Nearly one in 11 Minnesotans struggle with hunger or are food insecure, and coming out of the COVID pandemic, many are still fighting poverty to feed their families. Over the hard times of the past two years, Minnesota food safety managers stepped up to help fill that void by donating surplus supplies, ingredients and meals to local food banks and charitable meal providers, but now that we’re entering the post-COVID holiday season we should be aware that the hunger problem hasn’t dissipated with the pandemic, and Minnesota food businesses can still play a vital role in helping struggling families enjoy the holiday season. We’ve assembled a list of donation resources for food safety managers who want to help local families in need.
Donation Resources For Food Safety Managers That Can Help Struggling Families Put Food On The Table During The Holidays
There are many reasons for food safety managers to consider donating surplus or ordering and preparing extra holiday dinners to donate during the holidays. Some include:
- Tax deductions
- Waste reduction
- Business promotion
- Becoming a vital part of the community
While charity doesn’t always include a business bonus, sometimes helping your community can help reduce your taxes. Food businesses that donate food are eligible for a tax deduction. A tax deduction up to twice the cost of purchasing the product donated can be written off come tax time. This includes surplus as well as food brought in with the intention of donation.
Donating surplus over the holidays will not only feed struggling members of your community, it will also reduce waste and help keep your food cost in check. Nearly one-third of product brought into food businesses is wasted, so donating excess can go to help your neighbors rather than the dumpster.
Finally, businesses can donate anonymously, but often times charities will give credit to donors. When your food business donates meals, ingredients or other items during the holidays, your community will inevitably hear about it. When your business is known for charity, you may attract customers who may have never frequented your business if they didn’t know you were a vital part of the community during the holiday season.
Here’s a brief list of donation resources on how food safety managers can donate during the holidays. Many local municipalities have organizations and charities focused on your local communities, so feel free to reach out to local charities not listed here:
Do you have plans to donate product to charity this holiday season? Do you know of other donation resources food safety managers can use to distribute food to the community?
