By Angelina Falco
Herald Intern
Picnic Project is a nonprofit organization based in Sanford, Florida. Founded by Ryan Bozeman and Mark Thompson, they started Picnic Project centering around the belief of sharing to provide for everyone in 2009. Together, they brought food to those who could not afford it, later beginning to cook chef-prepared meals each week for the community. Once they opened their indoor location, they accepted food and clothing donations as well as volunteers.
Recently, Picnic Project became one of the stops for the 4Roots Mobile Farmers Market. The mobile farmers market will be at Picnic Project’s location on the second Monday of every month in conjunction with their “Eat Well, Live Well” series. 4Roots is the only provider in Seminole County that means to double SNAP purchases, meaning that for each dollar spent on SNAP-eligible foods, users can earn another dollar in Fresh Access Bucks that can be used to purchase fresh Florida-grown fruits and vegetables.
Each week from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Picnic Project hosts “Friday Food Shares,” which provides on-site grocery distribution as well as their community partners providing auxiliary resources like health screenings, toiletries, showers and more. These food shares could either be on-site at their brick and mortar or mobile, in a food truck at different venues. At these food shares, they see over 200 households a week and will also go into neighborhoods to deliver food through their Mobile Pantry Events. Furthermore, they provide urgent food needs that are referred by local agencies such as Second Harvest, Sanford Police Department, and Advent Health.
Co-founder Bozeman grew up with missionary parents in Irian Jaya, now known as Papua New Guinea, in Indonesia. He attended Dalat International School in Penang, Malaysia and spent summers in Daytona Beach. According to Picnic Project’s website, Bozeman’s childhood “instilled a passion for serving and making everyone feel welcome.”
Thompson, co-founder as well, was first introduced to food though a part-time job at a concession stand over 20 years ago. Over that time, he has worked at a multitude of different restaurants including the James Beard Award-nominated Spanish River Grill, helmed Txokos Basque Kitchen, Blue Dahlia, and others. His most recent position was the Executive Chef of the Dandelion Cafe in Orlando.
On April 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Picnic Project will be hosting their next “Eat Well, Live Well’ Lunch Series Event in conjunction with Advent Health and 4Roots Mobile Farmers Market. For more information on locations email or call Picnic Project at [email protected] or
321-222-0995.
Learn more about their volunteer opportunities at www.picnicproject.org.
