WAYS TO DONATE
If you are blessed with the comforts of life and feel a need to help others who are less fortunate, a gift to the Seneca County House of Concern will help put food on the table and meet the basic needs of those that are going through difficult times.
Donations of food:
Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM, Tuesday & Thursday 10:00AM- 5:30PM and the first Saturday of every month 10:00AM-1:30PM.
Financial donations:
Donate by mail: Seneca County House of Concern, 22 Locust St., Waterloo, NY 13165.
Donate by credit card: Simply click on the donate button below
SECURITIES: By donating appreciated stocks, bonds and mutual fund shares that have been owned for than one year, donors can avoid capital gains tax. You will also receive an income tax deduction for the fair market value of the gift. A security’s gift value is determined by its fair market value on the day you make the gift. To make a gift of securities please call, or have your broker contact us.
LEVERAGE YOUR IRA: For IRA owners facing their annual required minimum distribution new rules provide a more tax efficient means to do charitable giving than simply taking the required minimum distribution and separately donating other money to claim a charitable tax deduction. Read more.
MEMORIAL FUND: If you are looking for a way to honor a loved one who has passed on, make a memorial contribution in that person’s name to the Seneca County House of Concern.
YOUR WILL: You also may want to remember the Seneca County House of Concern in your will.
LIFE INSURANCE: If you own an insurance policy that is no longer needed for its original purpose consider naming the Seneca County House of Concern as the owner and beneficiary. You could take an immediate tax deduction for the accumulated cash value, and a future deduction for any subsequent premiums you pay.
EVERY DOLLAR AND ITEM COUNTS:
Organize a food drive – Have your organization or church collect food or monetary donations.
Donate household items and shop in our Thrift Store. When you shop in our store you are not taking away from our clients, you are providing funding for us to continue our mission. Check out our HOC Thrift Store section for more information.
Attend our events and participate in our raffles. Check out our Events section for upcoming events.
A New Home for the House Campaign
None of us could have imagined all the changes in our lives that we would endure during this pandemic. Who would have predicted that almost 600,000 Americans would perish and that we would still be exercising such cautions well over a year from the first cases in January of 2020.
And who would have predicted that so many people would be unemployed and so many in need of the basics to sustain life? It was not long into 2020 when the numbers of people showing up at the House to ask for food and the long line of cars at our mobile food giveaways would more than double. Double! We went from serving 425 to 920 families monthly!
The Seneca County House of Concern and the people of this county came to the rescue. While the House was closed intermittently during those early months while we figured how to work around quarantining and every-thing from plexiglass shields to disinfecting the House every evening, we put our needy clientele first. Businesses and individuals came forth with extremely generous donations in light of the fact that we were unable to conduct our typical fundraisers. We prevailed and people were helped–in the greatest time of need. Thank you all!
Now we have the opportunity to move into a new space in Waterloo that will increase our opportunities many fold. Our overall space will not only increase by 42% but it will be space that is infinitely more flexible and useable compared to the very old and decrepit buildings we’ve inhabited for over 52 years.
That’s right. For over 52 years, the Seneca County House of Concern has been the center for providing a food pantry, thrift store, clothes closet and second-hand furniture outlet in Seneca County. Thousands upon thousands of families have been helped. And, we all know that, sadly, it is very likely that the need in this county will grow, not shrink. The rate of poverty in the county is 12.2% and 42.7% residents have low to moderate income.
Our new space in Waterloo with its 14,000 square feet will be centrally-located to serve the most who find themselves in poverty. Unlike our current building this new building is structurally sound. We will have a handicap-accessible building that is recently constructed and, as a former grocery store, well-suited to our use. It comes with a large accessible parking lot conveniently located right down-town in Waterloo. We will be able to offer classroom experiences—most likely classes in nutrition, cooking and making little go far.
We’ll be able to host our semi-monthly food giveaways from our own loading dock and we’ll be forging partnerships with the weekly farmers’ market outside our door, and a myriad of organizations dedicated to helping people.
We will be purchasing this building this year. Can you help us, will you help us erase that expense and position the House to face the future head on and best prepared? The cost of the building is $250,000 and we need your help to mark that mortgage “paid in full” as soon as possible.
You may make a one-time donation but may we encourage you to consider a pledge that can be spread over as many as three years and paid in installments that fit your budget? Please give this serious thought and be as generous as you possibly can. Your donation is fully deductible to the fullest extent of the tax laws. Together, let us build a strong House ready and able to meet whatever the future will throw at us.
We welcome your charitable donation, which can be made by sending back the enclosed pledge card, or by going online to make an electronic donation.
A New Home for the House Campaign Printable Donation Form
In sincerest gratitude,
J. Brad Benson
The Rev. J. Brad Benson, campaign chair
A New Home for the House Campaign
bradbenson28@hotmail.com 607-329-9802