Parsec Financial, an independent fee-only wealth management firm, recently announced it has awarded Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry Inc. a Parsec Prize for 2018.

Outreach will receive $15,000 to serve Polk County families and individuals who need assistance with day-to-day necessities, such as food, heat and housing. Outreach seeks to provide assistance to Polk County residents who do not have the resources to provide for their basic life needs.

Outreach was founded in 1991 by a small group of people who set out to address the unmet needs of people in the community. Over the last several years, the number of individuals and families seeking Outreach’s services has risen consistently.

“We are thrilled to receive the 2018 Parsec Prize for the Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry Feed-a-Kid Program,” said Margot Carter, development and marketing manager for Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry Inc. “On behalf of our board, staff, volunteers and clients — thank you!”

The FAK program provides an average of 230 Polk County students with a weekend bag of food each week during the school year. This grant will help provide more than 3,300 food backpacks for food insecure children in Polk County.

The goal of this program is to decrease food insecurity over the weekend, when they may not have adequate access to food.

“We are honored to support Thermal Belt Outreach’s Feed-A-Kid program in Polk County,” said Michael Baughman, a senior financial advisor with Parsec Financial. “Food insecurity is a huge issue in our community, with nearly 60 percent of our county’s kids on free or reduced lunch. We are thrilled to award a Parsec Prize of $15,000 to this wonderful organization. Thanks to Thermal Belt Outreach for the work you do in our community, reducing the stress on families who do not have enough to eat.”

– Submitted by Parsec Financial