One Thing I've Always Wanted

One thing I've always wanted? A corporate charitable donation matching program.

Super sexy, right?

YES!

While I've never worked at a company with a corporate match program, I've seen the impact it can have. In 2017, I trained for 10 weeks to play in CaringKind's TackleALZ flag football game to raise money for Alzheimer's care and research (a cause close to my heart). Collectively, both teams raised a whopping $165k thanks to a lot of shameless asks, generous friends and family, AND corporate match programs.

So I'm here with a little year-end PSA for all those who might not be familiar with this often-overlooked benefit:

Look up if your company has a corporate matching program, and take advantage of those 2022 matching funds now!

corporate matching programs

Here's how corporate matching programs work:

• You donate $100

• Your company pitches in $100

• The charity of your choice gets $200

That's the super-simplified version, anyway (more of the nuts & bolts explained by Charity Navigator, here).

spotlight: The Hell's kitchen community cupboard

If you're on the hunt for a great cause to support, I'm excited to share that the Hell's Kitchen Community Cupboard is now eligible for corporate matching, through a partnership with Left Lovers LLC.

The Hell's Kitchen Community Cupboard is dear to my heart, so for everyone who donates $75+, I'm offering a free 45-minute coaching session (for yourself or to gift to someone of your choice).

How it works:

1. Donate to the HK Community Cupboard

   1. If you have a corporate match:

      1. Donate to Left Lovers LLC, EIN 81-5404809, San Jose, California, United States

      2. Make sure to put "Hells Kitchen Community Cupboard" in the "for" or "program" line in your company's system

      3. Follow any other steps your company requires (see this helpful Charity Navigator article for tips)

      4. Confirm with your company that the match was made!

   2. If you don't have a corporate match, you can donate directly via Venmo or CashApp (@hkfridge) or PayPal (hkcommunityfridge@gmail.com)

2. Send a copy of your receipt to stephanie@kwoktalk.com (by Friday, January 13)

3. I'll send you a link to schedule your free, 45-minute coaching session

The fine print: Donate & send your donation receipt by Friday, January 13 2023 to qualify. I'm offering a limited number of sessions, so while I'd like to offer coaching sessions to everyone, this will be first-come, first-serve if needed.

BONUS: Many companies have an annual limit, so you've still got (a little bit of ) time to take advantage of 2022 matching funds!

what is a community cupboard?

What is a Community Cupboard / Fridge?

It's like a Little Library, but for food!

Community Fridges usually sit outside on the sidewalk, in front of a host location (which can be a business or residence). They're maintained by the community, for the community. The motto is: "Take what you need, leave what you can." No questions asked, and no judgment. The origins of community fridges are traced to Europe in the early 2010s, and also draw inspiration from initiatives like the Black Panther Party's Free Breakfast program. In the U.S., community fridges proliferated during the pandemic with the increase in food need, and are an attempt to address both food insecurity and food waste (each year, more than 1/3 of food produced in the world goes to waste, and is responsible for ~10% of greenhouse gas emissions). Community fridges are grassroots and community-based, and aim to provide food support with respect and dignity.

Why am I - stephanie - supporting the Hell's Kitchen Community Cupboard?

I've called Hell's Kitchen (a neighborhood in New York City) home since 2015, and I co-founded the Hell's Kitchen Community Cupboard in August 2021. Each week, an amazing and dedicated group of 30+ volunteers rescues food from local businesses that otherwise would be trashed, and redirects it to neighbors. Community members throughout Hell's Kitchen also regularly donate food that they've purchased specifically for the Cupboard, or perfectly good food they have in their own cupboards at home that they know they won't use and will otherwise go in the trash. Community Fridges are volunteer-fueled and operate on modest, but critical, budgets comprised mostly of individual donations. These budgets are used for:

• Cleaning supplies to keep the Cupboard clean and hygienic

• Transportation for bulk food donations

• Weatherproofing supplies to protect the Cupboard during extreme cold and heat

• To purchase extra groceries when food is running low (a lot of regular food donors are closed/have limited supplies during the holidays - which is when there is often the greatest need)

Community Fridges are hyper-local, so if you want to get involved, chances are there's one in your area! Freedge.org has a worldwide map of community fridges here, as well as resources on how to start your own community fridge!

For more info on the Hell's Kitchen Community Fridge: check out our Instagram page or linktr.ee