MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Food for All : Charity at the Checkstand

Linda and Milan Hamilton of Redlands, believing that their personal food donations weren’t making a dent in the chronic hunger that besets poor people in Southern California, sought another approach. Inspired by a local utility company’s program allowing customers to add a little bit to their bill to help pay gas bills for low-income customers, they founded Food For All.

Contributions are collected from supermarket shoppers who “purchase” donation cards for $1, $2 or $5 at the grocery checkout line. Checkers ring up the bar-coded cards as they do any other item, simply adding the tax-deductible donation amount to the grocery bill. Grocers forward the proceeds to Food For All. Funding decisions are made by Food For All volunteers, who evaluate programs in their community and allocate the donations.

“Food For All’s approach fits into my philosophy about providing for our children, families and neighbors who suffer from the effects of hunger.” says Ruth Siegrist, a donor and volunteer at two grocery stores in Huntington Beach. “Most of the money--90% of checkstand donations--goes directly to hunger prevention programs. It’s an easy, reliable, inexpensive and effective way to give back to a community.”

Since starting with 20 Southern California stores in 1987, the program has grown to include 1,328 supermarkets in California, Nevada and three New England states and has raised nearly $6 million.

HOW IT WORKS

Stores: Participating stores agree to set aside space for display racks, collect and forward donations to Food For All each month.

Ambassadors: More than 400 volunteer “ambassadors” work with store staff to keep cards stocked and tidy up racks.

Local Advisors : Volunteers from 11 local Food For All advisory boards evaluate applicants for funding through on-site visits and interviews. National and international grants are awarded by another volunteer board whose members have expertise in world hunger issues.

Recipients: Priority is given to organizations such as food cooperatives and community gardens that help people to become self-sufficient and have a history of community support. Average grants are $5,000 but may be as large as $15,000.

Where Funds Go

More than 820 grants have been awarded by Food For All. Recipients include:

NUEVO MARAVILLA: $15,000 to a public housing project of 5,000 residents in East Los Angeles

Results: Used grant to purchase a truck for a resident-operated food pantry, organize and train four teams of volunteers to staff the pantry, establish a parenting classes and start a community newsletter including nutrition and food programs information.

SHARE: $3,000 to a community organization in Richmond, California

Results: Established program that distributes monthly food packages to poor families who participate in volunteer community service.

Southern California Interfaith Hunger Coalition: $1,243 to a hunger advocacy group in Los Angeles

Results: Identified 150 schools with about 75,000 children who do not receive federally subsidized breakfasts but who are eligible to do so.

TO GET INVOLVED: Call (909) 792-6638.