Are you a recipient, or do you volunteer with OFT? Share your thoughts with us!
Hello my name is Autumn Johnson, and I have been a recipient and a volunteer for OFT for many years.
OFT has been there for my daughter and I in time of need. And, I love being a volunteer giving back to families in need. I’ve been a recipient of OFT’s Holiday box program. They have helped with back to school supplies. And, the Pop-Up Giveaway of food weekly.
But being a volunteer is the other side. I helped OFT with sending 3 full 53′ trucks to families in WNC after hurricane Helene devastated the mountains. It’s very rewarding to help those who are in need. Some days it’s a lot of hard work and dedication from individuals behind the scenes to get things done. OFT doesn’t always have a lot of volunteers. But, we can always accept those who want to help with doing good for others. I love what I do with this nonprofit!
The organization OFT has truly been a blessing in my life, aligning perfectly with my passion for helping those in need. This remarkable non-profit pours its heart into our community, offering unwavering support and assistance to those who seek it. Being part of OFT has uplifted my spirit immensely, filling me with a sense of purpose and allowing me to relish the company of kindred spirits. Volunteering with OFT has not only strengthened my confidence but has also enriched my communication skills, making every moment spent with them a deeply rewarding experience.
I first came across Operation Full Tummies when I was struggling with difficult challenges in my life. The nonprofit’s mission is community taking care of community, and I was in need of the very services they offer.
They offered me counseling, food and clothing, which really gave me the resources to get me through while I was transitioning from a troubled relationship and in between employment. Through their organization, I was able to gain confidence and overcome a difficult time.
Thanks to their support, I was able to start a new chapter in my life and feel more stable emotionally, which has had a lasting impact on me. I now feel more empowered and capable of managing life’s challenges. It also helped me reconnect with my sense of purpose and hope.
Without their assistance, I’m not sure where I’d be today. I’m incredibly grateful for the resources and support they provided, and I know that their work continues to change lives like mine.
I have five children. Over the years, I have faced many hardships. Thankfully, I was referred to OFT. This company has treated us like family from day 1. Whether it is furniture needed, Christmas wishes, or everyday essentials, OFT has had our back. And they have given us many opportunities to give back as well. Volunteering for OFT has its benefits as well. You get to give back to the community while meeting great new people. I’m thankful for everything OFT does for me and I’m grateful for the many possibilities of making a change working with this company.
I first learned about Operation Full Tummies at a local community event. I spotted their tent, walked up curious, and simply asked about their mission. What I didn’t expect was the passion that poured out in response – it honestly stopped me in my tracks. There was a realness in their words, a warmth that came straight from the heart. You could tell they weren’t just talking about helping others – they were living it.
After that first conversation, I started noticing their name more and more on social media – posts about helping local elders, collecting clothes and backpacks for kids, supporting families who’d lost their homes, and providing essentials for those just trying to start over. Then one post in particular caught me – the chance to adopt a family for Christmas. Something about it just tugged at me, and I knew I wanted to be part of it.
When I received the child’s wish list, I couldn’t help but smile. Picking out gifts and imagining their joy felt like being part of something bigger than myself. The day I dropped everything off happened to be giveaway day – and naturally, I couldn’t just hand things over and leave. I jumped right in, helping carry boxes, organize food, and pass out gifts. What I saw that day will stay with me forever: people moving with purpose, laughing, comforting, and working side by side – all for others.
I watched food boxes being lifted with care, gifts handed off with smiles, and families expressing gratitude so genuine it brought tears to your eyes. Many said they wished they could help, and the beautiful part is – so many of them do. Some come back to volunteer, help sort items, or run errands for others. It’s this cycle of giving and receiving that makes Operation Full Tummies so special.
Their team goes above and beyond – building relationships with local businesses, picking up donations late at night after stores close, and spending long hours sorting, packaging. – Susan Miller
This past year has been one of the hardest for our family as I continue my fight with cancer. There have been many difficult days, but the love and generosity from your organization truly brought light back into our home.
Because of you, we were able to sit down together and enjoy a real Thanksgiving dinner. It meant so much to share that moment as a family and to feel cared for during such a tough time. And then at Christmas, you gave my daughters gifts that touched our hearts in ways we’ll never forget.
My 17-year-old daughter received a sewing mannequin — something she’s dreamed of having for years because she wants to be a fashion designer. Watching her excitement and seeing that spark in her eyes reminded me of the importance of hope and believing in the future.
Your kindness gave us more than food and gifts; you gave us joy, strength, and a reason to smile again. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for blessing our family and reminding us what the holidays are truly about — love, compassion, and community.
With endless gratitude – Joylen Diaz
OFT has helped me and my family through tough times. They helped me find items to use when I had surgery and when I did not have any money for food, they helped me out with their pantry and if I ever need help, they told me I can reach out to them and they’ll help me out any way they can. They did an amazing job helping the hurricane victims and survivors in the mountains by donating a whole bunch of items to them and including a home, which was an a form of a RV for a family that really needed it. They do an over-the-top job to make sure the community and anyone looking for help has someone.
