Give me just one good reason…

7% of the members of households are elderly. 41% of the members of households served by the West Ohio Food Bank are children under 18 years old. 42% of households include at least one employed adult. 76% have incomes below the official federal poverty level.

35% had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care. 44% of clients served report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel. 45% had to choose between paying for food and paying for gas for a car

36% of households served by the West Ohio Food Bank report having at least one household member in poor health.

Almost 17% of the people in our 11 county are classified as Food Insecure. This represents 86,330 individuals. Have you ever been hungry and not known where your next meal will come from?

Give me one more good reason….

Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 This law encourages the donation of grocery and personal care items to non-profit food banks.

It protects donors from liability when donating in good faith to a non-profit organization. It protects donors from civil and criminal liability should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the needy recipient. It standardizes donor liability in all 50 states. It sets a liability floor of gross negligence" or intentional misconduct for persons who donate grocery products.

Internal Revenue Service Section 170 (e) (3) encourages the donation of food, grocery and certain personal care items and offers a benefit to those businesses who participate. Always consult your tax professional.

Companies can take a deduction equal to the items cost plus up to 50% of normal markup within IRS limits. Example Selling Price $4.00 Cost $1.00 Gross Profit $3.00 ½ of the GP = $1.50 Total Deduction $2.00 Deduction can not exceed twice the items cost.

Every pound of food that you put into the dumpster negatively effects your bottom line. Every pound of groceries you donate to the West Ohio Food Bank has a positive effect on your bottom line.

Whole Fresh produce without significant decay. Cut fresh produce packaged separately in food grade packaging. Prepared foods chilled to 41 degrees F maximum that have not been served or placed on a buffet. Chilled Perishable packaged foods such as juice and cheese in their original packaging. Meat, Poultry, Fish chilled to 41 degrees or frozen. Dairy products at 41 degrees maximum to the expiration date. Shelled eggs Frozen foods in original packaging. Baked Goods ( day-old bread, bagels, other bakery items.) Canned and packaged goods in original packaging.

Close to Code Out of Code with extended use by dates Seasonal Promotional Mislabeled Unlabeled Off Spec Overage or Overruns Discontinued Partial Cases Bulk Ingredients

Foods that have been served or put on a buffet. Foods that have been previously heated. Foods that have been stored in the Danger temperature zone for more than 2 hours. Foods with damaged or compromised packaging, resulting in the loss of a sanitary barrier protection. Any food containing alcohol. Produce with significant decay. Frozen foods with severe freezer burn. Sushi or any seafood intended for raw consumption. Open, punctured, bulging, or seriously damaged canned goods. Home canned or home jarred products.

…that strange intangible that helps some businesses thrive while others struggle to survive. While no one is asking you to be your brothers keeper….it never hurts to be your brothers helper.

One good reason? Help those less fortunate. Growing need in the community. Good Samaritan protection Favorable tax treatment Reduce refuge costs. Great goodwill in the community.

Do you need one more good reason….

Someone you may know is relying on food assistance