Featured Match Day participant:
Hancock County Food Pantry
President, Board of Directors: Tom Ferguson
Mission:
Hancock County Food Pantry secures and distributes food to the needy in an effort to alleviate hunger in Hancock County.
Organization highlights:
•The Hancock County Food Pantry distributed nearly $1 million worth of food and personal hygiene products in 2014 and served 660 households monthly. Sixty-two percent of those households served during the year were served three times or fewer, suggesting the Hancock County Food Pantry functioned as a stop-gap measure for those with food insecurity because of temporary unemployment or temporary financial insecurity.
•Because the Hancock County Food Pantry is staffed completely by volunteers, 100 percent of all donations go to the purchase of food and hygiene products and building operating expenses.
•Thirty-two percent of individuals served per month in 2014 were children up to and including age 17. The Summer Children’s Food Program, Gleaners BackSack Program and the Junior/Senior High Weekend Meal Program at Eastern Hancock High School address the needs of school-aged children.
•Eight percent of individuals served per month in 2014 were over the age of 65. Because these individuals often must make a choice to either purchase food or medicines with their limited funds, the monthly Gleaners Mobile Food Pantry and Senior Mobile Food Pantry trucks address the food insecurity of seniors.
Match Day funding plans:
The grant that Hancock County Food Pantry receives for immediate use will be applied to programming for youth and elderly in the community who face food insecurity. Specifically, pantry volunteers would like to see the weekend BackSack program be expanded to serve all schools of Hancock County.
The grant to grow the endowment plays a key role in Hancock County Food Pantry’s ability to carry out the mission for generations to come. Because the principal of the endowment remains untouched for all time, the investment income from the fund provides an ongoing stream of revenue to support the organization’s day-to-day operations and services now and into the future.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About Match Day ” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Match Day, sponsored by the Hancock County Community Foundation, is a day-long fundraising event benefiting 12 local nonprofits. Between now and July 24 (Match Day), we’ll feature these nonprofits and highlight their offerings in the community.
Donations made on Match Day, July 24, will be matched two ways:
1) Every community gift received during the 24-hour period will be matched by funds from a community foundation pool of $80,000, which will go toward the organizations’ immediate needs. How much of that pool is received is proportional to how much the organization raises on Match Day.
2) All community gifts will also be endowed and matched 50 cents on the dollar, up to $7,500 per organization, from a $90,000 grant pool from the Lilly Endowment. This means each organization’s goal is to raise $15,000 in order to receive the entire $7,500 match.
All Match Day contributions must be made on July 24 in order to be counted as part of the campaign. Individuals may make online contributions at giveHCgrowHC.org. They can make a gift by cash, check (dated July 24) or credit card at the foundation office or by phone. Gifts via mail will be accepted only if postmarked July 24.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About the Hancock County Community Foundation ” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The Hancock County Community Foundation works with individuals, families and organizations to create or grow existing permanent funds called endowments. These funds generate income that is distributed in the form of grants and scholarships to enrich and enhance life in Hancock County, as well as support the donor’s favorite charitable causes, both at home and afar, forever. The foundation has granted more than $10 million since its inception in 1992.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
