Exact Sciences wins Goodman’s first Friendly Food Drive competition

By Florence Edwards-Miller, GCC director of communications and annual giving

For the 2024 Thanksgiving Basket Drive, 5,097 boxes, cans, jars or bags of food — almost enough to bury a certain exuberant Badger mascot — were donated by contestants in the first-ever Goodman Community Center’s Friendly Food Drive competition. Because the need for food is so great, GCC is challenging local businesses, churches and organizations to aim even higher.

Madison has a reputation for community engagement. Many local businesses give generously to local charities and encourage or incentivize their staff to donate or volunteer. At Goodman Community Center, community partners — including corporations and community groups like churches and social clubs — are critical supporters. They have been particularly generous during Goodman’s iconic Thanksgiving Basket Drive, donating food, funds and volunteer time. But need is growing. In 2024, public registration for Thanksgiving Baskets closed in record time, and Goodman’s food pantry hit a new single-day record for food pantry customers in January. Greater need calls for finding new ways to engage partners.

Meghan Johnson, Goodman’s community partnerships and events manager, was ready to try something new. She had heard from her contacts that their staff or members liked the concept of supporting Goodman’s food programs but needed an extra something to turn general goodwill into action. After giving a tour to a group of business leaders visiting Goodman, Johnson floated the idea of turning food collection into a competition, with businesses and organizations vying to bring in the most donations. The idea was greeted enthusiastically — the Friendly Food Drive competition was born.

Thirteen groups, mostly local corporations and businesses, but also a few community groups, signed up to participate in the first competition, timed to contribute to Goodman’s Thanksgiving Basket Drive. The contestants encouraged their employees, customers or members to donate food, mostly items needed for Thanksgiving Baskets, but all food items counted. Whatever wasn’t needed for a Basket could go into the Fritz Food Pantry. Each group was in charge of tallying their own contributions and bringing them to Goodman. Some groups had organized Thanksgiving food drives for Goodman in the past and others were brand-new. This resulted in a significant increase in the amount of food donated, both overall and by individual groups.

Exact Sciences was the winner of this initial competition. It donated a total of 1,448 food items. Second place went to Temple Beth El.

Exact Sciences has been a supporter of GCC for years, but the competitive element engaged its employees to give more.

“Giving back to our community is a part of our culture at Exact Sciences,” said Stefanie Berg, Exact Sciences community and employee volunteer manager. “The Friendly Food Drive was an impactful way for our employees to give back and get into that spirit of friendly competition, and they really stepped up.”

As the winner, Exact Sciences became the first recipient of the traveling Friendly Food Drive Trophy. Johnson, who is also a talented multi-media artist, took copies of the 100th anniversary edition of Eastside News and used them to create a paper mâché cup. Then she worked with the preschoolers in Goodman’s early childhood education program to paint and decorate it. It’s a trophy like no other, made by and of Goodman Community Center.

“We could have bought something off the shelf, but I wanted the trophy to be uniquely Goodman,” Johnson said. “It was amazing. (While) people were bringing in boxes and boxes of food, I was just trying to get the trophy created in time to present it. What started as a little idea just blossomed into this huge thing, and I can’t wait to see it grow.”

Such a unique award deserved a uniquely Madison presentation. Staff at Exact Sciences were told that there would be a “celebrity guest” presenting an award, but they were shocked when Bucky Badger turned up with some Goodman staff to present the trophy. Bucky appeared as part of Goodman’s collaboration with UW athletics, who have also been strong supporters of the Thanksgiving Basket program and food pantry. Bucky was his usual madcap self, doing headstands off the Exact Sciences reception desk, charming passersby and “swimming” across the polished floors. He eventually got around to presenting the trophy to a delighted and somewhat stunned team of Exact Sciences staff.

Exact Sciences will retain the trophy for now, but they will soon have to defend their title. While the Thanksgiving Basket Drive is locally famous, food insecurity is a year-round issue.

“Just like every other food pantry in Dane County, we’re seeing record demand,” Francesca Frisque, assistant director of Goodman’s Fritz Food Pantry, said. “Food prices are going up, and I’m having a harder time keeping our shelves stocked. We need the community’s support year-round, not just at Thanksgiving.”

To support the need in the food pantry, the Friendly Food Drive competition will be held three times a year. Sign-ups for the spring competition have already started. Any business, corporation or community group in Dane County is eligible to participate. Those interested should visit the Friendly Food Drive page to sign up by March 28 to participate in the spring competition. The spring competition runs through April 22. The winner will be announced in May. The winning organization will receive the trophy, bragging rights, recognition in a future issue of Eastside News and their own visit from Bucky.

You don’t have to be part of a large organization to get into the Friendly Food Drive spirit. Some participating organizations put out public collection baskets, so the community can drop off donations to support their efforts. And community groups of any size are eligible to participate. If your book club, scouting troop or knitting circle wants to challenge Exact Sciences for the title, have at it! Every bit helps and is greatly appreciated in the food pantry.

All food and personal care items count, and there’s a list of the most-needed items on the Fritz Food Pantry page of the GCC website. Breakfast items tend to run in short supply. Items like instant, ground or K-Cup coffee; granola bars; pancake mix; flour; juice; or cereal.

“Food insecurity is a huge problem, and I’m proud that our employees at Exact Sciences are stepping up to help,” Berg said. “We want to challenge every other company in Madison to join the contest. It’s for a good cause.”