LINK’S COMMITMENT, CHALLENGE & RESOURCES

Mother Theresa famously spoke the words, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed one person.” At Link’s Golf Shack, we believe the beauty of our nation lies in the hearts of our citizens. We believe one hungry person is too many. And we believe that Americans don’t need to see eye to eye on every issue in order to agree on a few important things … every human being has a fundamental right to live free from hunger, no child deserves to know the pains of hunger, and no parent should have to know the feeling of not being able to feed their child. For these reasons, Link’s Golf Shack is inviting you to join us as we accept the challenge to DRIVE OUT HUNGER! 

OUR COMMITMENT: 

Link’s Golf Shack is committing to donating food on a weekly basis until nutritional benefits have been restored and the millions of Americans who depend on that assistance are once again receiving the support they need. We will meet our commitment by supporting local food banks & pantries, as well as contributing to the many food drives held by local organizations in our communities, such as schools and churches.

OUR CHALLENGE:

Link’s challenges every business, large and small, to do their part to help our fellow Americans through this difficult time. Every donation, big or small, changes a life one meal at a time. Together, we can not only make up for the temporary elimination of SNAP benefits we can contribute beyond those amounts to ensure no child goes to bed hungry, and no parent needs to know the feeling of not being able to feed their children. 

RESOURCES:

In addition to weekly donations of food, we have set up this web page to provide businesses, or families in need of assistance, with the information necessary to contact a number of the nation’s largest food banks and pantries. There will also be links to non-traditional organizations which provide information that may be useful to anybody on a strict budget. Finally, we have provided “Link’s Top Tips for Stretching Your Food Budget.”  If you know somebody in need of assistance, simply forward the link to this resource page.

