Give a Meal
Team Challenge
Toolkit
TEAM CAPTAIN GUIDE
TEAM CHALLENGE
TEAM CHALLENGE
TEAM CHALLENGE
Welcome to Give A Meal Team Challenge!
We’re so glad that you have joined Give a Meal Team Challenge to help us fight
hunger in America.
Team Captains are the backbone of our program and play a vital role in the
fight against hunger by forming and leading fundraising teams. Recruit your
co-workers, friends, family members, and everyone you know to join your team.
Your team members can also help you reach your fundraising and recruitment
goals by asking their co-workers, friends, family members and acquaintances for
a donation or to join your team.
Every dollar you raise helps Feeding America provide meals to Americans struggling with hunger. To make your efforts as easy and fun as possible, we will be
there to help you every step of the way! This Team Captain toolkit can be used
as your step-by-step guide to reaching your Give A Meal Team Challenge goals.
Enclosed, you will find valuable materials filled with helpful information and
fundraising tips to build your team in the most effective (and fun) way possible.
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unger Fact Sheet – gives the basic details on hunger in America
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and Feeding America
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articipant Center Guide – tutorial on how to use your online
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fundraising center.
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ecruitment Tips – includes information on how to be a successful
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Team Captain
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Fundraising – includes tips on how to fundraise
Matching Gifts – find out if your company has a Matching Gifts Program
Contact us
If you have any questions or need additional support, the Give a Meal team
is here to help! Please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Contact Info:
Feeding America
35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 800-914-6307
Thank you for your leadership. Together, we can solve hunger in America.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
TEAM CHALLENGE
About Feeding America
How can 50 million people face hunger in a country that wastes billions of
pounds of food?
Here in America, there is more than enough food to feed every man, woman and
child, yet one in six people face hunger. As individuals, charities, businesses and
government, we all have a role to play in getting more food to people in need.
Together we can solve hunger.
The Feeding America network of food banks is leading the fight against hunger
in communities across the country.
How We Work
The Feeding America network secures and provides food to families struggling
with hunger; operates programs that promote self-sufficiency among the people
we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for
legislation that protects people from going hungry.
Many myths exist about the nature of domestic hunger and the people who
struggle to get enough to eat. The Feeding America network works every day to
educate the public about the facts about hunger.
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unger affects people you see every day—the cashier at the grocery store, a
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child in your son or daughter’s class, the senior down the street who requires
expensive medications.
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Hunger exists in every county and every congressional district in the nation.
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any people live one paycheck away from financial disaster. An unexpected
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illness, injury, car repair, or life change can put a self-sufficient person at risk
of hunger.
unger, which was once considered a problem for very low-wage earners, is
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now a problem for people from all walks of life.
Through the assistance of local and national food assistance programs, Feeding
America is able to provide nutritious, fresh foods to Americans struggling with
hunger; safe and nurturing places for children to have a meal; emergency assistance for disaster victims; as well as a chance at self-sufficiency for adults trying
to break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
Why do we fundraise?
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ore than 50 million Americans, including nearly 17 million children, are food
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insecure, meaning they live at risk of hunger.
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7 million Americans receive food and groceries from Feeding America each
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year, including nearly 14 million children and 3 million seniors.
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More than 1 in 5 children live at risk of hunger.
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1 in 7 Americans lives at or below the poverty level.
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1 in 8 Americans is currently served by Feeding America.
Getting Started
Step 1: Register online
Visit www.feedingamerica.org/Nielsen to register now if you have not already
done so. There is no fee to register or minimum fundraising goal to participate
but all participants are encouraged to raise funds. Once registered, you’ll have all
the online tools needed to start recruiting and fundraising!
Step 2: Recruit Your Team
The more participants on your team, the more money you will raise. As team
captain, we count on you to spread the word and encourage others to join you
in your efforts. Your team may consist of co-workers, family, friends etc. Set a
goal to recruit at least 10 team members!
