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FARGO — The first time Brian Larry heard about children in the Fargo-Moorhead area going hungry, he was shocked.
“When I found out, I wanted to throw up. I couldn’t believe how many kids are struggling,” said Larry, who in December began a marketing company called Feed the FM Area Kids to help charities raise money to feed area children.
According to Feeding America , a domestic hunger-relief organization, one out of every 12 children in North Dakota are hungry. Additionally, the Great Plains Food Bank reported they’re giving away food to about 30% of children across the state.
Larry, who works at a software development company, grew up in Texas but now lives in North Dakota. He tears up when he discusses how he hopes to be an influencer in ensuring no children go hungry in schools.
His company is not registered as a nonprofit, but he plans to use his platform and online followers to help raise money for charities, specifically Bridging the Gap, a new nonprofit organization that focuses on providing assistance to children.
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“Some schools have an area, and if you don’t want your lunch, another kid can grab it. Guess what? Those lunches don’t last two seconds. I don’t understand that. Why does that kid have to be hungry when he is in the school system? It frustrates me in a way, it should not be happening. It needs to be transparent on how it’s solved,” Larry said.
“If I am hungry, I am not thinking. I didn’t want to create a charity, I wanted to create a marketing company that helped promote the programs locally that are raising funds for hunger,” Larry said.
Although Feed the FM Area Kids program is only slightly more than a month old, they’ve already begun setting up pantries in schools where children can have access to food, like macaroni and cheese, so they can eat when they go home, Larry said.
He started working with Bridging the Gap, a new nonprofit organization. The first campaign he helped organize raised about $2,000 to feed children in area schools.
“There are all kinds of things going on that we need to pay attention to, and the children are our future,” Larry said.
Hannah Scheidecker, an attorney who is on the board with Bridging the Gap, works with Larry to help to feed area children.
Larry is also on the board for Bridging the Gap, and he is the “tech guru” for both his own company and the nonprofit, Scheidecker said.
“He’s helping us. Brian is our middle man that bridges the Feed the FM Area Kids and Bridging the Gap. Through that, he will set up fundraisers or use his notoriety in restaurants to help raise money,” she said.
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“We have a lot of children in our local community that are not having their necessities being met, whether that is enough food to eat or having enough clothes to wear,” Scheidecker said.
