About St Marys Food Bank Alliance
St. Marys Food Bank serves to alleviate hunger through the gathering and distribution of food while encouraging self-sufficiency, collaboration, advocacy and education.
St. Marys Food Bank is truly a community-based organization. Individual donors, corporate donors, and private grants help feed hungry individuals and families in our area. Serving 9 of Arizonas 15 counties, we are committed to volunteerism, building community relationships and improving the quality of life for Arizonans in need.
What Can People Do To Help The Food Bank Donate Time Money And Food
Volunteers. Again, were serving 1,000 families a day. That means we need a box of food for 4,000 people a day. This is why volunteers are very important. We have two volunteer shifts a day. One starts at 9 a.m. and one starts at 1 p.m. they last about 90 minutes, and you will box hundreds, if not thousands, of emergency food boxes.
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The Working Poor Tax Credit
History lesson: the tax credit for gifts to Qualifying Charitable Organizations dates back to 1998, and used to be called the Working Poor Tax Credit. In the tax year 2012, this credit was expanded to include certified charitable organizations that provide immediate basic needs to Arizona residents who receive temporary assistance under benefits for needy families, are low income Arizonans or are children who have a chronic illness or physical disability, said Ed Greenberg, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Revenue. Now, this credit is part of the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit umbrella term that is used to describe the tax credits for gifts to both QCOs and QFCOs.
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Is The Government Still Assisting St Marys
We still have the National Guard here, and they are distributing food for us. In fact, they were building emergency food boxes this morning, because the number of volunteers it had picked up during the holidays but its now dropped down again during January, so we didnt have enough people to go through boxes. The guard was helping us out.
Weve also received financial assistance, both from the federal government and from the state of Arizona, to help us. One of the things that weve instituted with that money is a delivery service for our seniors. Our folks who cant leave the house are folks who are afraid to come to the food bank. They havent received their vaccinations yet, they want to make sure that they stay safe.
It was a $600,000 grant that was given by the state of Arizona, and weve been able to institute that. Weve jumped the number of people that we deliver food to from about 1,100 a month to about 4,000 a month, with an eye towards increasing that total until everyone gets vaccinated. This is a very dangerous time, especially for our seniors, and we want to make sure that theyre able to receive the food they need without risking themselves.
If you have somebody who can take you to the food bank, somebody who can pick up food for you, we would much rather use that ability. But if you have no other choice,we do have an option now where we can get the food to you.
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Public School Tax Credit
The Public School Tax Credit is a nonrefundable credit for cash contributions to Arizona public schools, including the direct payment of certain types of public school fees, which are outlined in the instructions for Arizona Form 322. This credit was created for individual taxpayers , who can donate to a public school so they can utilize that towards their extracurricular activities sports, art, music, according to Stefan Swiat of the Arizona Department of Education.
However, the scope of this tax credit has expanded, starting with 2019 tax year, according to Ed Greenberg of the Arizona Department of Revenue. He notes, For public schools, one change for this tax filing season is that an individuals contribution to a public school can now go to more than just extracurricular activities, such as acquiring certain capital items such as books and equipment, community school meal programs, student consumable health care supplies and playground equipment. This change is in effect until June 30, 2022.
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Community And Faith Groups
Clubs and groups are welcome to get involved, but because of workplace safety and liabilities and the small size of our warehouse, we cannot accommodate large groups or young children during regular morning hours of operation. No food sorting help is needed until after our Thanksgiving food drives email our manager at with your inquiry.
Atlantic Gold Donation Catches Food Bank Off Guard
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ST. MARYS Though publicly tagged to receive a multi-thousand-dollar donation from Atlantic Gold, St. Marys District Food Bank had no idea it was in line until The Journal left a message to that effect in its voice mail last week, says the charitys spokesperson.
The Halifax-based subsidiary of Australian mineral conglomerate St. Barbara Limited announced on Tuesday it was donating over $20,000 of food largely nonperishable, packaged staples to the Musquodoboit Valley Food Bank Society, the Gerald Hardy Memorial Society in Sheet Harbour, and the Sherbrooke-based St. Marys District Food Bank.
But while the companys film crews and camera operators were already assembling to document its giveaway in Sheet Harbour on Friday, St. Marys Food Bank representative and United Church Minister Derek Ellsworth said in an interview, Our board met yesterday, and nobody had heard anything regarding a donation. Im just talking about it now.
