Records are broken at 2023 Fill the Dome

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – It was a record breaking day at the FARGODOME for the 2023 Fill the Dome food drive. As metro area students raised over $30,000 and more than 100,000 pounds of food for the 17th annual event.

“On days like this, I am so hopeful and so optimistic that we can end hunger,” said Melissa Sobolik, the chief executive officer of the Great Plains Food Bank. “We have this incredible, new generation of passionate leaders taking a charge and trying to wash away hunger.” 

Emma Nelson, who has been a part of this since she was in elementary school, says she spent the night prior in the stands overlooking the food they brought in for her senior year. She says there were tears in her eyes, reminiscing about the hard work over the years. Now she is showcasing that along with the other students for generations to come.

“After seeing the fifth graders yesterday, I’m realizing some of them were in my shoes,” said Nelson, who is part of the Metro Area Student Ambassadors. “And who knows, maybe in seven years they’ll be where I am now. And to know that those leaders, we are fostering at such a young age for our community it just creates a great outlook for the Fargo-Moorhead greater area.”

The Metro Area Student Ambassadors filled the boxes with food and other necessities for those in need. These boxes included canned goods and dry food. As they look to make an impact on the Fargo-Moorhead community.

“Our group effort is really showing not only through the numbers but also the amount of food we raised, the places we’ve gone, the sponsors we have this year,” said Nelson. “It really shows the potential for this to grow even more.” 

Nelson says she plans to take the idea of Fill the Dome to college wherever she goes.

Since it began in 2007, Fill the Dome has raised over $740,000 and collected over 2.5 million pounds of food.