High School Students Raised $200,000 for Homeless
Two Brookstone High School seniors founded a nonprofit to donate leftover restaurant food to local shelters.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Two Brookstone High School seniors have raised $200,000 in food donations through their nonprofit, Thrive2gethr. The organization collects surplus cooked food from local restaurants to support homeless shelters.
Why it matters
The initiative addresses both food waste and hunger, inspired by the founders' observations of food insecurity in both India and the United States. It demonstrates how student-led efforts can provide scalable solutions to local community needs.
The organization has secured donations from 3 restaurants in Columbus. These efforts have resulted in a total donation value of $200,000.
The players
Thrive2gethr
This nonprofit organization collects surplus restaurant food to provide meals for individuals living in homeless shelters.
Brookstone High School
This educational institution serves as the site where the founders established the original chapter of their initiative.
The details
Thrive2gethr collects cooked food from restaurants at closing time that would otherwise be discarded. The project has expanded beyond its original Georgia base, with new chapters established by students in Texas and New Jersey.
Timeline
September 23, 2026: The initiative reached its current milestone as of this publication.
Market Landscape
This story follows a pattern set by the USDA's goal to reduce food loss and waste by diverting surplus inventory to community feeding programs. By mobilizing restaurant surplus, the model highlights a growing trend of decentralized, student-led philanthropy challenging traditional food bank logistics.
Local residents and restaurant patrons can support the initiative by encouraging neighborhood businesses to partner with the organization. This program helps reduce local food waste while ensuring that surplus prepared meals reach those in need.
The takeaway
The success of Thrive2gethr shows that small-scale, student-led initiatives can effectively manage community resources to combat food insecurity. Future organizers can replicate this model by targeting restaurant surplus and establishing local chapters on college campuses.
Further reading
Learn more about local efforts to support vulnerable populations in the Philanthropy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wtvm.
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