Pointedly, when interviewed just after the announcement, Atlantic Golds Communications Manager Dustin OLeary confirmed, as Sherbrooke and Sheet Harbour are close to those spots where we are permitting to operate in the future, we want to make sure that the donations are helping those who need it in those communities.
Perhaps, he speculated, the company wanted to keep the recent St. Marys news low-key, adding Maybe they thought we wouldnt have agreed to the .
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St Marys Food Bank Collecting Citrus Donations Through April
PHOENIX Got any extra oranges, grapefruits, tangerines or lemons? St. Marys Food Bank will gladly take them off your hands to help feed hungry families in the Valley.
The nonprofit has started accepting citrus donations at its food bank locations in Phoenix and Surprise through April 30.
Those who would like to donate their extra fruit can do so from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays in the bins marked for citrus outside both locations, according to a press release, or be offloaded from cars, trucks and trailers with help from employees of the nonprofit.
The food bank also said it is hosting drop-off opportunities on Saturdays in the citrus-rich locations of Sun City and Arcadia from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through the month of February.
St. Marys Food Bank will accept citrus donations in Arcadia on Feb. 5, 12 and 19 at Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ and on Feb. 5 and 12 in Sun City at Desert Garden United Church of Christ
More information about how to help can be found on the St. Marys Food Bank website.
Does St Marys Need More Volunteers
As youre well aware, the state of Arizona has one of the highest incidences of COVID in the country, if not the world. Again, the number of people that would come to the food bank started to tick up again. We did have a respite, during the summer June, July and August.
Were definitely 25 to 30% more than we had seen the previous year, but not on the same scale that we had seen through the spring months and allowed us to kind of catch our breath, and get ready for the next surge. Sure enough, that surge came during the holiday season. The good news is weve been able to provide food for every family that is struggling.
The reason that weve been able to do that is because the people of Phoenix and the people of Arizona have been so generous when it comes to the food bank understanding that this is something that they need to help with, understanding that there are people that they know, or people in their family, even, that need the food banks help right now. Theres a line of cars around the block at the food bank today.
Some people load their own food in designated parking spots at St. Marys Food Bank in west Phoenix.
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How The Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Shifts Control To Taxpayers
The Arizona Charitable Tax Credit gives taxpayers more choice in how their tax dollars are allocated. Consider the example of a single taxpayer who makes a $400 donation to an eligible Qualifying Charitable Organization, and a second $500 gift to a Qualifying Foster Care Charitable Organization. The taxpayer then claims the maximum allowable credit for these contributions , reducing their state tax liability, dollar-for-dollar.
This taxpayer has effectively redirected $900 of her State tax payment from the States general fund to the two charitable organizations of her choice. This is the underlying benefit of the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit it shifts control away from the State and gives individuals the power to determine which deserving organizations will receive tax revenue. Taxpayers themselves can direct tax dollars to charities whose services they believe provide the most value to their local communities.
This program grows in popularity each yearand for good reason. The impact on the community continues to increase between 2011 and 2016, twice the number of taxpayers in Arizona claimed the credit, awarding more than $34 million to qualifying charities.
Mountainside Fitness Commits $30k Donation To St Marys Food Bank This Holiday Season
With a commitment to health that goes far beyond the fitness center, Mountainside Fitness is teaming up with its members as it commits to donate at least $30,000 to St. Marys Food Bank.
Mountainside will donate 100% of all proceeds for one day, December 20th, 2021, which will include any sales within its café, pro shop, supplements, personal training, and new memberships. All of the 19 Valley-wide locations will work together to reach the goal of $30,000 in a single check to St. Marys Food Bank prior to the Christmas holiday.
Members and the community are encouraged to stop by Mountainside and make any type of purchase, as 100% of proceeds collected will be donated. This unprecedented event within the fitness industry will include day passes, annual memberships, new member sales, etc.
Mountainside has celebrated its 30th year anniversary for the past year of 2021, and looks to end the year with one last celebration as it teams up with its members to make a difference within the community.
With the increased costs of commodities and donations falling short, Arizonas largest locally owned fitness center says St. Marys Food Bank is the most logical way to give back and stretch every donation dollar.
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What Was That Experience Like
I dont really know how to explain or describe it. Literally everything weve had to do at the food bank underwent an entire transformation. We couldnt do everything, anything the way that we had done it before, we had to add all kinds of safety protocols.
