RDO Equipment Co. and R.D. Offutt Company’s RDO Caters Taters for Charity event raised $88,800 for BIO (Beautiful Inside and Out) Girls, a Fargo, North Dakota-based nonprofit that aims to improve the self-esteem of girls through empowerment of self and service to others. Proceeds from the annual potato luncheon will directly support BIO Girls’ goal to expand the reach and impact of its program in North Dakota.
"It seems fitting that RDO Taters Caters is the week before Thanksgiving,” Missy Heilman, BIO Girls founder and executive director said. “The board and staff of BIO Girls are filled with gratitude – gratitude for RDO and its employees for all the work they put into making the event a success.”
Annually, BIO Girls reaches 1 in 25 girls in North Dakota. The organization’s strategic goal is to expand this to 1 in 6 girls by 2025, a 300% increase.
“BIO Girls is working tirelessly to provide preventative mental health programming for adolescent girls in our community and across the state of North Dakota,” Heilman continued. “Being selected as the charity recipient was exciting, as the funds will directly impact our community and our state and will help accelerate the work needed to accomplish our strategic goal."
Related article: Youth mental health nonprofits awarded $324,000 through Community Builder program
After COVID-19 prevented RDO from hosting a full event in 2020, this year marked the return of the potato luncheon the community has known and supported for more than 20 years. The event was held on November 16 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Fargo. About 150 people, including BIO Girls staff and RDO team members volunteered to serve more than 2,200 potatoes dressed in a variety of toppings. As always with RDO Caters Taters for Charity, 100% of the funds raised from a combination of dine-in lunches, to-go potatoes, and raffle tickets go directly to the benefiting charity.
“Every year, we have the opportunity to bring the community together, have great food, and give a donation to a worthy charity,” Tim Curoe, R.D. Offutt Company CEO said. “Caters Taters is one important way that we support our community, which is a priority at all of our equipment store, food, and farm locations.”
Since its inaugural year in 2000, RDO Caters Taters for Charity has raised nearly $900,000 for a dozen local charities including the Great Plains Food Bank, PATH of North Dakota, and Valley Senior Services.
Applications for the 2022 beneficiary will open early next year. To receive updates, Like the Facebook page and follow RDOCatersTaters on Instagram.
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