Bluffton student trades gifts for donations to local food bank

Birthday parties and gifts go together like peanut butter and jelly for most elementary school students.

Bluffton second grader Tucker Neff decided to ask for peanut butter and jelly instead of traditional gifts for his eighth birthday on May 20. He asked his friends to bring canned and boxed food items to his birthday party to be donated to the local Bluffton food bank.

"I asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he said he didn't really know," said Rhonda Moor, Tucker's mom. "He asked me if there were other people who needed anything, like food." 

Once Tucker learned that there are people around him who need food, especially kids his age, he made up his mind to trade his birthday gifts for food. He sent invitations to eight of his friends and asked for food donations only. Tucker says that he would like to do something like this again in the future.

"I think it would be cool if other kids did the same thing for their birthdays," said Tucker.

Tucker Neff is the son of Neil Neff and Rhonda Moor, of Bluffon.