Step 3: Fundraise
Set a fundraising goal for your team and keep team members updated on
the progress towards reaching the goal. The sky’s the limit with fundraising
activities—utilize the online Participant Center, host a vendor campaign or plan
a fun team event! Check out the “Fundraising Tips” section for more ideas.
Step 4: Build Team Spirit
Building camaraderie among your team members will help make the experience
more memorable. Be creative—choose the team name together, volunteer at your
local food bank or create team t-shirts, buttons or signs to post outside of your
office letting folks know you are participating in Give A Meal Team Challenge.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
Step 5: Thank team members for their hard work.
You can never thank folks enough. Consider writing handwritten thank you
notes or publically thanking your team members for helping raise meals for
those in need.
Become a Recruiting Pro!
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ake a list of 30 potential people to target as team members and follow up
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with them personally!
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Send an email to everyone in your address book
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Host an internal Kick-off to build excitement and recruit new members
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Use social media to share your participation and encourage new registrations
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Utilize your company newsletter, intranet, message boards or a staff meeting
Fast Tips for Fundraising
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et a Goal! Encourage team members to set a goal of raising $225, which
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will provide 675 meals. Share these easy steps and see how easy it is to reach
your goal!
1. Make a personal donation
$25/75 meals
2. Ask four family members to match your donation $100/300 meals
3. Ask friends on Facebook to donate $5/40 meals
$25/75 meals
4. Ask co-workers to donate $5/40 meals
$25/75 meals
5. Ask 5 friends to donate $10/80 meals
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$50/150 meals
Total $225/675 meals!
ake it a competition. Encourage team members to collect donations
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by creating incentives for top fundraisers or holding weekly contests.
For example, you could offer a paid vacation day, casual day, gift cards,
theater or sports tickets, parking spot, or lunch with you!
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TEAM CHALLENGE
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rogress Updates. Keep your team up-to-date on fundraising progress.
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Highlight any star fundraisers!
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ake it social! Take advantage of the great networks available through
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social media. Tell your story on Facebook, increase awareness on Twitter and
highlight your involvement on Linked In.
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hare your personal story. Send an email or letter asking people to make a
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donation or to join your team! Sample letters are available in your participant
center.
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atching Gifts can double your funds raised! Many companies have
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programs that will match employee donations. Contact your Human
Resource Department to find out if your company has a Matching Gift
Program and how it works.
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I nvolve suppliers/clients. Send a letter on company letterhead to your
suppliers/clients requesting their support. Many companies you support
through regular business relationships like to support causes that are
important to you and your company. Make sure to get permission from
your supervisor before sending!
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ost a Team Event! There are endless opportunities to turn your resources,
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skills and interests into big fundraising! Things like Dress Down Days, happy
hours and raffles are great ways to get everyone involved!
Team Captain Checklist
Week 1
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et your meal/fundraising goal. Aim high and remember every dollar raised
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provides 3 meals.
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Build your team webpage—Include photos and why you are raising funds!
Recruit, Recruit, Recruit!
Promote team in company newsletter, intranet or staff meeting.
Schedule a team Kick-off event.
Plan team fundraising events.
Share the link to your fundraising page on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In.
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Weeks 2-3
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nsure all team members are registered and encourage them to get started
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fundraising.
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ithin your participant center, create your own donation request emails or
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customize the templates with your reason for participating.
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Send donation requests to all of the contacts in your Address Book.
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Highlight team member success stories on your team page.
ind out if your employer offers a matching gifts and ask all donors if their
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company offers matching gifts.
Weeks 3-4
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In your participant center, send follow-up emails to anyone in your Address
Book who has not responded to your email donation request.
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Hold Team Fundraising Events.
Recognize any team success stories.
Hold fundraising competition or contests to keep excitement high!
Remember to thank individuals that have already donated to the campaign.
Weeks 4-5
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end a personal Thank You note or email to everyone that donated to your
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campaign. Announce your results and how many meals your fundraising
could provide.
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end a Thank You to all team members with results of team and company
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fundraising totals.
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Collect any outstanding donation and make one last check for matching gifts.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
Social Media Tips
Social media provides you with a quick and easy way to broadcast your participation in Give A Meal Team Challenge to your entire network. Use these sample
posts, cover photos and profile pics to help make your fundraising even easier!