We had to get food to people in different areas. We went from distributing the food at the food bank to distributing them in the parking lots of sports stadiums. And expanding our mobile pantries just to try to get food out to folks who need it. The amount of people that came to the food bank tripled in just 30 days.
About March of last year, we were seeing about 600 people across the street a day at our main location. We have hundreds of them across the Valley in this one particular location that jumped to 1,500 people in just a few weeks. We had to really pull together.
At the same time that we did, the volunteers that we rely on to help us distribute that food almost disappeared from folks who are afraid to come and people who were part of companies or part of conventions that werent coming to Arizona anymore. We had to come up with an entirely new way to distribute that food. This is done through walkups, drive-thrus and food delivery.
National Guardsmen load the bed of a truck with supplies from St. Marys Food Bank in west Phoenix.
Wood/patel Raises Food Donation For St Marys Food Bank Alliance
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Wood/Patel Raises Food Donation for St. Marys Food Bank Alliance
Wood/Patel raised over 4,180 pounds of food, diapers, and home goods for St. Marys Food Bank Alliance in addition to our biweekly monetary donations. If you would like to get in the charitable holiday spirit, visit St. Marys and qualify for a state charitable tax credit for up to $800!
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How Would You Describe The Past Year
The impact in the community and the need for food has skyrocketed here in Arizona.
Weve been around for 53 years, and we have never seen a year like 2020 when it comes to the amount of food that we distributed and the ways that we have had to come up with to distribute that food. We averaged 10 million pounds a month distributed.
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What Is A Qualifying Charitable Organization
The Arizona Department of Revenue defines Qualifying Charitable Organizations as those that provide immediate basic needs to residents of Arizona who receive temporary assistance for needy families benefits, are low income residents of Arizona, or are children who have a chronic illness or physical disability. QCO organizations are also required to spend at least half of their annual budgets on qualified services for qualified Arizona residents, according to ADOR.
Lets clarify a couple of these QCO requirements.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
First, TANF is a federal program that provides grant money to states. The program has a variety of goals, and income eligibility for TANF is determined at the state level. States utilize the federal governments grant funding, often in the form in direct cash assistance, in order to help needy families meet basic needs.
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How Your Money Is Used
Giving to AzFBN is effective!
Because we work with economies of scale your financial gifts to AzFBN go a long way. Because we deal with semi tractor-trailer loads of food, a little goes a long way! Of course your donations support hunger fighting programs, too, as we work toward a vision of a hunger free Arizona.
How Does The Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Work
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St Marys Food Bank Alliance
- EIN: 23-7353532
- Food Banks, Food Pantries
- Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501 Defined as: Organizations for any of the following purposes: religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition , or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.
- Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
- More Resources:
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Additional Arizona State Tax Credits That You Need To Know About
The state of Arizona offers additional state tax credits that allow taxpayers to contribute to a variety of charitable organizations and specify how a portion of their tax dollars are allocated. Note that these tax credits are independent, so taxpayers can take advantage of multiple tax credits on the same tax return.
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La Despensa De Alimentos De Iglesia Santa Mara
Sadly, there is a high number of people in our city that require food assistance. We are regularly serving over 100 families a month.
All are welcome at the food pantry at St. Mary Church, which is open on the first & third Mondays of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. and on the first & third Wednesdays of each month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. A name, address and phone number are asked of everyone who comes for help.
If a person needs food assistance when our food pantry is closed, please contact our parish office, 423 First St. NW, tel. 616.459.7390, to see if we are able to assist you.
Lack Of Consistent Access To Adequate Food Is A Problem 2 Million Arizonans Are Faced With Every Year 1 In 4 Children 1 In 5 Arizonians And 1 In 7 Seniors Live In Poverty
In Arizona, nearly 30% of our neighbors are considered working poor, living on wages that barely cover housing and other basic necessities. With little money to spare for food, many in our community friends,family, coworkers often go without food for meals at a time and have no other choice than to purchase the cheapest, sometimes expired, groceries to feed themselves and their families.
Poverty is a very real problem for Arizonans, but together we can find a way to ease the burden on our hungry neighbors. Help us work towards ending hunger in our community.
Camelback Subaru needs your help to become a Camelback Difference Maker with us. So far weve donated 98,094 meals to St. Marys Food Bank through Feeding America. We dont want the donations to stop there.
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