How To Help
Volunteer Donate
Donate
Make a financial donation
TACO is always grateful for in-kind and financial gifts, which help meet the continuing costs of providing meals and services to those in need. As an IRS designated 501(c) 3 non-profit charitable organization, monetary contributions to TACO are tax-deductible to the extent permissible.
Make an immediate financial donation online by clicking on the Donate button link to Donorsnap.com
Host a Fundraiser
Sometimes, supporters of TACO host their own fundraisers. If you'd like to do the same, this would be a good place to start! It's TACO's Fundraising Tool Kit, and features ideas for successful events, tips on how to put them together, and a form that will let us know what you're planning and how we can help.
If you shop at Amazon, use the Amazon Smile to do the same shopping you do anyway and half a percent of what you spend goes to TACO. When logging in using the Amazon Smile link, make sure you find and select "Third Avenue Charitable Organization, Inc." as your supporting organization.
(You have to start from Amazon Smile every time you shop for TACO to benefit.)
Shop at Amazon and 0.5% of what you buy goes to TACO.
Vehicle Donation
A free, convenient service for converting that extra car, truck, or RV into a tax deductible donation benefiting Third Avenue Charitable Organization. You can donate online by clicking the button on the right or call 877-999-8322 to make your donation.
Escrip Sign Up Guide
EScrip is a fundraising resource that arranges for a percentage of your grocery loyalty cards, credit cards and debit/ATM card purchases to a registered charity of your choice. More detailed infromation can be found at their website at www.escrip.com.
In order to use Escrip, you must first register. You can start the registration process by clicking on this link.You'll be asked to enter a group ID number or group name. The name is Third Avenue Charitable Organization and the number is 9557002.
From there, simply follow he additional steps in the registration process, which are explained on the website. Once you register a card, a portion of the purchases made with that card will be donated to TACO.
Suggestions For In-kind Gifts
and Donations
Here are some ways to help TACO provide vital services to the homeless, disabled, and working poor in downtown San Diego:
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Sponsor a meal day.
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Hold a drive to collect blankets or sleeping bags for patio guests.
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Knit scarves or hats for our guests - any length or color is fine.
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Donate food to the hot meal program. Larger quantities of fresh fruit, sliced American cheese, bread, meat, fresh vegetables, and gallons of milk are always put to good use.
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Gather or purchase new men's socks.
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Provide non-perishable, no-refrigeration-needed sack lunches for the days when TACO does not serve hot meals. Suggested food includes fruit cups with spoons; small lunch packs with pop-top cans; packages of cookies; bottles of water; and granola or energy bars.
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Celebrate a special event such as a birthday, anniversary or even just an "I'm blessed" day by sponsoring a hot meal. TACO will work with you to plan, cook, and serve the meal. Or, if it's more convenient for you, using your contribution we will take care of all the details and you can simply enjoy serving the meal.
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Assemble personal hygeine bags for patio guests. Zip-lock bags are ideal. Good items to include are hotel-size shampoo and conditioner; small bars of soap or body wash; chap stick with SPF 15; toothbrushes and small tubes of toothpaste; disposable razors.
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Donate larger quantities of disposable razors.
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Donate Men's T-shirts (all sizes).
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Donate $5 gift certificates to local fast food restaurants (McDonald's or Burger King).
Direct Thrivent Financial Dollars
Do you have insurance policies or investments with Thrivent Financial? If so, you have the ability to direct Thrivent funds to TACO in two ways.
1) You are automatically allotted a designated amount of dollars, based on the value of your policies or investments, to direct to a registered charity (TACO is on the list). This is not your money, but a benefit to you as a member to direct Thrivent corporate profits to a charity. Log onto your Thrivent account. Scroll down and you will find “Thrivent Choice” down the page. Listed there should be the amount of “2018 Choice Dollars” that you have been allotted. Click on the “Direct Choice Dollars” button, and it takes you to a screen where you can search for the charity you want; type in “Third Avenue Charitable Organization” and it should appear, then click the button to proceed to direct the dollars.
2) As a Thrivent member you are entitled twice a year to request a $250 gift card that you must then use to support an “action team event”, which could be a fund raising event for TACO that you creating, for example. The $250 can be used for the expenses of the event. The application is quite simple, right online. Look for “Thrivent Action Team” on your account page in Thrivent, and click the “Apply Now” button to proceed. After the event you must report the results of the event, which again is fairly simple and is done online.
