Christina Musson, left, and her mother, Karen Musson, at the 2026 Feeding Families Fund Drive event. The Musson family is the first winner of the Heart of the Valley Award. Courtesy of KMJ
Karen Musson and her family are the winners of the first Heart of the Valley Award, recognized for their leadership, generosity and commitment to fighting hunger in the Central Valley.
Karen is managing partner of GAR, a family-owned crop protection, nutrition and regulatory advising company in Reedley. The honor also recognizes her husband, Greg Musson, GAR’s president and CEO, and daughter Christina Musson.
Since 2014, the Mussons have partnered with KMJ and Central California Food Bank on the Feeding Families Fund Drive. Every September, GAR matches community donations at 50%, adding 50 cents for every dollar given.
What started as a simple drive-up and online campaign in 2014 has become a Central Valley tradition. Farmers, growers, families and individuals call KMJ, drive to The Market or donate online to ensure neighbors don’t have to face hunger alone.
Karen has described the drive as helping “families, seniors, and children” who struggle with food insecurity.
According to the food bank, the Mussons’ 50% match has helped generate $4.5 million for hunger-relief programs and 25 million meals.
The food bank also estimates that at least 1 million households, or about 3 million people, have been reached by funds raised through the campaign.
For Karen, feeding the community is not an obligation. It is the continuation of a family legacy that strives to strengthen communities, guided by GAR’s mission to “help growers feed the world.”
Karen serves as CEO of the Gar and Esther Tootelian Charitable Foundation, which provides scholarships to young people pursuing careers in agriculture. According to the nomination, the foundation has awarded more than $2.5 million to scholarships and community organizations. Those include food access, agricultural education, Habitat for Humanity, healthcare and youth-focused programs.
“The Mussons use their time, energy, and resources to multiply their investments because when an entire community shares responsibility for strengthening where we live, we can feed families today, open doors for youth who will become leaders of tomorrow, and promote a legacy of service that not only builds on their family legacy, but creates an incredible one of their own,” Kym Dildine, CEO of Central California Food Bank, wrote in nominating the family.