Help Those Less Fortunate This Holiday Season Using CouponMom.com's "Cut Out Hunger" Program
Coupon Mom Stephanie Nelson Explains How to Donate Groceries at a Very Low Price While Fulfilling a Critical Need
Atlanta (PRWEB) November 10, 2008 -- With the struggling economy, more working families now have to turn to local food pantries as they face mortgage foreclosures, unemployment, or unexpected medical expenses. Charities today are struggling to make sure their food supplies keep up with the overwhelming demand.
Stephanie Nelson, founder of Couponmom.com, says it is possible to donate groceries to local charities at a very low cost using the "Cut Out Hunger" approach. By combining coupons and sales, shoppers can donate bargains to charity as they are cutting their own family's grocery bill in half. Shoppers can also fight the rising cost of groceries without sacrificing favorite foods by learning how to use simple savings strategies as they help others in their local communities.
Nelson, a mother of two, says cutting your grocery bill in half is easy. She launched CouponMom.com and "Cut Out Hunger" eight years ago to show other shoppers the weekly sales and savings available at their stores. Her site, which was recently featured on Oprah, saves them time and money. In exchange for this free service, Nelson asks members to consider donating one item per week to charity.
In a 2007 survey, 48% of CouponMom.com members reported they donate food to charity as a result of using the site. In the past year, as traffic to the web site has more than doubled with more than 1,100,000 members, shoppers can find out more about giving to charity in the "Cut Out Hunger" section of the web site.
"We encourage people to find their local food pantry, learn more about the specific needs in their community," says Nelson, "and get involved as a regular food donor or volunteer."
In general, food pantries request nonperishable foods. Below, are several nutritious options and items that are needed most by charities:
| | - Canned protein sources. (stews, chili, tuna, meats, beans)
- Pasta sauces, canned tomatoes.
- Peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, pastas, rice.
- Toilet paper, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste/brushes.
- Cereals including boxed and hot items like oatmeal.
- Diapers in sizes larger than newborn.
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Cut out coupons for these non-perishables and buy these items when they are on sale. You will be able to feed the hungry in your community with some of your own savings. Many of the items on CouponMom.com's Best Deals lists are free, or practically free, after a coupon. If the item is appropriate for charity it will be marked with the word "charity!"
"Strategic shopping is not about changing the way you eat, it is about changing the way you buy the food that you like," says Nelson, "In many cases, shoppers can get free groceries when they use sales and coupons at supermarkets and drugstores. Sharing one bargain per week adds up to a very large donation on an annual basis, at virtually no cost to donors. Our family keeps a charity box in our garage and when it fills up, we deliver it to our local food pantry."
The CouponMom.com site shows shoppers how to use coupons, strategically shop, and also provides a free 10-page ebook to those who want to learn the system called "Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half." For more information, go to www.couponmom.com.
For media inquiries, contact Nanette Noffsinger at nanette @ burkehollowmedia.com or 615-776-4230.
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