by Michael Bisch
“Without food, man can live at most but a few weeks; without it, all other components of social justice are meaningless.” – Nobel-prize winner Norman Borlaug
Tomorrow, Thursday, May 2, is the biggest day of the entire year for philanthropic giving in Davis and throughout the greater Sacramento region. The Big Day of Giving (“BDOG”) is an initiative of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation to grow local philanthropy and strengthen area nonprofits. Not only does BDOG generate an amazing amount of revenue in one day to sustain nonprofits throughout the year, the nine months of preparation that precede BDOG provide capacity-building training opportunities that fortify organizations’ collaborations with other nonprofits, deepens their engagements with donors, and strengthens their impacts in their communities and across the region. In other words, it compels area nonprofits 
participating in the initiative to “up their game by,” by adopting best practices in corporate governance, financial reporting, social media marketing and other key areas of nonprofit success.
As Yolo Food Bank’s Executive Director, I view BDOG as a tremendous opportunity to share inspiring Food Bank stories, raise community awareness around poverty, hunger and malnutrition; engage with prospective donors; and tout the work of the Food Bank’s 70 nonprofit partners, who are critical to the food distribution network.
Nearly 20% percent of our neighbors live in poverty. Every night in Davis and elsewhere in Yolo County, children, seniors and other vulnerable adults are going to bed hungry, while we live in one of the richest agricultural areas in the nation. Yolo Food Bank has responded to urgent issues of food insecurity by serving both rural and urban populations, recognizing that food insecurity, poverty, housing insecurity, disparate health and educational outcomes and barriers to social mobility all are inextricably linked.
Unlike many nonprofits, Yolo Food Bank’s work is funded primarily by private donations, not governmental grants. People just like you and me are the people who make it possible to Nourish Yolo each year. On this Big Day of Giving, I invite you to join me to nourish families facing challenges that threaten their ability to thrive. Please make your own donation by midnight tomorrow, Thursday, May 2, at bit.ly/BDOGYFB2019. Your contribution ensures that your neighbors can count upon the same access to healthy food that you and your family depend upon.
#NourishYolo #BigDayOfGiving #BDOG #BigDayOfGiving2019 #BDOG2019
