Donations to MANNA FoodBank will be matched through #GivingTuesday, Dec. 1

From MANNA FoodBank

Press release

This year, #GivingTuesday is December 1. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving to charitable causes in response to the two days after Thanksgiving that are dedicated to buying: Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

In anticipation of #GivingTuesday, MANNA FoodBank is starting a movement for gratitude called #GratefulGiving. It is a traditional part of the Thanksgiving holiday: Reflecting on our lives and recognizing all the things, both large and small, for which we are grateful. It’s natural to be grateful for our friends and family, for good health, for a roof over our heads, for support, and love. But it can be easy to overlook the small things in our lives: Ordering a pizza for an easy family dinner on a busy night, buying a new pair of shoes for growing children’s feet, even something as simple as a morning cup of coffee.

For many this holiday season, simple splurges are more than just small things for which to be grateful: They are, quite frankly, unattainable. Many of our WNC neighbors are struggling to afford the food for a healthy, filling meal, much less be able to provide a Thanksgiving meal. For these struggling families, a full belly IS like Thanksgiving.

MANNA FoodBank is asking the WNC community to skip a small splurge for two weeks, donate what you would have spent to MANNA, and give someone in need a reason to be thankful over the holidays. This Thanksgiving, MANNA encourages you to think simple: Consider a small splurge in your life. What would it be like to give up that little splurge for a day, or a week? Now, consider what giving up that little splurge could mean to someone suffering from hunger. That $3 regular coffee could mean several families being able to send their child to school with a nutritious breakfast. How? MANNA FoodBank can turn that $3 into 15 dozen eggs.

Help MANNA Match a Generous Anonymous #GivingTuesday Donation
MANNA FoodBank is thrilled to announce that an anonymous donor has offered to match all #GivingTuesday donations up to $20,000! From now until December 1, when you donate to our #GivingTuesday campaign, your gift will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000.

Share Your Gratitude with the “Skip This…Give This!” Approach to Charitable Giving. MANNA FoodBank is encouraging the community to share your gratitude on social media. Share your gratitude on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, tag MANNA FoodBank, and include the hashtag #GratefulGiving to help spread awareness of this movement to encourage gratitude.

About MANNA FoodBank
MANNA FoodBank is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving Western North Carolina since 1983. As an accredited member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, the mission of MANNA FoodBank is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina. MANNA serves over 250 community-based non-profit food assistance agencies in 16 Western North Carolina counties and distributed 15 million pounds of food in 2014. To view MANNA’s Annual Report for 2014, or for more information, visit MANNAFoodbank.org, or call 828-299-FOOD.

About #GivingTuesday
Now in its fourth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of resources. Visit givingtuesday.org for more information.