PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale’s South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES) food and shelter program is seeking individuals, groups, churches, organizations and schools to participate in the 16th Annual Feinstein Challenge, which will provide matching funds to various charitable organizations.
For the 16th consecutive year, Alan Shawn Feinstein, through the Feinstein Foundation, will divide $1 million among non-profit hunger fighting agencies nationwide using it as a spur to help them raise funds this March and April.
“How the Feinstein Challenge works is that the more food and cash donations SAVES receives during the months of March and April, the more matching funds we can receive from the Feinstein Foundation,” said SAVES Coordinator Patricia Morales. “For every dollar we raise and every pound of food, the Feinstein Foundation will match it with a dollar, up to $30,000. This provides a great opportunity and motive to partner with local groups and individuals to raise much needed food and money so we may assist the families who need our services.”
Residents are encouraged to participate in the drive by bringing non-perishable food items to SAVES, located at 1002 East Ave. Q-12 in Palmdale, formerly the Palmdale Senior Center. Tax deductible donations may be made to SAVES through the Palmdale Community Foundation (Tax ID #95-4669404.)
“If you or your group is interested in participating in the Feinstein Food Challenge to help SAVES, please call us at 661-267-5191 and we’ll be glad to work with you,” added Morales.
Feinstein Challenge collection points will also be set up at the Antelope Valley Mall, Sam’s Club, and branches of US Bank and Chase Bank.
Founded in 1991 by Alan Shawn Feinstein, the Feinstein Foundation is dedicated to the alleviation of hunger, the importance of community service in education and the values of caring, compassion and brotherhood. Feinstein’s past annual spring $1 million challenges to fight hunger have raised over $1.50 Billion for over 1,800 agencies and houses of worship nationwide helping the needy.
The City of Palmdale’s SAVES program has been successfully providing a practical and caring approach to serving people in need since 1983. During the 2010/2011 fiscal year, SAVES was able to provide 70,728 meals to families, 25,977 meals to seniors, 8,990 units of bread and bakery, and 112 motel nights to displaced families and emancipated youths. In addition, during the 2012 Holiday season, SAVES provided 350 Thanksgiving baskets, 246 holiday baskets and over 300 toys to children.
The City also sponsored a “50,000 Pounds @50 Years” food drive in 2012 which raised a whopping 56,258 pounds of food for SAVES.
For more information, contact SAVES Monday through Thursday, 7:30 – 6 pm at 661-267-5191. For more information on the Feinstein Food Challenge, visit www.feinsteinfoundation.org.
(Information via press release from the city of Palmdale.)
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