St. Nick’s Necessities: Serving Teens with Purpose

When FPD senior Griffin Moore noticed something missing in holiday giving programs, he decided to do something about it.

I got the idea from learning about Toys for Tots. It had always been a big deal for younger kids to get toys at Christmas, but it largely left out people my age. Because of this, we started St. Nick’s Necessities to give bags of toiletry supplies to underserved teens at Christmas.

What began as a seasonal effort quickly grew into a mission. Today, St. Nick’s Necessities is a year-round nonprofit that works with DFACS, local school systems, and homeless shelters to provide bags of essentials to underserved teenagers—not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.

Griffin and his team are focused on addressing hygiene poverty among teens in the Middle Georgia area.“The project has thankfully snowballed and grown out from just Jones County,” Griffin said, “and hopefully can grow even more.” Recently, their mission received a major boost: a $5,000 donation from Morris Bank. This grant will allow the group to provide well over 100 hygiene bags—possibly even 200—for teens in the community. “Many of the basic necessities are very costly, even in bulk,” Griffin said. “This donation will make a huge difference in helping us serve more teens.”

Griffin is quick to point out that St. Nick’s Necessities is not a one-man project. Friends Carter Comer, Harper Haddock, Graham Moore, Marley Gardner, and Griffin’s sister have all played an active role in packing bags and organizing supplies. 

About a month ago, we packed around 120 bags for a back-to-school event in Jones County.

Volunteers from FPD, other schools in Macon, and Jones County High School have also joined in to help.

For Griffin, the heart behind the project comes from his faith. “It’s important to me because Christ commands us to give and give back to the needy and to the community,” he said. “We have the mission of giving back to our local community, and all of our values and mission statement are on our website: stnicksnecessities.com

Griffin dreams of expanding the nonprofit’s reach even further. “My dream for the future is for the nonprofit to grow and evolve, and to hopefully partner with FPD for some dress-down days and possibly other events on campus, and develop it to eventually serve all of Georgia.”

From an idea sparked by a Christmas program to a growing nonprofit meeting needs year-round, St. Nick’s Necessities is a powerful reminder of how students can use their creativity, faith, and teamwork to change lives.

At FPD, we are incredibly proud of Griffin for using his creativity, leadership, and faith to make a lasting impact. His work through St. Nick’s Necessities is more than a project—it’s a reflection of what it means to serve others with Christ at the center. Griffin’s heart for giving back inspires all of us to seek ways we can meet the needs of our community and shine His light.