The Birth of The Grilled Cheese

In January of 2004, along with my brother Jason and some of friends, I established FG as a student organization at the University of Texas, offering grilled cheese sandwiches for a donation to end hunger. After a successful year, in which we touched the hearts of 2,000 students and raised $10,000, it became apparent that a FG grilled cheese was more than a sandwich; it was a powerful vehicle to educate, inspire and mobilize ordinary people. FG students/patrons invited a new discourse about poverty – one that honored a global family and recognized their potential. Upon graduating, my dear friend Talis Apud-Martinez and I developed a business plan for scaling FG’s unique model to every university. Since then we have opened 16 FGs, inspired 20,000 students, and invested over $70,000 in smart development.

This success has emboldened our vision. FG envisions having student-run delis at all 2,474 college campuses in the US. At each campus we will be inspiring 90% of the students and faculty with a fun experience of getting involved and caring. With each grilled cheese – 300,000/day – we will create a culture of generosity and will inspire people with the vision of a more complete humanity. Through inventive marketing we will be transforming our customer’s attitudes about the poor. With a nationwide network of FG alum we will empower the continual involvement of ordinary people in the fight against hunger. By investing $10 million annually in smart development we will help identify and scale sustainable strategies for ending hunger. A FG grilled cheese will engage ordinary people and raise substantial dollars – mobilizing the will and resources necessary to end hunger. Thus we will realize our vision to “end world hunger, one grilled cheese at a time."

~Kristin Walter, Co-Founder and Executive Director