General Best Practices:
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Always include a link back to your personal page.
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hen Tweeting, use the hash tag for your campaign #HungerAction and tag
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your company @nielsen
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Tag @FeedingAmerica in your Tweets!
Switch it up! Use photos and videos in addition to text.
Thank your donors publically on their social media pages or by tagging them.
Keep your networks updated on your progress.
ake sure that your tweets don’t exceed 140 characters (use the & sign,
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shorten your URL https://bitly.com/ , use contractions when possible and sub
number for words)
Facebook Best Practices and Sample Posts
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id you know there are more than 50 million people in America facing
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hunger? I’m doing my part to help by raising funds for Feeding America.
Donate today and help me reach my goal!
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I’m on a mission to make a BIG impact for Feeding America! Donate today and
help me raise big bucks to provide meals to American’s struggling with hunger.
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very $1 I raise will provide 3 meals for those facing hunger. Support me as
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I strive to raise $XXX.
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I’m excited to be participating in Give A Meal Team Challenge—and I could
use YOUR help. Please support my fundraising efforts today.
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I’m working hard to reach my fundraising goal of XXX for Give A Meal Team
Challenge. Donate today and help me reach my goal!
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I’m raising funds to fight hunger! 1 in 6 people in America are food insecure.
You can make a difference by supporting my Give A Meal Team Challenge
fundraising!
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ith 1 in 6 people in America fighting hunger, my purpose is clear—raise
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funds to feed America’s hungry. Join me in the fight!
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eeding America is striving to eradicate hunger in the U.S. Support me in my
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efforts in the Give A Meal Team Challenge Today!
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I’m raising funds for Feeding America in honor of {insert personal story}.
Support me today!
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y Give A Meal Team Challenge is halfway over and I’ve raised $XXX towards
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my goal. Don’t miss your chance to support my efforts!
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hank you to {Insert donor name} for your generous support of my fundraising
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for Feeding America. Your generous gift will help provide XX meals!
Sample Tweets
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I’m kicking off my fundraising efforts for @FeedingAmerica. Hunger impacts
people in every county in America. Please support my efforts!
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id you know there are more than 50 million people in America facing hunger?
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I’m doing my part to help…donate today and help me reach my goal!
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very $1 I raise will provide 3 meals for those facing hunger. Support me as
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I strive to raise $XXX.
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I’m excited to be participating in #HungerAction—and I could use YOUR help.
Please contribute to my fundraising efforts.
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I’m working hard to reach my fundraising goal of $XXX for #HungerAction.
Donate today and help me reach my goal!
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I’m raising funds to fight hunger! 1 in 6 people in America are food insecure.
Please support my fundraising efforts today!
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I’m on a mission to make a BIG impact for @FeedingAmerica! Donate today
and help me raise big bucks to fight hunger.
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ith 1 in 6 people in America fighting hunger, my purpose is clear—raise
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funds to feed America’s hungry. Join @FeedingAmerica in the fight!
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Feeding America is striving to eradicate hunger in the U.S. Support me in
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my efforts in the #HungerAction Team Challenge Today!
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I’m raising funds for @FeedingAmerica in honor of {insert personal story}.
Support me today!
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y #HungerAction Team Challenge is halfway over and I’ve raised $XXX
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towards my goal. Don’t miss your chance to support my efforts.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
Participant Center Team Captain Toolkit
Top navigation tabs allow you to customize
and send emails, check your fundraising
progress and personalize your personal and
team fundraising pages.
Homepage
Quickly import contacts!
You can import directly
from an excel document
or email account.
Use the “Email
Team” tab to
share important
messages and
updates with
your team!
Not sure what
your next step
is? This checklist
will keep you
on the path
to fundraising
success!
Need more
fundraising
ideas?
Download
these toolkits
to access the
latest tips
and tricks
to make
fundraising
a breeze!
Download this
form and submit
with any cash or
check donations
you have received.
