In This Season of Giving, Please Help Us Keep Our Neighbors Nourished
“It is disturbing and distressing to all of us that so many of our neighbors are unable to put food on their tables, especially at this time of year,” said Grant Oliphant, President and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation. “Food pantries are being overwhelmed by spikes in demand and I strongly urge our community to do what we do so well – join together to help meet this critical need.”
A few weeks ago, SHCFP mailed the annual fresh produce appeal. This appeal asks our generous donors to make a gift to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables are available year-round to SHCFP clients. If you’ve already contributed to our recent fresh produce appeal, we thank you. If you haven’t made a donation or would like to make an additional donation, now is the time to maximize your support – food pantries in the area, including SHCFP, are experiencing an unprecedented increase in the demand for food assistance.
SHCFP has seen a significant increase in the number of clients and individuals needing emergency and supplemental food since the Federal Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP, food stamps) funding cut on November 1st. SHCFP is open five days a week, and in addition to serving regular clients, helps those in surrounding communities who may need emergency food or supplemental food when their regular food pantry is closed.
“The U.S Department of Agriculture estimates that the reduction in benefits amounts to 21 fewer meals per month,” wrote Jim Weill, Food Research and Action Center President, in a statement regarding the reduction of food stamp benefits.
It is clear that our neighbors are in need now more than ever and The Pittsburgh Foundation has stepped up to help our local food pantries provide food that families and individuals need to survive. We hope that you will join us in the fight to end hunger in our community by making a donation through this special appeal.
Directions for submitting your gift through PittsburghGives.org can be found below.
The work we do at SHCFP is instrumental in providing food security throughout our community and ensuring those in need have a place to turn. Thank you in advance for supporting SHCFP at this very special time of year.
Pittsburgh Gives Instructions
1. Go to PittsburghGives.org.
2. Click on the link to make a donation.
3. Enter your name, email and phone number in appropriate boxes. You must have a valid email address to receive a tax receipt for your donation.
4. Choose your food pantry (Squirrel Hill Community Food Pantry) in the box and select it from the drop down box.
5. Enter the amount you wish to give (only credit card donations of $25 or more will be accepted). Once you are ready to complete your transaction, click “Checkout” and you will be taken to the secure credit card screen.
6. Mastercard and Visa are accepted for payment. Please remember to notify your credit card issuer if you plan to make a large donation as they may hold your transaction as per your fraud protection services. The minimum gift per organization is $25. Enter in your credit card information on the secure server and click “submit”. You will receive confirmation that your donation has been received and an email will be sent to you for tax purposes.
7. Don’t forget to share your donation via social media and encourage others to give as well.