My family and I chose to volunteer with Operation Fully Tummies because we believe in neighbors helping neighbors. Helping local families matters to us. It’s inspiring to be part of a group that shows how much difference a community can make when everyone comes together to care for one another.
I’ve been volunteering for several years now with Operation Full Tummies. For the last few years, I’ve served on the Board. I can honestly say that I have never seen a more hard working group of volunteers in my life. This entire team is incredibly dedicated to the core purpose of this organization – helping those in need. Countless hours behind the scenes are put in, day and night, in the cold and relentless heat, preparing for, and facilitating the events and giveaways for those we serve. I am proud to be a part of this magic. We are forever grateful for ALL of the volunteers who rise up and help by volunteering in whatever way they can, and for those who support the organization through donations. But, at the core of it all, is the founder, Shell Nettles. I am continuously amazed by her commitment, perseverance, ability to somehow “wave her wand” and things I never thought possible, become possible. Somehow balancing the challenges of her own everyday world, she manages to find 34 hours a day, instead of 24, in addition to maintaining a sense of humor through it all. This community is luckier than they will ever know to have this woman at the helm of an organization that is committed to continuing the core goal of Community Helping Community – because, it works! – Cindi McGee
I have known Shell for years. She has always been someone who fights for the needs of others. She will move Heaven and Earth to supply basic necessities to those who are in need.
In January of 2022 my world was completely rocked when my amazing husband was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
I knew that we had a major fight ahead of us and I knew that our finances, which were already on shaky ground would be stressed even more. I have my own health issues and because of those issues, I can not be on my feet for 8-10 hours a day working in retail so I knew I needed to do something to supplement our income.
I can drive a truck and pull a trailer so I decided to start hauling scrap metal. It was something that I could do when I felt good enough to work. So I started letting people know that I was willing to come haul their broken appliances and other stuff away for free and I would take it to the scrapyard to sell.
I told her no, we would figure it out somehow, that I didn’t want to take away from people who needed help worse than we did.
She persisted and finally convinced me to fill out the application.
On November 15, 2022 my husband went in for major, lifesaving surgery. He breezed through it and came home two days later, it’s normally a minimum five day hospital stay, but he was doing so well and because I had extensive caregiver experience, they released him.
We got settled in at home and Shell delivered our Thanksgiving box to us. What a blessing! It completely took away the need for me to go grocery shopping, with money that we didn’t have, because his short term disability had not started coming in yet. Eleven days after his surgery he developed a fever, I called the surgeon and she told me to bring him in if it got higher than 101 degrees, which it did, so off we go back to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a major infection. We spent one night in the hospital with him receiving IV antibiotics and then got kicked out the next morning because our insurance deemed being in the hospital as unnecessary. This began an over month long fight with multiple antibiotic changes. I couldn’t leave him to go work or shop for Christmas gifts during this time so when Shell let me know that I needed to come pick up our Christmas box and gifts it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders.
On Christmas morning we had gifts that were hand picked, with love for me, my husband and our youngest son. We received stuff that we both needed and just wanted and it made what could have been a very depressing Christmas, especially for our son, a wonderful day of being blessed. I can not thank Shell and her team of wonderful volunteers enough for helping us through one of the most difficult times of our lives. I promised Shell that as soon as my husband was better and we were in a better place financially, that I would help OFT in any way that I possibly could.
I started volunteering in the spring of 2023, hauling items to the barn, picking up food donations, delivering furniture to people in need, anything I possibly could to help and give back. I helped with the holiday boxes in 2023 and it was such a blessing to help other people who found themselves in need of help during the holidays. I told everyone I knew about OFT and the work they were doing, both in person and by sharing on social media.
On September 27, 2024 our state was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Our mountains in the western part of the state looked like a war zone. Shell and the other members of the OFT team immediately jumped into to action gathering donations of much needed items, especially water, shelf stable food, medical supplies, etc. She contacted a mutual friend who is a truck driver about delivering a load of supplies to the worst hit areas. On October 1, 2024 I along with Shell, Kay and Chad drove to Asheville NC and delivered the first tractor trailer load of supplies along with my car filled with supplies.
On October 14, 2024 My husband and I drove our car and Chad once again drove the tractor trailer filled with more supplies to Morganton NC. The team at OFT was on fire, taking in donations, soliciting for more donations, sorting, boxing and organizing the donations, it was amazing to be a part of.
On November 29, 2024, me, my husband and Chad once again made the trip to Morganton NC. This was our biggest load yet! And then I got the call from a dear friend. She told me that she had been watching my posts on Facebook and felt like God was telling her to donate her camper to a family in need in the mountains. I called Shell, in total shock and she started making calls. On December 4, 2024, me, my husband and Shell delivered the camper to Newland NC to a single dad with several children. Our team of volunteers had filled the camper with all of the essentials, food, bedding, dishes even cleaning products and paper goods. We decorated it for Christmas and bought all of the children new clothes and shoes. To see the looks on the faces of the father and one of his children was just priceless.
Being a part of the OFT team is such an honor and a blessing. When I talk to some of the families that we have helped, I tell them that I have been on both sides of OFT and that I can relate to how they are feeling.
