GRD’s 'Fill the Basket' Campaign Returns for 2026

The Free Beer & Hot Wings Show and 97.9 GRD are teaming up for a third year to Fill the Basket for our friends at Kids' Food Basket.

Join us on Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. to raise money for Kids' Food Basket. The whole day will be completely commercial-free again this year thanks to our friends at Clog Busters.

About Kids' Food Basket

Kids' Food Basket has been making an impact, one meal at a time, to help the many kids across West Michigan who don't have food to eat when they get home from school each day or on the weekends. KFB not only gives kids access to healthy foods, but they also work to educate kids about food and agriculture, all combining to further their mission to nourish kids to reach their full potential.

Fill The Basket for Kids' Food Basket 2026

Last year, thanks to the generosity of all of you and some fantastic businesses, Free Beer & Hot Wings and 97.9 GRD were able to raise over $160,000 for Kids' Food Basket!

This year, we're setting the bar even higher. Want to get your business in on the action? If your company donates $500 or more, someone on the show will take a stab at doing a completely improvised, potentially completely incorrect, commercial for your business live on the air.

How You Can Help Fill The Basket

West Michigan shows up in a big way, and we're hoping you'll open your hearts and your wallets to help the kids of West Michigan.

Every single dollar helps.

Just $10 can provide a daily serving of dairy to a child for two months.
$15 can provide a child with healthy evening meals for an entire school week.
$25 provides a serving of fresh fruit in Sack Suppers for an entire school.
$50 will provide a child with healthy evening meals for a month.
$100 can provide two entire classrooms with nutrition education that encourages kids to try fresh produce.
$600 can provide a child Sack Supper for an entire year.
$979 can provide fresh fruit for 40 entire schools! (Which is 2/3 of Kids' Food Basket's school list.)
$35,000 provides Sack Suppers to a school for an entire year.
$100,000 can fund yogurt in Sack Suppers every week for an entire school year.
$100,000 can also fund Break Bags, the large bags that are sent home with kids before school breaks, for an entire year!
$105,000 can take a school off of the waiting list to receive Sack Suppers each weekday.
And $125,000 can power one sustainable, 10-acre farm for an entire growing season.

Kids' Food Basket is 92% philanthropically funded.

If a monetary donation just isn't in the budget for you, that's okay! You can still help. Kids' Food Basket is always looking for more volunteers. You can sign up to be a volunteer on their website.

97.9 GRD and The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show Fill Up The Basket for Kids' Food Basket 2025

97.9 WGRD and the Free Beer and Hot Wings Show went commercial-free August 7, 2025, to "fill the basket" for Kids' Foods Basket, which has made it their mission to feed hungry kids in West Michigan for 23 years.

It's not just about supplying healthy, nourishing food, but also growing it, and teaching children about it. This work is life changing.

The West Michigan Community stepped up to raise $162,914 for this incredible organization. Thank you for spending the day with us and THANK YOU for supporting Kids' Food Basket's incredible mission. If you'd like to donate, volunteer, or learn more about Kids' Food Basket, you can do that here.

Gallery Credit: Janna

Categories: Grand Rapids News