Despite dark clouds, golfers lined up in carts for the fifth annual Drive Out Hunger Golf Tournament fundraiser for Hastings Family Service, raising $17,000. The fundraiser started during the …
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Despite dark clouds, golfers lined up in carts for the fifth annual Drive Out Hunger Golf Tournament fundraiser for Hastings Family Service, raising $17,000.
The fundraiser started during the COVID-19 Pandemic due to Hastings Family Service not being able to hold Hastings Tasting fundraiser, one of the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraisers.
At that first event however, teams “had just so much fun we keep coming back,” said Amy Sutton, Executive Director of Hastings Family Service.
As always, Sutton was thankful not only for the funds raised from the event, but the broad community support: “What’s most important is the community engagement as well as raising money,” said Sutton.
Twenty-two teams hit the green on Monday having to stop briefly for passing thunderstorms. Teams waited the requisite 15 minutes between claps of thunder but fortunately were able to continue playing and finish before dinner and awards.
The level of need has increased to record levels in 2025 for Hastings Family Service. Last month, the nonprofit saw the largest number of households seeking assistance in the 55-year history of the nonprofit, even above pandemic highs.
This sustained level of increased need has strained the nonprofit as those seeking assistance sometimes come from far beyond Hastings.
Sutton cites two reasons why numbers have grown in recent months. First, high prices have continued to force many to seek aid in putting food on the table.
“The reason we are seeing an increase is that things are expensive right now,” said Sutton.
Second, during the summer, many children go without the regular meals they get during the school year. This long-term trend is expected but pervasive throughout the years.
Golfers were able to make various other donations during the tournament in order to tee up further along the fairway to raise money specifically for summer lunches. These donations were expected to fund some 1,500 summer lunches.
