Donations support homeless and hunger-relief organizations

Watch Arie Sadnoor (right) and his sister (left) explain the purpose of their “COVID-19 Uplift our Community Fund.”

MADISON, Wis. — April 3, 2020 — A third-grade student started a GoFundMe last week to raise money for Madison-area nonprofits supporting those in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The “COVID-19 Uplift our Community Fund” has collected nearly half of its $3,000 goal.

The student who started the fundraiser, Arie Sadnoor—who is practicing distance learning with his younger sister—said he wants to raise money for all those who have been affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.

“There are parents who can’t get food on the table because they depend on their daily wages or hourly pay,” Sadnoor said. “Schools have closed down, but there are students who depend on their schools to get their regular food. And, not to forget the sick and the homeless. They all need our help.”

Sadnoor’s GoFundMe will support the following nonprofits and their COVID-19 response efforts:

• The River Food Pantry: Dane County’s busiest food pantry that is providing curbside groceries for hundreds of local households and mobile lunch delivery to children in low-income neighborhoods.
• Food for Thought Initiative: a volunteer organization that is operating a weekend meal program, called Thea’s Table, for Madison students and their families who are homeless or in crisis. Thea’s Table currently serves more than 60 families per week.
• Shelter from the Storm Ministries: a homeless shelter that has stayed open to support 29 homeless children from 10 families.

Sadnoor said these nonprofits need donations to provide enough resources to meet the rising demand.

“Now, you’re sitting at home and you’re saving a lot of money, so just take 1% of that money and please donate it to our fundraiser,” he said. “It would mean a lot to all those people in need.”

Give to Sadnoor’s GoFundMe here.

# # #

About The River Food Pantry
Serving Dane County since 2006, The River Food Pantry provides food, resources and faith to build a stronger community. Services include free groceries, meals and clothing, as well as free mobile lunches for children and teens on non-school days. As the area’s busiest food pantry, The River serves over 1,000 households every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. Learn more at riverfoodpantry.org.

About Food for Thought Initiative
Food for Thought Initiative (Food4TI) is a volunteer organization that aims to improve food access and alleviate hunger among Madison area school students and their families. Food4TI operates in-school food pantries in five Madison public schools, as well as weekend food programs. Learn more at food4ti.org.

About Shelter from the Storm Ministries
Shelter from the Storm Ministries, Inc. is a nonprofit organization in Sun Prairie dedicated to serving the needs of single-parent homeless families in our community. Families can stay up to 12 months and rebuild their lives with education and job training, financial literacy, life skills and trauma counseling with 96% exiting to permanent housing and stability. Learn more at sftsm.org.