Meet the McCulloughs who helped us reach our FACE the Hunger fundraising goal
When Ed and Jane McCullough hear a call for help, they respond. In late March, the couple received an email from the Storehouse and learned that the need for food, boxes, and cleaning supplies still exists as the world enters year two of the pandemic. That was all it took. Ed and Jane clicked the donate button and gave to the FACE the Hunger Challenge campaign, a partnership between Sandia Area Federal Credit Union and the Storehouse during February and March of this year. FACE stands for “Feeding Area Children Everyday.” And Ed and Jane are certainly passionate about feeding their community.
Why do Ed & Jane care about giving to fight hunger?
Perhaps it’s in their DNA. Jane grew up in a small town in rural Utah. A town that didn’t have a food bank or pantry, but did have hungry people. Her parents took it upon themselves to feed their neighbors, making sure no one went hungry. Whether they shared freshly picked vegetables from their garden or invited a hungry family over for a casserole, Jane’s parents took care of their community. Ed believes, “if people don’t have food to eat, they can’t do much of anything.” The couple takes every opportunity they can to support the fight against hunger, even beyond the Storehouse. For example, volunteering in Roadrunner Food Bank’s backpack program, where they gave elementary students backpacks full of food. The couple shared their observation that most of the children wouldn’t have eaten on the weekends otherwise.
Locals and consistent donors – Giving for 7 years
The McCulloughs have been in New Mexico for 22 years. They both retired as faculty from Utah State University and came to New Mexico because they were drawn to the state’s diversity and inclusion. One day, Ed and Jane heard a presentation about the Storehouse. “They talked about how a line would form outside the warehouse, and we wanted to get closer to the people being served,” Ed explains. From that point on, the couple decided to start supporting the Storehouse. They have donated to the Storehouse on a regular basis since 2014. “When we hear a call to help and we are able to respond, we do,” Jane says. “We get more pleasure by giving to others than by buying more stuff.”
McCulloughs Help Surpass the goal for FACE the Hunger Challenge
What the McCulloughs didn’t know, was that their donation was the one that met and exceeded our $20,000 fundraising goal for the FACE the Hunger Challenge campaign. The campaign ended on March 31, and the McCulloughs made their donation on March 25, just days before the campaign ended. Ed says they like to see local businesses do matching campaigns. By donating, Sandia Area Federal Credit Union matched their contribution, and they like knowing it makes their donation go even farther.
The McCulloughs don’t give to get recognition and didn’t expect us to reach out, but we are happy we did. The couple ended the conversation by sharing, “Recognition is not what we’re in it for. But if it will motivate others to donate, we’re happy to share our story.”
If you would like to join the McCulloughs in donating to the Storehouse, please give today on our donate page. Every dollar donated provides 5 meals to a hungry family in need. Thank you!
If you would like to learn more about the Storehouse and how people get food visit: https://storehousenm.org/home/need-food/