For decades, Elisabeth and Richard Waugaman had been longtime hunger-relief champions, supporting local food banks near their home in Potomac, Maryland. Driven to amplify their impact, the Waugamans sought ways to help people facing food insecurity beyond their region. That’s when Elisabeth and Richard turned their focus to supporting Feeding America.
“We have long been impressed by the stellar work done by Feeding America,” Richard said. “We have donated to local food banks for decades, but we wanted to help people facing hunger nationwide.”
Members of Feeding America’s van Hengel Society*, the Waugamans said there are several reasons they choose to support Feeding America, including the strategic and efficient stewardship of donor support—98.5% of contributions go directly to programs that serve people facing hunger—and our strong partnerships with corporations and organizations committed to ending hunger in our country.
To deepen their commitment to helping neighbors facing hunger in communities across the U.S., the Waugamans have elected to give by opening charitable gift annuities with Feeding America. This gift option can provide donors a variety of tax benefits, including a federal income tax charitable deduction and income for life of the annuitant and/or other named beneficiary.
“We decided that a charitable gift annuity is a win/win choice for anyone like us nearing retirement … it gives us peace of mind,” Elisabeth said. “Charitable gift annuities can have significant tax benefits, along with annuity income. If we don’t need the annuity income, we will donate it to charity.”
Richard added: “Most important, it is a way to help support the millions of people in America facing food insecurity who turn to the Feeding America food bank network for the meals they need.”
*The van Hengel Society is named for John van Hengel, the founder of the modern food bank movement, and honors individuals who make legacy gifts, including bequests and charitable gift annuities, in support of Feeding America.