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Hunger Doesn’t Pause for the Holidays.

Q: Why should I give to UWBA?

Giving to United Way Bay Area is a direct way to help people in our community who are working hard to get through a tough moment . Sometimes it’s a family on the edge of eviction, a parent trying to keep food on the table between paychecks, or someone who simply doesn’t know where to turn next. Your support helps us connect people to resources that can make an immediate difference and also set them up for more stability down the road. We partner with organizations across the region that already know their neighborhoods well, so your gift reaches people quickly and respectfully. Because needs change throughout the year—especially toward the end of the year when costs add up— your donation helps us stay responsive . At its core, giving to UWBA means you’re helping someone stay on their feet, regain some stability, and feel a little less alone in a difficult moment .

Across the Bay Area, rising grocery costs and frozen emergency funds are leaving families without the food they need this holiday season. Bay area food banks and pantries are struggling to keep up with growing demand–especially now.

Help us raise $50,000 this Giving Tuesday to keep meals on tables for our neighbors.

Remember to check if your employer offers a company match to double your impact! As part of our donation process we can check for you!

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Your Impact Reaches Farther Than You Think

With your help, we mobilize support and solutions for the biggest challenges facing our community—making a difference, one person at a time.

$1,500,000 Emergency Food and Shelter Program food funding remains on hold for local partners – gifts keep meals moving while dollars are delayed.

144% Increase in food-related calls to 211 (Jan–Oct 2025) vs. same period last year.

594,770 Individuals in the Bay Area that are food insecure (11%).

About United Way Bay Area: Fighting Poverty & Building Equitable Pathways

At United Way Bay Area (UWBA), we believe the Bay Area is at its best when everyone has equal opportunities and resources to thrive. Every day, local families face impossible choices: rent or groceries, medicine or childcare, gas or the power bill. We help make those choices possible. UWBA connects people to short term needs like food, housing, and job support, while also fighting for long-term systems changes so fewer people end up in crisis in the first place. We’re neighbors helping neighbors, mobilizing the Bay Area to dismantle the root causes of poverty and build equitable pathways to prosperity.

Help Keep Bay Area Families Fed This Giving Tuesday

For over 40 years, United Way Bay Area has been the trusted partner of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) in distributing funds that support local food programs. Due to the federal freeze on EFSP (separate from SNAP), food banks and pantries that depend on us to distribute funds so they can replenish stock and provide meals are struggling. Right now, UWBA is ready to distribute $1.5 million in funding for these community partners, but with funds frozen, the shelves are nearly empty.

Giving Tuesday is our moment to prevent hunger. Your gift becomes groceries a family can carry home, operational support so our 211 helpline can assist community members calling for food assistance, and immediate relief to food pantries and banks where food is needed. It means stability for families: parents being able to put food on the table, seniors getting the nutrients they need, and kids showing up ready to learn without empty stomachs. Join a Bay Area response that meets the need now.

Make Your Giving Tuesday Gift

Every Match Matters.

Double (or even triple) your impact. Many Bay Area employers match charitable gifts – some at 1:1 or 2:1 – and many extend matches for Giving Tuesday donations through the end of the year. If your company offers a match, your contribution can feed twice as many families today while EFSP funds are frozen.

Check your eligibility and submit your gift for a match. Payroll giving counts at many companies – consider starting or increasing yours this month. Deadlines matter: some employers close match requests as early as December 31. Give This Giving Tuesday

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See the Impact You Made in 2024

From helping 380,000+ neighbors to advancing long-term solutions to poverty, your support made a real difference. Explore the stories, data, and progress in our 2024 Annual Report. Explore the 2024 Annual Report

Donate today to help build a better Bay Area

Hundreds of times a day, neighbors reach out to us. Your generosity helps us to respond with urgent, effective, life-changing programs and services—to break the cycle of poverty & help people lead a better life!

As a donor, board member, and Women United council member, I have been deeply impressed by United Way Bay Area’s stewardship of contributions. I have witnessed firsthand how we transform financial support into tangible, lasting impact for Bay Area residents.

Michelle Branch 
Board Director - United Way Bay Area
Women United council member, Principal and Founder Branch Law Group  

Your Gift Changes Lives

Your donations will stay in the Bay Area and will help us fight Bay Area Poverty.

649,437 individuals served across 8 counties

$53,289,926 in tax returns accessed across our service region

Through our programs we have served over 4.4 million pounds of food to our community members

Donate

Other Ways to Give

Stocks and Bonds

Gifting appreciated securities like stocks and bonds, is a smart way to support our mission. You avoid capital gains taxes and receive a charitable deduction for the full market value of your gift, making a greater impact without reducing your cash flow.

Download our stock transfer form

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

A Donor Advised Fund acts like a charitable investment account, allowing you to recommend grants to UWBA. You receive an immediate tax deduction, and your assets grow tax-free while supporting causes you care about. With just one tax receipt and a single giving platform, you can streamline your philanthropy and make a lasting impact.

Explore sample language to recommend a grant to UWBA

IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), directly from your IRA to United Way Bay Area – a tax smart way to give. If you are 73 or older, this gift can count toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), helping you reduce taxable income while supporting families struggling to make ends across the Bay Area.

Explore sample language to request an IRA Charitable Rollover

Life Insurance

You can make a lasting impact by naming United Way Bay Area as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy or donating a policy you no longer need. This is a meaningful way to support our work without affecting your current finances.

Real Estate

Donating real estate — residential, commercial, or undeveloped land — can provide significant tax benefits while supporting our mission. Your property can be given outright or used to fund a gift that pays you income for life.

Check

Making a gift by check is a simple and impactful way to support our mission. Your gift helps provide essential services to families across our region. Please make checks payable to United Way Bay Area and mail to:

United Way Bay Area
550 Kearny Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, CA 94108

Double Your Impact With Matching Gifts

Make your generosity go further! Many employers offer matching gift programs, allowing your donation to United Way Bay Area to have double the impact. Together, we can create a stronger, more equitable Bay Area.

FAQ: Why Your Gift Matters and How Your Donation Helps the Bay Area

Q: Why should I give to UWBA?

Giving to United Way Bay Area is a direct way to help people in our community who are working hard to get through a tough moment. Sometimes it’s a family on the edge of eviction, a parent trying to keep food on the table between paychecks, or someone who simply doesn’t know where to turn next. Your support helps us connect people to resources that can make an immediate difference and also set them up for more stability down the road. We partner with organizations across the region that already know their neighborhoods well, so your gift reaches people quickly and respectfully. And because needs change throughout the year — especially toward the end of the year when costs add up — your donation helps us stay responsive. At its core, giving to UWBA means you’re helping someone stay on their feet, regain some stability, and feel a little less alone in a difficult moment.

Q: Where does my money go?

Your donation stays right here in the Bay Area and supports the services people rely on every single day. Donations support programs like 211, where real people answer calls from someone who might be looking for a meal tonight, a bed for the weekend, or help navigating rent relief — sometimes all in the same call. Your support also fuels SparkPoint®, where families meet with coaches who help them sort through things like credit scores, job searches, debt, and long-term planning. These are practical, hands-on conversations that build confidence and open new opportunities over time. We also provide grants to local nonprofits and support broader efforts that make our region fairer and more affordable. No matter where the dollars land, they go toward helping people regain stability, move forward, and feel more secure in the place they call home.