AFTD Food for Thought 2020

Now is the time to begin planning to participate in the 8th Annual Food for Thought (FFT) campaign which is scheduled for September 27-October 11, 2020.

FFT is a grassroots fundraising and awareness campaign sponsored by the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) that uses food-focused events as a venue for FTD education. Anyone can host an event that includes eating, sharing your story, spreading the word about frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), and raising money for AFTD. Funds support AFTD’s mission.

This year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, AFTD recommends virtual events or a creative alternative while keeping yourself, your friends, and your family safe. If local and state regulations — as well as participants’ comfort and safety — allow, in-person events may be an option.

“The central focus of our campaign is unchanged. The world needs to hear from families facing FTD in this pandemic,” noted Susan L-J Dickinson, AFTD’s Chief Executive Officer. “By focusing on food, fun, and connection, your event can help to bring others together — and inspire them to make a difference — during an isolating year.”

Events can be large or small. You can cook, pick up to-go, order delivery, take delivery, meet at a restaurant, or create whatever type of event you wish as long as it occurs during the two-week campaign and involves food and FTD education.

AFTD encourages creative thinking to develop a virtual activity that combines family and friends, food and fun, and FTD education and awareness. These could be a one-time event or a daily activity during the two-week campaign. Below are a handful of food suggestions:

• Offer “to-go” orders: Make a homemade specialty dish and arrange a safe time and place for pick up or offer to deliver.
• Host a virtual dinner: Use a video sharing platform (FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, House Party, etc.) to connect with family and friends over a meal.
• Share food facts and recipes: Create a fundraiser on the Classy platform and every day during the two-week campaign share an FTD fact along with a recipe or picture of a meal you ate that day.
• Arrange a restaurant giveback: Ask a local restaurant to host a giveback night for all to-go (and/or dine-in orders) with a portion of the proceeds going to AFTD. Invite your family and friends to order at that restaurant.
• Cook together: Gather a group on a video sharing platform for a virtual “cooking together” night and agree on the same recipe that all make from their home.
• Create a Facebook fundraiser: Set up a Facebook fundraiser and share recipes, pictures, and FTD facts, and accept donations on each post.

A food event can then be paired with sharing FTD facts. Some examples of providing FTD education and information are:

• handing out AFTD education and awareness materials
• posting an FTD fact each day on social media
• recording and sharing a short video about FTD
• telling your FTD story

With health and safety as top priorities, virtual events are the safest and most inclusive way to host events this year, Dickinson said. You can raise FTD awareness from wherever you are and in a comfortable way that best suits your current situation. Whatever you choose, be sure to take time with friends and family, make connections, and rally together to #EndFTD.

AFTD makes planning easy with the assistance of its staff and volunteers. Complete a Contact Form to receive more information and be paired with a trained, volunteer FFT liaison for one-on-one support throughout the campaign. Check out their resources available online, including a Host Toolkit, one-on-one support, educational materials, examples of past events, frequently asked questions, and more.

Plan and register your event by September 1, 2020.