Macon teen donates more than $25,000 to Middle Georgia Food Bank

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Just ahead of the holidays, a Macon teen is giving back to her community in a major league way.

17 year-old Karsen Ochs says playing softball and helping others are two of her biggest passions.

“I tried to find some way that I could use a competitive sport just to bless others,” she told 41NBC

That’s why four years ago she started her campaign ‘Strike Out Hunger’.

“I know that 1 in 5 people in Middle Georgia really struggle with getting the daily nutrition. That just really hit home for me just to know that not everybody is not getting the proper nutrition and what they need. So, I just wanted to help out people in my community,” she said.

The First Presbyterian Day School senior handed Middle Georgia Food Bank Executive Director David Griffin an envelope with more than $11,000 inside on Tuesday morning.

“I think it’s wonderful. When you look at what Karsen has done over four years she’s been giving here. She’s donated over 100,000 meals,” Griffin said.

It’ll go toward families he says need it the most.

“People who are struggling in Georgia are benefitted by what she’s doing out there every day for her fellow man and that speaks more to who she is in her character,” he continued.

At the tender age of 17, Karsen is helping thousands of people have a meal for Thanksgiving and hoping to inspire other teens her age to do the same.

“Your difference is really noticed no matter how small or how large,” she added.

After this year’s donation, Karsen’s total over the course of all four years came out to a little more than $26,000 in total.

She will begin classes and continue her softball career at University of South Carolina in June.