The Birth of The Grilled Cheese

In January of 2004, Kristin Walter, her brother Jason and some friends 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 its potential. Upon graduating, Kristin pursued FG full-time, developed a business plan for scaling FG's unique model to every university and earned 501(c) 3 status.

Since then we have opened 21 FG Chapters, inspired 50,000 students, and invested over $750,000 in smart development through our delis and other initiatives.