By Doug McDurham, Director of Strategic Advancement
As we approach the holidays, we encounter many heartbreaking and heartwarming stories of need and generosity. We are all appropriately moved by accounts of struggling families who are gifted boxes loaded with turkeys and all the trimmings. We know that everyone deserves to gather at the table with loved ones, and we express this value by charitable giving, almost a third of which happens in December. Our giving reflects our belief that everyone should have a full belly and a full heart this time of year.
But what about January? Charitable food donations are incredibly important for many reasons, however they aren’t a sustainable way to address the pervasive food insecurity experienced by many of our Oklahoma neighbors. Systemic problems require systemic solutions, like those offered by Hunger Free Oklahoma. For seven years, our team has been organizing communities, strengthening systems, and supporting strong public/private partnerships to build better solutions. Our work has made a difference for thousands of families in Oklahoma and continues to move the needle.
Until now, we have primarily relied on corporate, foundation, and public funding to do this work. Today we turn to you. Would you consider financially supporting Hunger Free Oklahoma’s innovative, systemic solutions? Our mission is to leverage the power of collaboration to solve hunger by improving systems, policies, and practices. You are a part of this! Will you collaborate with us this holiday season to improve systems that work year round? And would you consider taking it one step further and make a monthly or quarterly gift? Food insecurity is year round, our work is year round; your generosity can be year round as well.
The new donation page on our website makes it incredibly convenient to give. I just signed up and committed to $25 per month. The process took me about three minutes, but the impact will be felt all year. I am hopeful that twenty individuals will join me in pledging $25 per month by the end of Giving Tuesday, which is November 28. This will give us a great head start towards our goal of fifty monthly donors by Summer ’24.
Why monthly donations?
· Sustained Impact: Monthly donations provide HFO a reliable source of funding that enable us to plan and implement long-term projects effectively
· Budget Friendly: Monthly giving allows you to spread your contributions throughout the year
· Convenience: Setting up monthly donations through our website is a quick and hassle-free process
· Maximum Impact: Small, consistent contributions add up over time, making a substantial impact on our ability to combat hunger in Oklahoma
· It is an effective way to put your values into action!
To deepen your engagement in this work, visit our website at https://www.hungerfreeok.org/donate/.
On this Giving Tuesday, let’s make every Tuesday a day of giving by supporting Hunger Free Oklahoma’s mission to end hunger. Together, we can make a difference.