FUNNEL VISION
Hi friends! The 10 year anniversary of our first Feed the Funnel party is fast approaching!
At that party in March 2014, 900 people came together over two days to pack 200,000 meals.
By the time we reach our 10 year anniversary in March 2024,
210,000+ PEOPLE in
42 STATES will have packed
50 MILLION MEALS
for neighbors in need in the US and, when needed, those affected by conflict or natural disasters.
Businesses, faith-based organizations, schools and universities, civic groups, sports teams, families and neighbors and entire communities have come together around the Funnel for team building, community service, mission activities, employee engagement and celebration, while packing millions of delicious, healthy meals to help their neighbors in need in their local communities. A few of these groups include:
The Pack Shack, in collaboration with culinary experts, has created a variety of extraordinary meals, including our current line of plant-based, clean label, allergen free, rice and bean meals. These are packaged under our 58 Ten brand, inspired by the words of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah who wrote these words in Isaiah chapter 58, verse 10:
“If you invest yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always.”
“We have been so honored to receive your Pack Shack meals. All of our agencies have been so excited to receive these meals for those in need in their community. They have been a lifesaver for families, seniors, and children that have been impacted by the rising cost of food and fuel. The Red Beans and Rice were a total hit. Thank you!” – Project HOPE Food Bank, Hot Springs AR
These meals are so good that we launched Neighborly Food Co. which produces meals in its Cave Springs production facility and supplies retailers, food assistance organizations, and customers across the country. 100% of profits from Neighborly Food Co. will go to organizations that address food security, including The Pack Shack, helping create a sustainable revenue source for The Pack Shack. Check out www.neighborlyfoodco.com.
THANK YOU for being part of the first decade of The Pack Shack and the first 50 million meals!
As we’re celebrating this milestone, there is still work to be done. The lingering effects of the pandemic, stubborn inflation, and stagnant wages continue to batter individuals and households from coast to coast. Organizations that address food insecurity continue to report record need, while high food prices continue to shrink the purchasing power of many families, in particular, those with lower or fixed incomes.
“I received a call this morning from one of the pantry representatives whose organization also feeds lunch to those with food insecurity 5 days a week. She said that she was so grateful because their numbers of people served have gone up significantly with new regulations in our state. If people are not working, in school, or volunteering for 20 hrs. weekly then their SNAP benefits are being cut off. They have people who take care of elderly or sick family members that can’t work, volunteer, or go to school so they are dependent on what they get from the feeding program and the pantry. The donation provided from the Feed the Funnel party was a big help in being able to meet the increased need in our community.” – October 2023, Pine Bluff AR party host
Neighbors serving together in their local communities to support their fellow neighbors in need continues to be of critical importance. Serving together is an expression of what it means to #beneighborly:
Feed the Funnel parties bring people (and sometimes mascots!) together to pack meals in the community, by the community, for the community!
Our FUNNEL VISION for the NEXT 5 YEARS is to supply
60 MILLION MEALS across the country.
To achieve this goal, we plan to invest in our team, facilities, and infrastructure. These one time investments will give us the necessary capacity to pack 60 million meals over the next 5 years. Our sustainable business model will provide the operating cash flow required to support operations and make future investments in The Pack Shack.
TEAM
We plan to grow the team from 7 to 14 people over the next 2 years, allowing for greater focus and specialization among the team.
One-time investment: $15,000
FACILITIES
We currently occupy two facilities in Cave Springs (AR) that are a combined 5,500 square feet. In 2024, we plan to move into one 10,000 square foot facility that will be shared by The Pack Shack and Neighborly Food Co. We are also planning to open a 4,000 square foot facility in Las Vegas that will allow us to serve existing and new customers more frequently and efficiently.
One-time investment: $21,000
INFRASTRUCTURE
We plan to enhance our operational capacity by:
- Investing in our Feed the Funnel party management software ($8,000).
- Expanding the number of Funnel lines ($35,000).
- Adding warehouse equipment ($36,000).
- Acquiring two box trucks ($70,000).
One-time investment: $149,000
IMPACT
When fully implemented by the end of 2025, these investments will give us the capacity to pack 13.5 million meals per year. At this capacity, our projected breakeven is 12.6 million meals, resulting in an annual surplus that will provide for reinvestment and future growth.
FUNNEL FEEDBACK
“I have hosted many events with organizations, but none have been as easy or fun as our Feed the Funnel Party with The Pack Shack! Their team makes the planning process so easy and it’s an incredible experience that truly brings together faculty, staff, students, and community partners to make a difference and connect in a meaningful way. We hope to make this an annual tradition on our campus!” – University of North Georgia, Dahlonega GA
“Our Feed the Funnel event was so much fun! We sang, we danced and we managed to pack thousands of meals for families right in our area in a short amount of time. Our team was comprised of people of all ages and there was a job for everyone! We’ll definitely host again! So very fun!” – Journey Church, Tontitown AR
“The absolute best time anyone can possibly have while wearing cool Pack Shack swag (gloves and hairnets/beard nets), while rocking out to some great tunes and making a difference in the community!“ – Outdoor Cap, Bentonville AR
“This was a fantastic event that brought our campus and community together. What was even better was 100% of the meals stayed local and addressed the needs of our community!” – Sul Ross State University, Alpine TX
“The Feed the Funnel party was a great way to get involved with helping the local community. The host made it fun and kept the energy up the whole time! We stood for about 2 hours and I was excited and energized the whole time!“ – Walmart, Bentonville AR
“The Pack Shack curated an incredible experience for our campus community! They were a joy to work with and made the planning and execution a breeze. Our students had fun, but they also gained an understanding of food insecurity that will propel them to future action.“ – Lipscomb University, Nashville TN
Check out more testimonials!
DONATE HERE
to support the Funnel Vision
FOR A LONGER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUNNEL VISION, PLEASE CONTACT:
BRET RAYMOND
Co-founder & CEO
The Pack Shack
bret@thepackshack.org
m. 479.466.3646
ONE FINAL IMAGE …
The captain (Derek Jeter) crushes the gong after Jeter’s Leaders pack 75,000 meals in Philadelphia (2019).
