Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce; challah bread and potato latkes; eggnog and Christmas cookies… if there is a unifying way to celebrate the holiday season, one likely leading candidate is gathering with loved ones around tables laden with delicious food. 

But in a season defined by food excess, the year-round problem of food insecurity becomes even more stark. While some people go back for second and third helpings, others go hungry. In 2023, 13.5% of US households were food insecure, meaning these households were not certain of having or unable to acquire enough food to meet the needs of all their members (USDA Economic Research Service). 

As housing costs increase and prices for food and basic necessities remain high, millions of Americans are one medical emergency or lost job away from not having sufficient resources to pay for regular meals or reliable shelter. Feeding America, a nationwide network of food programs and advocates, estimates more than 50 million people received charitable food assistance sometime in 2023. 

We’re proud to share a few nonprofits with food assistance programs that help food insecure households and people experiencing homelessness get the sustenance they need throughout the year. 

The nonprofits

Bread & Roses Inc.

This organization’s mission is to address the core necessities of community members with a holistic and welcoming approach focusing on food insecurity and promoting self-empowerment. Bread & Roses was founded in 1980 by a group of individuals who saw the growing need for a community food effort in Lawrence, Massachusetts. From humble beginnings, the organization has grown into a robust community network that assists thousands. Bread & Roses meets people where they are, especially those facing other agency limitations. For example, 60% of its patrons do not qualify for SNAP benefits for various reasons. 

Bread & Roses uses a Give Lively-powered Branded Donation Widget on its website and a Campaign Page for the It’s more than just food annual appeal in 2024.

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St. Peter’s Haven

This organization’s mission is to provide food and shelter to families and individuals in need, prevent homelessness and its recurrence, and offer stability to families during times of crisis. Established in 1986 as a ministry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Clifton, New Jersey, Saint Peter’s Haven focuses on supplemental food assistance, transitional housing and casework services. 

In addition to the food pantry, which currently serves over 2,600 individuals each month, St. Peter’s Haven also runs special programs that go beyond daily food allotment, such as a turkey with all the fixings for Thanksgiving, gifts for children and teenagers during the holiday season and warm coats, hats, gloves and scarves in the winter.

St. Peter’s Haven links to a Give Lively-powered Core Profile page to collect donations through its website. It also used a Campaign Page, Bloomin' 5K Sponsorship 2024, to solicit corporate donations in support of its annual 5k run/1 mile walk. 

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Operation Dignity

This organization’s mission is to create pathways to health and housing for the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in Alameda County, California, with a special focus on veterans and people living in encampments. Operation Dignity helps participants reach their housing goals through a continuum of service from comprehensive street outreach and shelter to permanent supportive housing. The Mobile Street Outreach program assists people who are homeless with basic needs, providing bagged lunches and snacks, bottles of water, hygiene kits, rain gear and other supplies they need to stay as safe and healthy as possible. In 2023, Operation Dignity distributed more than 25,000 such supplies to hundreds of people in Oakland.

Operation Dignity uses a Give Lively-powered Simple Donation Widget on its website.

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Appetite for Change

This nonprofit uses food as a tool to build health, wealth and social change in North Minneapolis, Minnesota. Appetite for Change (AFC) brings people together to learn, cook, eat and grow food, creating change that lasts. Food is a key ingredient to nourishing well-being, but systemic barriers in North Minneapolis make fresh food access a challenge for many. AFC’s programs aim to create health equity and eliminate health disparities in North Minneapolis as a model for engaging and elevating all Black communities. AFC's flagship program, launched in 2011 guides participants to prepare and eat healthy meals together, learn about nutrition and engage in group discussions regarding social change. This program offers youth, community members and new or expecting mothers a space to explore new ingredients and nutritious recipes.

Appetite for Change uses a Give Lively-powered Branded Donation Widget on its website.