The holidays will look a little different for most of us this year, with fewer opportunities to gather in-person with loved ones. But one thing that remains the same is the joy that comes from spreading holiday cheer. This year, with more people facing food insecurity due to the pandemic, your community needs your support and donating money to your local food bank is more important than ever.
How can you help people facing food insecurity? Donate money to a food bank.
With as little as $1, we can provide four meals to people across all of Wyoming. During COVID-19, financial gifts are safer and easier to manage than food donations from private individuals because we don’t have the volunteer capacity and means necessary to store, sanitize, and repackage food. Instead, we hope you’ll consider these meaningful ways to do good in your community and ensure that all of us have enough to eat throughout the holidays and during the pandemic*. When you donate money to a food bank, your dollar simply goes further.
1. Give the Gift of Hope
A donation to honor a relative, friend, customer, or colleague makes a great holiday present. Make a donation in their name to say thank you and show how much you care. You can also donate money to our food bank in memory of someone. Our website makes it easy to send an e-card to notify the recipient (or their loved one) of your gift in their honor or memory.
2. Create a Virtual Holiday Food Drive
A virtual food drive is a great alternative to a traditional one, especially considering the time it takes to recruit volunteers to clean, date check, and sort through the food received, as well as the cost of transporting the food to our partners, this can all add up to a great deal of money and time spent on a donation.
Your financial gift goes much further because we’re able to buy food at wholesale or lower costs. Make it a group-bonding activity! Ask loved ones, friends, and coworkers to join you. Create a contest and see who can raise the most. It’s effective, secure, and convenient to create a virtual food drive on our website!
3. Make it Monthly
Please consider making a recurring donation each month. Reliable support helps us plan throughout the year and deepens your impact in the community. Check the box to make this a monthly gift and enjoy knowing that you’re making a difference all year long.
4. Leave a Legacy of Good
Looking for another way to give back? Remember us in your will or as a beneficiary on an account and leave a legacy that will last for generations. Your gift can be made as a percentage of your estate, or you can make a specific bequest by giving a certain amount of cash, securities, or property. After your lifetime, Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies will receive your gift. Learn more about the benefits of making a charitable bequest.
5. Volunteer Your Time
If means are limited this year and you’re unable to donate money to the food bank, consider volunteering. With the increased need for food in the community, your support is invaluable. We need individuals and groups to help us provide food to those facing food insecurity. We have increased safety measures to protect our volunteers and are limiting volunteer numbers during shifts. Volunteers will be split into small work teams throughout the warehouse, to increase social distancing. Learn more about safety measures for volunteers during the pandemic, and sign up today.
6. Target Your Gift
Support neighbors in Wyoming who may have been hard hit by the pandemic.
Here at Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies, the holidays are about gratitude, and we could not be more grateful for your support. Thank you for nourishing our community and ensuring everyone has access to nutritious food for themselves and their loved ones. We could not do this work without you.
* Per the CARES Act, the Federal government allows for cash contributions to qualified charities such as ours to be deducted up to 100% of your adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year, for those who itemize. The new law allows all taxpayers to take a charitable deduction of up to $300, even if you do not itemize. As always, please consult with your CPA or tax advisor before making any major decisions regarding your charitable giving.
