Why your Giving Tuesday gift goes further with our Empty Stocking Fund

It's Giving Tuesday, and our Empty Stocking Fund is here today — and all year! — to gratefully accept your donation to feed our neighbors in need over the holidays.

Your gift is a simple way to spread joy in East Tennessee for those who need it most.

Through the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, we've already qualified 2,500 families who will receive food baskets this year. Our hope is to expand beyond that number of families served in future years, and your donation helps us serve this year's families plus puts the charity on track to serve even more next year. The need is great.

We've received donations in honor of loved ones, gifts from organizations that collected money and annual contributions from family funds. Together, these generous donors have funded the charity for more than 100 years. Any gift large or small contributes to our goal of feeding thousands of East Tennesseans each year.

It's easy to give at esfknox.org, or mail your check to the News Sentinel's Empty Stocking Fund, 2332 News Sentinel Drive, Knoxville, TN 37921. Donors are recognized in the pages of the News Sentinel.

Giving Tuesday: How to avoid scams when making donations

If you're looking for an easy starting point, $100 pays for a Christmastime food basket that can feed a family of four for a week. The traditional meal includes a ham and side dishes, plus additional items for the days surrounding the holiday.

Because our Empty Stocking Fund is volunteer-run with no overhead, your whole gift goes directly to the effort!

And there's a way to make your dollar go further: If your company has a matching grant benefit, don't forget to apply: We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and gifts are tax-deductible.

Your Giving Tuesday contribution goes far with our Empty Stocking Fund.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Your Giving Tuesday gift goes far with Empty Stocking Fund