Ways to Give


 

We are here because of you!

Since 1988, Food For Thought has existed because of the energy of our dedicated volunteers and the financial support of our generous sponsors and donors. When you donate to us, you can have confidence that your money will be used for the purpose intended: helping to feed thousands of men, women, and children in Sonoma County with HIV, COVID-19 and other serious medical conditions.

For this reason, Food For Thought has received top ratings from Charity Navigator, Guidestar and the Better Business Bureau.

We are a non-profit 501c(3) corporation. Our Federal Tax ID is 68-0181095.

 

Make an Online Donation

You can easily make a gift to Food For Thought using our online donation tool. As a nonprofit, we depend on gifts from people just like you, which enables us to provide life-saving nutrition services, such as meal deliveries and dietary counseling, to thousands of Sonoma County neighbors living with serious medical conditions.

Monthly Giving—Become a GEM

Our GEMs (Give Each Month) provide a steady monthly source of support to Food For Thought, helping us provide comprehensive nutrition services and medically-tailored groceries and meals to thousands of Sonoma County residents.

 

In-Kind Donations

In-kind donations such as food and essential new kitchen appliances like microwaves or blenders can be donated for FFT’s clients. Your generous contributions help us nourish and empower communities in need. To learn more contact our Food Drive and In Kind Donations Manager, Amanda, at AmandaW@FFTfoodbank.org.

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Matching Gifts

You may be able to double your impact to Food For Thought! Many companies have corporate giving programs to match charitable contributions made by their employees. Click here to see if your donation is eligible for an employer match!

 

Major Gifts

Major donations of over $1,000 are vital to Food For Thought. These funds significantly bolster our ability to serve those living with serious medical conditions, allowing us to expand, enhance quality, and respond swiftly to challenges. Such substantial support doesn’t just cover costs; it inspires others to give, amplifying our impact in fighting hunger with nutritious food.

Or send checks to:

Food For Thought
6550 Railroad Ave.
Foresville, CA 95436

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IRA Contributions

If you’re 70½ years-old or over, you can use your IRA to make a tax-free gift to Food For Thought.

  • Transfer any amount up to $100,000 per year directly to FFT.
  • Your gift is excluded from your adjusted gross income and you pay no income tax on the distribution.

Once you turn 70.5 years-old, you can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution. Learn more.

 

Gifts of Appreciated Stock

When you gift appreciated stock, you:

  • Avoid paying capital gains tax while receiving a charitable tax deduction
  • Maximize your donation’s effectiveness

Through generous donations of appreciated stock, you become a vital part of our donor community. Click below to learn more. Please email donations@fftfoodbank.org when you have gifted stock.

Stocks & Bonds Gifting Details

Food For Thought accepts gifts of securities, including donated shares of both publicly and privately held corporations, stock options and shares of mutual funds.

To make a stock gift, notify your broker that you wish to transfer securities into Food For Thought’s brokerage account at Charles Schwab. You will need to give your broker the following information:

Account Name: Food For Thought

PO Box 1608
Forestville, CA 95436

Account Number: 3247-1618
DTC Number: 0164
Tax ID: 68-0181095

If you have questions or to let us know that you have initiated a stock gift to FFT, please notify Elana Nelson, Development Coordinator, at (707) 887-1647 ext. 117 or ElanaN@FFTfoodbank.org.

Leave a Legacy

There are several ways to create your legacy with Food For Thought — including gifts that cost nothing to make now, gifts that pay income, gifts that reduce taxes, and gifts that benefit heirs. Regardless of your age, you can give from your IRA by naming Food For Thought as a beneficiary of your account. This gift costs you nothing today, and you retain complete control over your account during your lifetime. Click the legacy giving options below to learn more.

 

Additional Legacy Giving Options

A gift in your will or trust

Making a gift to FFT in your will or living trust is easy to arrange and costs nothing to make now. Your gift is revocable and remains under your control during your life. You can leave a specific property, a dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to FFT.

Sample Bequest Language

The most common way people remember Food For Thought in a will or living trust is through a charitable bequest. You do not have to rewrite your current documents. You simply add an amendment, called a codicil, to your will or living trust. Here is some suggested language you can have your attorney review:

“I give, devise and bequeath to Food For Thought (tax I.D. #68-0181095), located in Forestville, California, the sum of _________________ dollars ($ _______________) (Or state a percentage of your estate, or describe real or personal property, including exact location) for the benefit of its general purposes (or specify the Food For Thought program you wish to support).”

Your bequest is entirely under your control during life and becomes irrevocable only at death. If you have questions about bequests, contact contact Mark Green, Development Director, at (707) 887-1647 x 102 or markg@fftfoodbank.org.

Upon completing your bequest, we will be honored to enroll you in Food For Thought’s Legacy Circle. Please let us know of your bequest by contacting Mark Green.

A gift of retirement plan assets

Distributions from tax-deferred retirement plans, like IRAs, are taxable to owners during life ­— and to heirs when inherited. This means that inherited IRAs can become a tax liability for children and loved ones. When used to make a charitable gift to FFT, however, retirement plan assets are transferred tax-free. By naming FFT as a full or partial beneficiary of your retirement plan and leaving other, less tax-vulnerable assets to your heirs, you can reduce or eliminate taxes for your heirs while knowing 100% of your gift to FFT will be used to provide healing nutrition and compassion to people affected by serious medical conditions in Sonoma County forever.

A gift of life insurance

Donating a life insurance policy you no longer need can be a powerful strategy to make a larger gift than you might otherwise afford, while receiving immediate tax benefits. Perhaps your grown children are financially independent and your other assets meet your retirement needs. Or maybe you have a policy your parents purchased for you years ago. If you assign and transfer ownership of a fully paid policy to FFT during life, you’ll receive a tax deduction for your gift. You can also make a gift of life insurance by designation. Simply request a beneficiary designation form from your life insurance company and name FFT as a full, partial or contingent beneficiary.

A gift from a Donor Advised Fund

In addition to recommending immediate or recurring grants to FFT from your donor advised fund (DAF), you can name FFT as the full or partial beneficiary of your fund — ensuring future support for FFT’s mission.

A charitable gift annuity, a gift that pays you

charitable gift annuity provides you with fixed, annual payments for as long as you live, an immediate income tax deduction and the satisfaction of making a generous gift to FFT. Gift annuities can supplement retirement income with no surprises. And, if you fund your gift annuity with long-term appreciated securities, you won’t owe capital gains tax on any associated gain.

charitable remainder trust allows you to bypass the capital gains tax on the sale of appreciated assets (like real estate and securities) and receive lifetime income, an immediate tax deduction — and the satisfaction of making a significant future gift to FFT.

A charitable lead trust

A charitable lead trust allows you to give trust income to FFT for a term of years after which trust assets are passed to non-charitable beneficiaries, often family members. For donors who want to ultimately pass assets they expect to appreciate to loved ones, but would like to provide FFT with significant current support, charitable lead trusts can be an excellent option. You decide which assets to transfer to a lead trust and the term of years during which FFT will receive trust income as a charitable gift.

 

For all giving questions please contact:

John Liang
Development Director
(707) 887-1647 ext. 102
JohnL@FFTfoodbank.org