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Food bank prices: Donate locally to help keep costs down

By WTOP Staff

Kathy Stewart, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Most have heard how important it is to buy locally. When it comes to giving to food banks — donating locally might be just as important. In these tough times, everyone is trying to do more with less and area food banks are no different.

Food pantries, like ACTS (Action in Community Through Service) in Dumfries, buy their groceries from the Capital Area Food Bank.

“Unfortunately for us the prices that are offered from Capital Area Food Bank are often higher or the same price as in the grocery store,” says Rebekah McGee, emergency assistance program director for ACTS.

She says ACTS can get better deals buying at local stores, so it is not buying a lot from the Capital Area Food Bank. But she says from time to time the Capital Area Food Bank does have really good deals on things, far discounted products. She says ACTS takes full advantage on those deals.

Also the Capital Area Food Bank does offer what’s called “salvage” which costs about 19 cents a pound, says McGee. Those are items such as dented cans or boxes. She says a lot of times it is snack foods or crackers. McGee says you can order those items for far cheaper, pennies on the dollar.

“We don’t want to compete to feed the hungry that’s not the point,” says Frances Harris, ACTS executive director. “But we want to do it as cheaply as we can. You know we have to be good stewards of the money people give us.”

Those who donate locally, help food pantries cut out the middle man.

“It doesn’t seem as efficient to send your food somewhere that’s far away for the people in your own backyard to have to purchase to bring it back into your own backyard,” McGee says.

ACTS does rely heavily on the Capital Area Food Bank as its distributor for USDA food.

“It’s a whole other bag of groceries, that a family that’s qualified is able to walk out the door with when they come in for assistance,” McGee says.

Capital Area Food Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Lynn Brantley says it generally charges just 19-cents a pound to distribute donated food to ACTS and about 700 other organizations.

“It would be hard pressed to go to Giant and get food at 19 cents a pound,” Brantley says.

Non-donated food, from grocery stores, however, does come at a premium, Brantley says.

WTOP’s Nathan Hager contributed to this story. Follow Nathan and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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