite team by adding weight to the other team’s box.
More than 1,790 pounds of food was collected, with the Weapons of Mass Reduction contributing 820 pounds and the Lollapalosers donating 972 pounds, making the Weapons of Mass Reduction the winners.
The donated food was delivered to the Central Illinois Food Bank, which also receives weekly contributions of fresh produce from the community garden at the FSA Illinois State Office. To date, the garden has produced nearly 4,000 pounds of produce that has been donated to the food bank.
