A lot has changed since Carolyn and Stephen started giving to the Food Bank in 1995, but their commitment to making an impact — and Carolyn’s passion for smart financial giving — hasn’t wavered.
“I’m obsessed with learning about financial tactics and trends,” says Carolyn, a former financial professional with Wells Fargo and Charles Schwab.
This expertise drove her to ensure her donations had the greatest impact, and the Food Bank stood out as one of the most efficient ways to help.
“We feel like our dollars really make a difference here,” Carolyn says. “The Food Bank is one of the most efficient ways to get aid to people. With all the food given to the community, our contributions go even further. We were like, wow, this is even more than we thought in terms of efficiency and really giving directly to people who need help.”
After touring the Food Bank’s San Francisco location, Carolyn and her husband, Stephen, felt even more invested in its mission. And, when the pandemic hit, they wanted to do more than donate.
“I’m a high-energy person, and I wanted to help,” Carolyn says. “And there were so many people who needed it.”
Over the course of lockdown and social distancing, she and Stephen spent hundreds of volunteer hours packing bags of food to ensure that no one went hungry.
“The Food Bank is a great way to donate with your hands,” Stephen says. “It’s one of the few organizations where you can actually be on the ground with the people receiving services.” He loves that the Food Bank “encourages donors to be part of the action.”
Stephen and Carolyn are also inspired by how far their donations go at the Food Bank. Since only about 6% of food is directly purchased by the Food Bank, donated food provides most of the supply, allowing us to operate more efficiently.
Making Donations Go Further
Given her financial know-how, Carolyn knows a good deal when she sees one. That’s why she donates to the Food Bank in stock instead of cash.
“It’s good for the Food Bank, and it’s good for me too,” she says.
Donating stock lets you avoid capital gains taxes while still getting a full tax deduction for the total market value. That means the Food Bank gets more, and you save money.
An Easy Way to Make an Impact
Donating appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds is one of the smartest ways to give: it’s tax-efficient, fully deductible, and helps get more food to neighbors in need. And with the Food Bank’s online tool, making a stock donation takes less than five minutes.
For anyone feeling nervous about trying a new way to donate, Carolyn offers a reassuring message:
“If it sounds complicated, give it a try once,” she says, “and you’ll realize it’s really not that difficult.”
Share