[Update to the January 6, 2022 article]

It was perfect timing when I got the email from Rhonda at The River Food Pantry. I used to volunteer there since it opened 15 years ago, but lately my back issues prevent me from helping those who need our help in person. That is why Rhonda’s email was perfect timing because it reminded me (and you in turn) that we CAN help those in need by helping The River help them! Donations to the River are certainly needed as they are serving more people than ever before.  If you can’t help in person (by volunteering), please consider joining me to help them using their new monthly donation program. But this needn’t be an “Either Or” choice … it can be “Both And” because you can both volunteer AND donate (which is what I did for a decade). And I know that The River is truly grateful in all cases!

Let’s start the new year being grateful and generous ourselves. Let’s start with a little less for us and a little more for someone else. Let’s start the new year acknowledging what Jesus told his followers, when they wondered why he said that they had helped him when he was hungry (after all, they may never have even met him!). Here is what they said … and how Jesus replied:

Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food?…
I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother or sister hungry or cold, whatever you did to the least of these, so you did to Me.
(Gospel of Matthew 25:37-40)

So … let’s help our neighbors who need our help. And just in case you are wondering just how much help that really amounts to … take a look back at the summary for last year:

2023 UPDATE:

Oh … in case you forgot … this is the impact that The River Food Pantry made right here with our neighbors in Dane County! Remember! We can help others!

If you are wondering how you can donate … There are many ways (and it is NOT hard to do). Just go to their SUPPORT webpage (how you can support them) and it will provide you with options!

=> www.riverfoodpantry.org/ways-to-support/ 

This webpage provides four ways to support the River:

  1. FOOD (info on donating food to the River)
  2. FUNDS (info on different ways to donate financially, including automated donations)
  3. COMMUNITY PARTNER (Foundations and Corporate Sponsors)
  4. ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES (annual sponsorship package)

They have a link that gives monetary donation options:

=> www.riverfoodpantry.org/donate

This link is the same as when you click the orange-red DONATE button in the top right corner of their website and takes you to a page to donate online as a one time gift or a recurring, automated monthly gift.Currently online donations are being processed via QGIV.COM, which was founded in 2007 (over 15 years ago) to help fulfill a passion to make a difference. It makes it easy for a non-profit organization to accept online donations and payments. That’s how you can automatically be helping The River each and every month. And, yes, you can turn off this automation at any time, but hopefully try it for at least a year!

Note: by default they are ADDING ~3% to your donation amount to cover the transaction fees. You can click on the check mark to disable that added fee if you don’t want your donation amount increased (I turned it off for mine because I wanted it to be a specific amount, but you might really like this feature … just be sure it is set the way you want it). 

And finally … VOLUNTEER! There is a wide range and variety of volunteer opportunities that let you support and help the River! It often takes 40 volunteers in one day to keep things going at the River!

=> www.riverfoodpantry.org/volunteer/