Hot Pepper Challenge

If you liked our Hot Pepper Challenge, help us decide what to do for Hunger Action Month next year!

Take Our Quick Survey

Community Coming in Hot!

What began as a playful Hunger Action Month fundraiser quickly turned into something much bigger.

Over the course of September, five incredible community champions stepped forward, rallied friends, family, coworkers, customers, and supporters, and helped raise an astounding $10,216 for TNDF’s food purchasing budget. 

This absolutely would not have been possible without the passion and community spirit of our competitors. They campaigned, rallied, and showed up in a much bigger way than we could have anticipated. We have so much gratitude for everything they did.

On October 1, at 11 AM, we all gathered to see who would eat the Chocolate Habanero supplied by Ark Pepper Co.

Erin was just behind Melissa at the end and faced the hot pepper like a champ…But in a remarkable show of community spirit, Marilyn, Lisa, and TNDF Executive Director Jessica Topfer joined Erin’s suffering, while Matt and Melissa tackled jalapeños in solidarity.

The fact that every single competitor chose to eat a pepper says everything about the incredible people who made this challenge possible.

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We’re honestly a little overwhelmed by how successful this campaign has been.

To put $10,216 in perspective – even after donated food and the food we receive through Feed the Need, TNDF still spends approximately $4,000 every month to keep our Food Bank stocked with meat, eggs, dairy products, pantry staples, household essentials, and all the other items needed to fill the gaps.

Between the five competitors, through 182 donations, they raised enough to cover nearly an entire season of keeping our Food Bank stocked.

That’s a tremendous impact and an extraordinary result for our first Hunger Action Month Challenge.

Every dollar raised through the Hot Pepper Challenge will help ensure local individuals and families have access to the food they need during a time when demand for food support continues to grow.

Final Leaderboard:

Lisa Mitchell
First Place
Matt Ostertag
Second Place
Marilyn Almeida
Third Place
Melissa Mount
Fourth Place
Erin Blackstock
In the Hot Seat 🔥

Help Us Decide What’s Next

Because of the incredible outpouring of support for our Hot Pepper Challenge, we’ve decided to make a Hunger Action Month Challenge an annual tradition here at TNDF…and we need your help in deciding what to do!

Should we keep the peppers? Try a brand new challenge? Invite more competitors? Let us know!

Take Our Quick Survey

Missed the Finale?

Watch the Hot Pepper Challenge Recap video here:

Thank You

To our competitors for your willingness to put your taste buds on the line, helping raise funds, increase awareness, and bring our community together around an important cause.

To Ark Pepper Co. for providing the challenge peppers, prizes, and seasonings for our Community BBQ, and for helping us bring a little extra heat to Hunger Action Month. Find out more about their delicious products here: arkpepperco.com

To Mike Basset from Your Computer and Signs / Xtreme Sounds DJ Services for serving as our fantastic MC and keeping the energy high throughout the finale.

And finally, to every donor, volunteer, community member, and supporter who participated in the challenge, shared campaign content, attended the finale, or cheered the competitors on from the sidelines.

This fundraiser exceeded our expectations in every way.

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Headshot of Jess, our Executive Director, in front of a brick wall.

Questions about our Hot Pepper Challenge?

Please contact Jess or call 705-432-2444.

Email jessica.topfer@tndf.ca
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