FOOD BANKS & PANTRIES

https://www.feedingamerica.org

https://www.nokidhungry.org

https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/hunger/

https://foodfinder.us

https://www.foodpantries.org

NON-TRADITIONAL ASSISTANCE & INFORMATION

Affordable Recipe Sites

Coupon Sites

Make Money From Home

LINK’S TOP TIPS FOR STRETCHING YOUR FOOD BUDGET

  • PLAN YOUR MEALS: By planning a meal, you know with certainty what you are eating, and you can take comfort knowing that you have a meal covered. Write down the meal and set the ingredients aside.
  • KEEP TABS ON PERISHABLES: There is nothing more disappointing than going to the refrigerator and finding out the bag of lettuce you planned to use has gone bad. Keep close tabs on perishable food items and prioritize them when meal planning. When the fresh food is gone, you can switch to more non-perishable items.
  • USE GROCERY STORE REWARDS CARDS: It’s unfortunate, but if you’re not signed up for your grocery store’s Rewards program, you probably aren’t getting the best deals or sale prices. Sign up and be sure to swipe or enter your number at the cash register to activate sale prices and receive custom coupons that target your specific purchasing habits!
  • USE CASH BACK CREDIT CARDS: While this takes discipline, if you have access to a credit card with Cash Back benefits, you should use it and immediately pay off the purchase to avoid any interest. This could earn you anywhere from 1% to 3% cash back on your groceries. That turns ever $100 into $103. Over the course of the year this means more than one free weekly trip to the grocery store.
  • SUBSCRIBE TO GROCERY STORE EMAILS: Every week the major grocery store chains email their weekly specials and coupons. Review these advertisements thoroughly to make sure you find the absolute best prices to take advantage of. Even when you’re on a strict budget, it makes sense to spend more money on the great deals if they are your family’s staple items.
  • COMPARE PRICES: It may very well be in your best interest to go to more than one grocery store if certain items are at a lower price. 
  • ALWAYS SAVE LEFTOVERS: Just because there isn’t enough food for four people doesn’t mean one person can’t enjoy leftovers. Have a night where everybody eats leftovers, even if you’re all eating something different. Leftovers can also be turned into entirely new meals. For example, the leftover chicken be tossed in with rice and a can of vegetables and become a great Asian meal with a little sauce!
  • CREATE MEALS FROM WHAT YOU HAVE: Instead of shopping for an entire meal, you very likely have ingredients that have been sitting around just waiting to be eaten. A little creativity can turn those random ingredients into the foundation of an entire meal with less to buy at the grocery store.
  • USE COUPON APPS & WEB SITES: Don’t rely strictly on grocery store provided coupons or coupons you receive in the mail. There are a number of apps which provide instant coupons or provide cash back by scanning your existing receipts. Many companies also provide coupons on their web sites or have coupons available on-line, such as Proctor and Gamble. Check out apps like Coupons.com, Shopkick, Ibotta and more.
  • TAKE SURVEYS FOR MONEY: Add a little extra to your budget by completing paid surveys by signing up for apps like 1Q. Simply link your bank account and receive random questions from companies conducting market research. 1Q, for example, gives you $0.25 for each question you answer. You can add several dollars per month to your budget with this little life hack!
  • TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SCHOOL-PROVIDED MEALS: In the times we are living in, if allergies or specific dietary limitations don’t come into play, there’s no reason not to take advantage of school provided free breakfast and lunch in the states and school districts that provide it. Even if your child isn’t hungry when they come to school, a pack of pop-tarts or a fruit cup will store nicely in their backpack for another time, or they can bring it home with them.
  • USE COUPONS: Always check for coupons before grocery shopping. If your grocery store only offers digital coupons, be sure you are signed up for their in-store program. Always check the coupon to see how many times it can be used and take advantage of it. For example, many coupons say, “use up to 5 times in one transaction”, meaning if pasta sauce is on sale for $1.25, you can buy 5 jars at $1.25 each.
  • CHECK THE SELF-CHECKOUTS FOR COUPONS: Customers who get their monthly coupons and don’t use them often lay them at the self-checkout registers for other customers to take advantage of. This is a great first stop when you go to the grocery store.
  • READ SHELF LABELS: Products on sale don’t always mean they are the best price per ounce. Be sure you are checking shelf labels before making a final decision on your selection. Price per ounce should be readily available. If they don’t alter the per ounce price on sale tickets.
  • BUY STORE OWNED & OFF BRANDS: Off brands and store specific brands have come a long way in terms of quality and taste, and quite often they are the best value. For many staple items like bread, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, there is a good chance these off brands will deliver the same taste and a much better value. 
  • AVOID PRE-PACKAGED / PRE-PREPPED: Anytime the grocery store cuts, slices, dices or portions out food and packages it up for convenience, the price skyrockets. You are always better off buying the raw ingredients.
  • CHOOSE CANNED OR FROZEN OVER FRESH: Canned costs less than fresh, and frozen often costs less than cans. Before you buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats, check the prices on canned and frozen. You’ll usually save a lot of money.
  • BUY THE LARGER SIZE: Unless you have a good coupon, prices almost always go down in price per ounce when the size goes up. In other words, the giant peanut butter is going to be a much better choice than the smaller version of the same brand. If your budget and shelf space allows, bigger is often better.
  • SHOP THE DISCOUNT RACKS: A secret too many people are unaware of is the fact that nearly every grocery store has an area where they put discounted products. Sometimes it’s close to expiration, and other times the can is dented. Either way, it’s a great place to find some incredible deals!
  • PORTION & PREP: If you open a bag of chicken and you haven’t portioned it out, you’re more likely to just add the entire bag when you may have been able to set aside a small portion for a future meal, even if only a single-person meal.
  • CUTTING DOWN & THINNING OUT: There are a lot of recipes that can be stretched or lowered in cost. Use water instead of milk when making items like macaroni & cheese or tomato soup, for example. Pasta sauce is easily stretched by adding a little water to the jar, shaking it thoroughly to get the remaining sauce from the sides, and pouring it into the sauce.