Isaac McFarland

Project: Game Changers Tackling Hunger

The biggest difference between a philanthropist and someone who isn’t one is not how much money the philanthropist donates, how many hours he or she volunteers, or even how many people his or her efforts help. The biggest difference is that a philanthropist does something to help out somebody else. That is the reason that Power of Children Award winners like Isaac McFarland stand out.

Isaac was a student at Caddo Parish Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, one of the top schools in the state, when he came face-to-face with childhood hunger. The school is located in a neighborhood where many residents live in poverty, while Caddo’s students, many of whom live elsewhere, do not.

As a freshman, Isaac saw children from the neighborhood walking to other schools. He volunteered at the local recreation center to tutor some of them, which allowed him to get to know them and the problems they faced. One of the most serious problems was access to good food.

After seeing that the neighborhood’s food bank was overwhelmed by people in need, Isaac created Game Changers Tackling Hunger, with the goal of eliminating hunger in the community. He started small by donating beef grown on his family’s cattle farm, using meat from his 4-H steer. He then asked friends, classmates, officials, and junior cattlemen to donate food items or create what Isaac called “Tackle Boxes.” After that, Isaac started food drives.

The Tackle Boxes (and later “Tackle Bags”) were filled with healthy, non-perishable food items. Game Changers gave those Tackles Boxes to children in homes where food was scarce. Isaac’s project was supported so strongly that he expanded his goal to ending hunger not only in his school’s community but also in communities across the nation. Ultimately, he said, he wanted to see hunger totally eliminated worldwide.

Isaac also ran a youth ambassador program that selected students from elementary, middle, and high schools to educate their peers about healthy living. As of 2014, the program had helped 12,000 young people learn more about food and healthy lifestyles.

Occasionally Isaac ran into someone who didn’t think food drives were important. His reply, he said, was this: “Food drives are not important because you are not hungry, but if you are one of the individuals that did not know where your next meal is coming from, then this food drive would be very important to you!”

Isaac’s dedication to ending hunger led to even more health-related opportunities. He was selected to be part of a national youth board that focuses on eliminating obesity. That opportunity allowed him to travel the country and meet others with projects like his. He also spoke on an anti-smoking panel after being invited by a former U.S. Surgeon General. Isaac even travelled to a large farm to learn about farming techniques that get the freshest vegetables to children living in food deserts (urban neighborhoods without grocery stores or other access to healthy food).

Winning the Power of Children Award enabled Isaac and Game Changers Tackling Hunger to continue the fight against hunger. The grant that came with the award allowed him to continue the Tackle Box program, as well as to expand his ambassador program.

When Isaac wasn’t working to end hunger, he used his free time to work on his family’s cattle ranch and participate in 4-H. He was also active in his school’s orchestra and was named to the Louisiana All-State Orchestra. After high school, he planned on going to college and majoring in accounting or a health field.

Recipient of many honors for his efforts, including the National Points of Light Award and the Louisiana Blue Cross Blue Shield Angel Award, Isaac was determined not to abandon what he started with Game Changers Tackling Hunger. “Because we live in a society of plenty, we do not think hunger is as prevalent in our communities,” he said. “I have learned that when people are faced with the staggering numbers associated with hunger they are more than willing to help. It is my job to keep those statistics on hunger before the American public, so that we can end hunger.”