Pitch Against Hunger 2026: A Community Comes Together to Provide More Than 6,000 Meals
On June 27, more than 60 friends, clients, neighbors, and community partners gathered at the Fredericksburg Nationals ballpark for the 3rd Annual Pitch Against Hunger, benefiting the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank.
What began several years ago as a simple client appreciation event has grown into something far more meaningful. This year, together, our community raised $3,032.25, enough to help provide 6,064 meals for local children and families facing food insecurity.
For me, those numbers are incredible. But they aren't what I'll remember most.
I'll remember children laughing as they searched for foul balls. Families enjoying a summer evening at the ballpark together. Friends reconnecting who only seem to see one another each year at this event. I'll remember watching clients introduce themselves to people they'd never met before, united by a shared desire to make a difference.
And I'll always remember watching my son, Miles.
Miles had the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before spending the rest of the evening volunteering beside me at the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank donation tent alongside his friends Mason and Colton. Seeing him discover that helping others can be genuinely rewarding was one of the proudest moments I've experienced as a father. Long after the first pitch, I watched him engage with guests, encourage donations, and become part of something larger than himself.
Moments like that remind me why this event exists.
When I first became a Realtor, I focused on serving my clients and building a successful business. Over time, I realized success brings something more valuable than income. It creates opportunities to bring people together.
I originally created Pitch Against Hunger as a way to thank my clients for trusting me with one of the biggest decisions of their lives. But celebrating myself never felt quite right. Partnering with the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank changed everything. Suddenly the event had a purpose that extended far beyond real estate.
Instead of gathering around a business, we gathered around our community.
Instead of celebrating one person's success, we celebrated what dozens of generous people could accomplish together.
I believe that's what community is supposed to look like.
We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet hunger remains a reality for many of our neighbors. During the summer months, when children lose access to school meal programs, organizations like the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank become even more important. Their work ensures local families have access to nutritious food when they need it most.
The Food Bank cannot do that work alone.
It takes volunteers. It takes donors. It takes businesses willing to invest. Most importantly, it takes ordinary people choosing to care about someone they may never meet.
This year's event reminded me just how generous our community truly is. While we hoped to raise meaningful support before the game, the generosity didn't stop there. Guests continued donating throughout the evening, contributing more than $800 during the game itself and helping us exceed our fundraising expectations.
The evening wouldn't have been possible without many incredible partners and supporters.
A special thank you goes to the Fredericksburg Nationals for their hospitality and partnership, including providing our tent space and helping create such a welcoming environment for families. Charlie Belman and the FredNats staff embraced the event from the beginning and helped make the evening feel truly special.
I'm also deeply grateful to Dominique Thomas and everyone at the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank for their partnership and encouragement. Dominique shared afterward that she could see how passionate I was about this event and the impact it was making. Hearing those words meant more than I can adequately express.
Thank you as well to Blane Stewart and his team for their incredible generosity, contributing $1,100 toward this year's fundraising efforts, and to Chris Rainey and the many other donors whose support made a real difference. I'd also like to recognize Steve for donating his time and talent to photograph the event, preserving memories our community will cherish for years to come.
As the game settled in and everything was running smoothly, I finally had a chance to simply walk around the stadium.
I talked with friends.
Met new people.
Watched kids play.
Took photos with clients.
Looked around and realized there was nothing left to organize.
For a few quiet moments, I simply enjoyed watching good people come together for a good cause.
That may have been my favorite part of the evening.
Pitch Against Hunger has become more than an annual event. It has become a reminder of what can happen when a community chooses generosity over indifference and action over good intentions.
Looking ahead to 2027, our goal is simple: welcome even more families, grow our partnerships, provide more than 7,500 meals, and continue building an event that reflects the incredible generosity of our community.
To everyone who attended, donated, volunteered, sponsored, or simply shared in the evening, thank you.
Your trust, your friendship, and your willingness to help others made this event possible.
I look forward to seeing you at next year's Pitch Against Hunger.
What began several years ago as a simple client appreciation event has grown into something far more meaningful. This year, together, our community raised $3,032.25, enough to help provide 6,064 meals for local children and families facing food insecurity.
For me, those numbers are incredible. But they aren't what I'll remember most.
I'll remember children laughing as they searched for foul balls. Families enjoying a summer evening at the ballpark together. Friends reconnecting who only seem to see one another each year at this event. I'll remember watching clients introduce themselves to people they'd never met before, united by a shared desire to make a difference.
And I'll always remember watching my son, Miles.
Miles had the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before spending the rest of the evening volunteering beside me at the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank donation tent alongside his friends Mason and Colton. Seeing him discover that helping others can be genuinely rewarding was one of the proudest moments I've experienced as a father. Long after the first pitch, I watched him engage with guests, encourage donations, and become part of something larger than himself.
Moments like that remind me why this event exists.
When I first became a Realtor, I focused on serving my clients and building a successful business. Over time, I realized success brings something more valuable than income. It creates opportunities to bring people together.
I originally created Pitch Against Hunger as a way to thank my clients for trusting me with one of the biggest decisions of their lives. But celebrating myself never felt quite right. Partnering with the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank changed everything. Suddenly the event had a purpose that extended far beyond real estate.
Instead of gathering around a business, we gathered around our community.
Instead of celebrating one person's success, we celebrated what dozens of generous people could accomplish together.
I believe that's what community is supposed to look like.
We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet hunger remains a reality for many of our neighbors. During the summer months, when children lose access to school meal programs, organizations like the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank become even more important. Their work ensures local families have access to nutritious food when they need it most.
The Food Bank cannot do that work alone.
It takes volunteers. It takes donors. It takes businesses willing to invest. Most importantly, it takes ordinary people choosing to care about someone they may never meet.
This year's event reminded me just how generous our community truly is. While we hoped to raise meaningful support before the game, the generosity didn't stop there. Guests continued donating throughout the evening, contributing more than $800 during the game itself and helping us exceed our fundraising expectations.
The evening wouldn't have been possible without many incredible partners and supporters.
A special thank you goes to the Fredericksburg Nationals for their hospitality and partnership, including providing our tent space and helping create such a welcoming environment for families. Charlie Belman and the FredNats staff embraced the event from the beginning and helped make the evening feel truly special.
I'm also deeply grateful to Dominique Thomas and everyone at the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank for their partnership and encouragement. Dominique shared afterward that she could see how passionate I was about this event and the impact it was making. Hearing those words meant more than I can adequately express.
Thank you as well to Blane Stewart and his team for their incredible generosity, contributing $1,100 toward this year's fundraising efforts, and to Chris Rainey and the many other donors whose support made a real difference. I'd also like to recognize Steve for donating his time and talent to photograph the event, preserving memories our community will cherish for years to come.
As the game settled in and everything was running smoothly, I finally had a chance to simply walk around the stadium.
I talked with friends.
Met new people.
Watched kids play.
Took photos with clients.
Looked around and realized there was nothing left to organize.
For a few quiet moments, I simply enjoyed watching good people come together for a good cause.
That may have been my favorite part of the evening.
Pitch Against Hunger has become more than an annual event. It has become a reminder of what can happen when a community chooses generosity over indifference and action over good intentions.
Looking ahead to 2027, our goal is simple: welcome even more families, grow our partnerships, provide more than 7,500 meals, and continue building an event that reflects the incredible generosity of our community.
To everyone who attended, donated, volunteered, sponsored, or simply shared in the evening, thank you.
Your trust, your friendship, and your willingness to help others made this event possible.
I look forward to seeing you at next year's Pitch Against Hunger.
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