Year 2 FILL THE STRAND Success!

AIO Food and Energy Assistance hosted its second annual FILL THE STRAND food and funds drive to benefit AIO’s Food Assistance, Energy Assistance, Weekend Meal and Diaper Assistance Programs on Monday, January 17 at the Strand Theatre in Rockland. This event challenges the community to fill every seat in the historic theater with bags of food and funds for AIO’s programs.

The results are in-- and together we filled the Strand more than three times, raising almost $25,000 in sponsorships and donations and more than a 1/2 ton in food donations.

It was a wild weather day with 60-mile per hour winds, sideways rain and a power outage, but that didn't stop volunteers from Allen Insurance & Financial and AIO from being at the ready to greet visitors, nor donors from braving the weather to drop off their donations.

THANK YOU to everyone who helped “Fill The Stand” and provide AIO with much-needed funds and food to help families throughout Knox County endure another challenging winter. The response from the community has been tremendous!

Thanks to those behind the scenes who helped plan and run the event: Jessie Davis, Jana Herbener and Liz McLeod from the Strand; Jill Lang and Wendy Byrd from Allen Insurance & Financial and Leila Murphy for AIO. We are grateful to David Troup who generously photographed the event for us.

AIO is grateful to its partners and sponsors the Strand Theatre, Allen Insurance and Financial, First National Bank and First National Wealth Management, Rockport Steel, Fletcher and Michael McNaboe of City + Harbor Real Estate Group for their support of the event.

Thanks to the local businesses who were food collection sites including:

Allen Insurance & Financial offices, First National Bank, The Strand Theatre, Main Street Markets, Camden National Bank, and Rock City Coffee