Braswell Family Farms and Food City have teamed up on a new initiative to support Coalition For Kids, Inc. (C4K), a Johnson City-based organization that provides children across the region with a nurturing, faith-based environment. Through the partnership, Braswell Family Farms donates 10 cents for every dozen Natural Choice Cage-Free White Large eggs sold at participating Food City locations – meaning every time a customer picks up a participating carton of eggs, they are helping local kids. The initiative, launched in December 2025, runs through March 2027 and aims to raise more than $200,000 for C4K.

To celebrate the partnership and introduce the community to Coalition For Kids and its mission, Braswell Family Farms and Food City hosted a special event today in Johnson City that brought together local chefs, C4K children and leadership from all three organizations. The day began at the Food City location on North State of Franklin Road, where representatives gathered for the presentation of a $5,000 check (the first of many) and shared remarks on the partnership's impact. 

From there, things got scrambled in the best way. Three chefs with a combined 86 years of culinary experience – Nate Campbell, Food City Culinary Trainer; Tony Mammarella, Food City Corporate Executive Chef; and Jill Ledes, C4K Head Chef – took off through the Food City aisles in the Chefs Grocery Games, a timed shopping sprint to gather ingredients for original dishes featuring eggs as the star. Carts rattled, sneakers squeaked, and the energy was contagious as the chefs raced to fill their baskets before the clock ran out.

The action then moved to Coalition For Kids headquarters on Susannah Street, where the chefs traded shopping carts for skillets and spatulas. The kitchen buzzed with sizzling pans and the aroma of fresh ingredients as each chef prepared their egg-straordinary creations:

o Nate Campbell (Food City): Breakfast Monte Cristo – brioche bread, eggs, maple honey ham, mild cheddar and baby swiss with maple syrup, cinnamon and powdered sugar

o Tony Mammarella (Food City): Southwestern Omelette Canoe – a French baguette loaded with bacon, sausage, peppers, onions, mixed cheeses and eggs, finished with pepper gravy

o Jill Ledes (C4K): Bacon Egg and Cheese Tarts – bacon, egg, cottage cheese, cream cheese, shredded cheese and puff pastry with a mixed berry compote for dipping

While the chefs cooked, children in the C4K program got a fun and interactive lesson from Braswell Family Farms’ Trey Braswell about the nutritional power of eggs – including how the natural protein supports growth, focus, and learning. The kids discovered just how much an egg can fuel them for all the opportunities and achievements Coalition For Kids helps make possible.

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for: the taste test. The children sampled all three egg-cellent dishes, and the room erupted into uproarious cheers as they cast their votes the old-fashioned way by making as much noise as possible for their favorite. After a spirited round of clapping, stomping, and shouting, the winner was clear. Nate Campbell’s Breakfast Monte Cristo took the crown and will now be featured on the C4K breakfast menu and on the Braswell Family Farms website’s recipe page, giving every child in the program a chance to enjoy it and folks at home a chance to try it for themselves.

“Seeing these kids light up today reminded us exactly why we do what we do,” said Trey Braswell, CEO of Braswell Family Farms. “Our family has always believed that feeding the body and the soul go hand in hand. When a customer picks up a dozen eggs at Food City, they are both feeding their family and helping feed and support a dozen kids through C4K. That is the kind of impact we are proud to be a part of.”

“At Food City, strengthening the communities we serve is who we are,” said Kevin Stafford, Vice President of Center Store for K-VA-T Food Stores. “Through our partnership with Braswell Family Farms, everyday purchases are helping invest directly in the lives and futures of local children, and that’s an impact we’re proud to stand behind.”

“Today was a perfect reflection of what Coalition For Kids is all about: providing children with love, support, and experiences that help them grow,” said Randy Hensley, Executive Director of Coalition For Kids. “The generosity of Braswell Family Farms and Food City means we can continue to invest in programs that build character, confidence, and community for the children we serve.”

The Braswell Family Farms and Food City partnership will continue raising funds for Coalition For Kids through March 2027. Consumers can support the effort simply by purchasing Natural Choice Cage-Free White Large eggs at participating Food City locations throughout the region. To learn more about C4K, visit coalitionforkids.org. 

About Braswell Family Farms

Braswell Family Farms’ mission is to feed the body and the soul while building eternal relationships for God’s glory while providing value-added feed and egg solutions for American families and farms. Braswell Family Farms is the second largest Eggland’s Best franchisee in the United States and a leading producer of value-added private-label egg products for quality-minded retailers. For more, please visit braswellfamilyfarms.com.

About Food City

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 163 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama. 

About Coalition For Kids

For over 20 years, we have been committed to providing vulnerable children across the region with a nurturing and faith-based environment to help them develop into successful individuals who positively impact their communities. Our organization began as a grassroots effort in one of the lowest-income and highest crime areas in Johnson City, and we have since grown to multiple locations serving hundreds of children daily. At C4K, we believe that every child deserves to be loved and supported, regardless of their circumstances. Our programming is designed to help children build strong moral character, spiritual foundations, physical health, and mental confidence. We offer a wide range of activities all with the goal of empowering each child to reach their full potential.