“We want to help people; that’s the most important thing to us, each and every day.”
James Wojtyto gets emotional when he thinks about Rhode Islanders struggling to meet their basic needs. “Nobody should go hungry” he says, “In my house, we always had plenty of food.” He hates to think of kids going to school with empty stomachs or families without a place to call home.
The Wojtytos have been helping their hungry neighbors for nearly ten years. James, a retired firefighter, and Lynn, a retired nurse, first became involved through the food pantry at Saint Mary of the Bay in Warren.
“Tony [Terry, President of the food pantry at Saint Mary] asked me to help out by using my truck to pick up food at the Food Bank and deliver it to the pantry,” explained James. “From there, I started helping out every Monday. It was Tony and his wife Susan who really got us started.”
When the Wojtytos retired, they took the time to reflect on what is important to them. Having worked hard, lived modestly and invested well, they decided to explore ways to support the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the main source of food for Saint Mary and over 160 other agencies across the state.
They knew they wanted their giving to have a long-term impact with a fiscally sound and well-managed organization so they invested their money in a fund that would provide contributions to the Food Bank every year well into the future.
“We set up a fund through the Rhode Island Foundation so we know that, after we’re gone, the Food Bank will receive a check from us every year.”
The Wojtytos take comfort in knowing that they have made arrangements to provide help to others indefinitely through the causes they care about the most.
Like the Wojtytos, you can make a significant gift to the Food Bank through your estate. It’s an easy and effective way to have a long-term impact on hunger in your community. For more information about how you can support the Food Bank through your estate, please contact Tammie Worthington‑Witczak at (401) 230-1676 or twwitczak@rifoodbank.org.