Community Relations

The Stafford Companies participate in projects and programs that promote a public appreciation and enjoyment of music, economic growth, community enrichment and educational opportunities.

Our company participates in annual programs with Tift area YMCA, B.I.K.E. program with elementary and primary schools, Hospice, Ruth’s Cottage Domestic Violence Shelter, Patticake House Children’s Advocacy Center, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tift County High School DeNean Stafford, Jr. DECA Scholarship and other various programs in local school systems.

The Stafford Companies were one of the first companies to commit to annual contributions to the YMCA. The Tift area YMCA is now an extremely active community organization that is growing by leaps and bounds. The Stafford family whole-heartily believes in the principles the YMCA stands for. We are proud to be a part of this great organization.

B.I.K.E., Building Incentives for Kids' Education, is an attendance incentive program that has been very successful in our schools. Our companies donate one bicycle per quarter to each school that teaches pre-kindergarten through third grade and one bike per school for grades fourth through sixth. Additionally, we participate with older school children by donating a DVD player rather than a bicycle.

Each quarter, every school has a drawing for the bike. Every child with perfect attendance for the attendance period will have his/her name in the drawing pool. Additionally, children with perfect attendance for the entire school year will have their name entered in a separate drawing from the quarterly drawings. The bikes are typically given away over the intercom, via closed-circuit television, or at a school-wide assembly. The program has proven to increase attendance among students. Collectively, our companies give over 160 bikes or other attendance prizes each year.

Hospice is an organization that the importance of can not be known by anyone that has not been in a situation to need them; hospice is for patients and families facing life-threatening illnesses. The Stafford family does know what an important role Hospice plays in the lives of patients and patient’s families. Hospice is supported annually through the Nancy Bowen Charity Golf Classic. The donation is given on behalf of Mrs. Betty Bowen, Nancy’s aunt, who is an avid golfer and a volunteer with the Pink Ladies Auxiliary at Tift Regional Medical Center. (Pictured L-R: Betty Bowen, Nancy Bowen, DeNean Stafford).

With the amount of domestic violence and child abuse cases rising in the Tift, Irwin, Worth and Turner county judicial circuit; Patti Stafford and her team set out on a mission.....help ease the pain, help provide an escape and help increase prosecutions of the offenders. Their dreams are becoming a reality. Ruth’s Cottage, a domestic violence shelter, opened in 2003. The Patticake House, a children’s advocacy center, opened in 2005. The Stafford Companies proudly support both of these organizations.

The American Red Cross needs no explanation. Their efforts span world wide. From 9-11 to blood drives to Hurricane Katrina. Our support of this organization is ongoing.

The American Cancer Society also receives annual support from our company through Relay for Life. Tift County’s Relay for Life ranks among the top five in the United States. The Stafford Companies conduct company fundraisers and have employees participate in fundraising efforts.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a terrific national organization that assists children. Whether utilizing the full program or participating in a mentor program; children are enriched by this program. The Stafford Companies participate annually with full sponsorship of two golf tournaments and various other sponsorships throughout the year.

Educating our children is always a top priority of our company. We participate in numerous ways. From donating Wendy’s Frostys for school children to feeding cinnamon rolls to teachers to providing a piano for the music department or sponsoring all of the sports teams to making annual contributions to Tift County’s Foundation for Educational Excellence. Almost all aspects of education are touched on by our company. Pictured left to right; Tift Co. Foundation for Educational Excellence founder Mike Brumby, Tift Co. Schools Superintendent John Harper, Foundation Chairperson Dr. Chip Phfister, and Dave Nehring president of Stafford Foods making our annual presentation.

To honor the legacy of the company’s founder, DeNean Stafford, Jr., the DeNean Stafford, Jr. DECA Scholarship was awarded for the first time in 2002. The Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) was organized to improve educational and career opportunities in marketing, management and entrepreneurship for students. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student at Tift County High School. Pictured left to right; 2005 recipient Meg Marshall, DeNean Stafford and TCHS DECA advisor Mike Beeman.