Remember to
convert cash to
checks!
Give a Meal Team Challenge Toolkit | 1
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Participant Center Team Captain Toolkit
Email
Click here to help you compose
your message(s), view drafts
and import contacts.
Choose from one of our pre-written templates
to make sending emails even easier! There are
sample messages to recruit team members,
ask for donations, follow up and thank donors!
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Participant Center Team Captain Toolkit
Personal Page
Participants who customize their personal
page raise more than those who don’t!
Including your own photo and/or video is
a great way to make your page reflect you!
Once your page is customized, share it with
the world! Use these social share features to
spread the work to your social networks.
Click on “url settings” to customize your url that
you can share with friends and family.
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14 | Give a Meal Team Challenge Toolkit Team Captain Guide
Participant Center Team Captain Toolkit
TEAM CHALLENGE
Team Page
Click “edit” to change
your team name.
Once you have customized your team page, share
it with the world! Use these social share features to
spread the word with your social networks.
Click on “url settings” to customize your url that you can share with friends and family.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
Matching Gifts
Matching gifts can be a great way to double or even triple your fundraising
dollars for the Give A Meal Team Challenge. Remember, each dollar raised
means 3 meals to Americans struggling with hunger—so every dollar counts!
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable
contributions made by their employees. Your company may match your donation
as well as donations made by your co-workers if they also apply for matching
gifts. Some companies even match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses!
STEP 1: C
ontact your Human Resources or Benefits Department to find out if
your company has a Matching Gift Program.
STEP 2: Learn how your company’s Matching Gift Program works. Do they
match gifts made to health organizations? Does your company require
a minimum donation amount? Will they match 1:1? You could turn a
$25 donation into $50!
STEP 3: Find out how your company wants you to submit your matching gift.
Companies have various methods by which you can submit your
matching gift request: online forms, automated phone systems, or a
paper form that you submit to Feeding America when at the end of
the program.
STEP 4: Fill out your matching gift application and submit it to us online!
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rite your name in the top left-hand corner and include your name, company
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and location.
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urn in the form at the same time you mail in or turn in your donations on
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the day your program is completed so your matching gift(s) can be easily
tracked.
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PRINT & SEND DONATION FORM
TEAM CHALLENGE
Please mail your tax-deductible donation with this form to:
Feeding America
Attention: Philanthropy Operations Team
35 East Wacker, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60601
Campaign Name: Give A Meal Team Challenge Nielsen FY2014
Donor Information
Title: _______ First Name: _________________________________ Last Name: ___________________________________
Address Information
Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________________State: ___________ Zip Code: ______________________
Phone: _______________________ Fax: _______________________ Email: ____________________________________
Yes, I would like to receive online communications from Feeding America.
Gift Amount (please check one) $1 helps provide 3 meals.
$200
600 meals
$100
300 meals
$50
150 meals
$25
Other Amount: ____________________
75 meals
Payment Options
I have enclosed a check
I would like to charge my contribution
Card Type: ________________________________ Card Number: _______________________________________________
Card Exp (MM/YYYY): ____________________ Signature: ______________________________________________________
Thank you for your help
You will receive acknowledgment for tax purposes in the mail within two to four weeks.
©2012 Feeding America. All rights reserved.
Feeding America is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit recognized by the IRS.
Your donation to Feeding America benefits the Feeding America Network – the national office and local member food
banks across the country. This donation represents a gift to our entire mission. Feeding America national office will
distribute 65% of each donation and donor contact information to the local member food bank based upon the zip code
entered above. Gifts are not able to be further restricted. $1 helps provide 3 meals on average throughout the Feeding
America network of food banks. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more detailed
information please review our privacy policy located on www.FeedingAmerica.org.
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TEAM CHALLENGE
Contact Us
We are here to help. Please do not hesitate to contact
Feeding America if you need:
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Help getting started with your fundraising
Assistance with using the online tools
nything questions about food insecurity in your local
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community.
Send offline donation forms to:
Feeding America
Attention: Philanthropy Operations Team
35 East Wacker, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 800-914-6307