A Day in The Life With Sara Beatty
You may have been asking yourself: How does BCFF do it? Well, ask no more; we are here to share all the fun planning that goes on behind the scenes. We are sitting down with our Chief Operating Officer, Sara Beatty—a founding member of the Ben Curtis Family Foundation—to discuss her favorite moments, how she maintains her relationships with food providers, and how she overcomes logistical challenges.
What does a typical day or week look like for you regarding BCFF?
Sara: “No two days are ever the same; one day I might be reviewing the [Akron Canton Regional Foodbank] menu, meeting with our school liaison, [and] planning an upcoming event. [The next day I am] updating our donor tracking system, preparing for AVMD, or brainstorming ways to improve our daily operations—and, of course, packing our Birdie Bags.”
What are some of the biggest logistical challenges you face in ensuring food reaches children in need, and how do you overcome those challenges?
Sara: “Our biggest challenge is delivering the bags to schools that are unable to pick them up themselves. Fortunately, we’ve partnered with Andrews Moving Company and Metis Construction—both of whom generously provide a truck and driver to help us make those deliveries.”
Where do you acquire the food used in Birdie Bags? How do you maintain the relationship with those providers?
Sara: “I acquire almost 90% of our food from the food bank. The other 10% is, most of the time, from Sam’s Club. We have a long-standing relationship with the food bank. I enjoy working closely with them every week when I order food, and fortunately, we are a large enough backpack program that [the foodbank] delivers the food to us each week—which is a huge time saver.”
Can you tell me a moment when you knew that your work was making a difference?
Sara: “It happens all the time. Nearly every time I speak with our school liaisons, they share how excited the kids are when they receive their bags. It’s a powerful reminder of just how much these small gestures mean—and how vital it is to continue supporting childhood food security.”
What do you enjoy most about working at BCFF?
Sara: “The volunteers—we have the BEST volunteers! I love talking to our volunteers every week and building relationships with all of them. I look forward to seeing all of them—they are just incredible people.”
What is your favorite event or event memory?
Sara: “I have two favorite events. [The first is] Volunteer Appreciation, because we have the opportunity to recognize so many people who give us so much of their time and celebrate them. [The second is] A Very Merry Dinner—hands down. I love how we can help provide a Christmas for children who otherwise would not have a Christmas. It’s amazing to see how many volunteers and community members generously give both their time and financial support. It is the most time-consuming thing we do—but it is worth every second.”
What does A Very Merry Dinner look like from your end?
Sara: “I serve as the main point of contact for all the schools. I ensure each school selects the allotted number of children, organize and distribute wish lists to the community, help coordinate volunteers, maintain accuracy in our tracking software, and communicate with schools as the event date approaches. I also assist with the day-to-day tasks of sorting and wrapping gifts.”
We truly value everything Sara contributes to the Ben Curtis Family Foundation, and we could not do what we do without her. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the community serve as a source of inspiration, a quiet reminder of the impact a person can have by simply showing up with care.
If you would like to become a volunteer and learn more about how you can make a difference in your community, visit our volunteer page: https://www.bencurtisfoundation.org/how-to-help/volunteer/
Become a Champion
Do you want to get involved in the fight against the childhood hunger in Northeast Ohio?
Get in touch with our team. We are always in need of volunteers, donors, sponsors and community partners to help us fulfill our mission of alleviating child hunger in our community.
