STM Blog
3 Ways You Can Help Tackle Hunger and Strengthen Communities This Holiday Season
3 Ways You Can Help Tackle Hunger and Strengthen Communities This Holiday Season
(Family Features) The holiday season is often a time of joy, connection and celebration. For millions of families across the country, however, it is also a season of uncertainty, wondering how to put food on the table or meet other essential needs. According to the USDA, more than 47.4 million people in the United States experience food insecurity each year.
That’s why, each holiday season, thousands of Charles Schwab employees come together to fight hunger and strengthen the communities where they live and work. Through employee meal-packing events and nonprofit grants, volunteers and partners help families access nutritious meals and vital support during the holidays and beyond.
“As we gather with loved ones this season, it’s important to remember that not all of our neighbors have that security,” said Kristine Dixon, managing director of Charles Schwab Community Affairs. “By working side-by-side with local hunger relief organizations, we’re helping ensure more families can share in the joy of a holiday meal and the peace of knowing they are supported.”
As you prepare for the holidays, here are a few ways you can help address hunger relief and support your neighbors.
Donate to a Local Food Bank
Food banks and pantries are at the heart of efforts to make nutritious food accessible for all. Inflation and rising costs of living have stretched budgets thin, making it harder for families to afford groceries. Nonperishable donations such as canned goods, pasta and rice are always in high demand. Monetary donations often go even further, giving food banks the ability to purchase exactly what is needed most.
Volunteer Your Time
The gift of time is just as valuable as food donations. Food banks and hunger relief nonprofits rely on volunteers to sort, pack and distribute meals. Even a few hours can make a meaningful difference, adding up to thousands of volunteer hours to help nonprofits meet urgent needs during the holiday season and year-round.
Support Community Partnerships
No single organization can solve hunger alone. Collective action from neighbors, companies, nonprofits and others is what creates lasting impact. This year, Schwab employees will join forces with partners like Harvest Pack to pack more than 1 million nutritious meals for families across the country. Supporting these types of efforts, whether through donations, volunteering or spreading awareness, can expand the impact.
Hunger is about more than food; it’s about stability and opportunity. By giving, volunteering and partnering with organizations that serve families in need, you can make the holiday season brighter for millions of Americans.
Learn more at aboutschwab.com/season-of-giving.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
Charles Schwab
Stories of Change: People Making a Difference
Discover inspiring stories of changemakers making a positive impact. Explore videos and articles of people tackling today’s biggest challenges with action and hope. Visit: https://stmdailynews.com/stories-of-change/
High Demand Marks “Veggies for Veterans” Event Amid SNAP Delays
Feeding America is marking National Agriculture Day by recognizing farmers, ranchers, and producers as key partners in the fight against hunger.
In a March 24 press release, the organization said the agricultural community plays a vital role in helping food banks and pantries deliver fresh, nutritious food to families across the country. Feeding America noted that produce, dairy, and protein are among the most requested foods by neighbors facing hunger and make up half of all food distributed through its network.
The organization said that in 2025, its network worked with growers to rescue 971 million pounds of fresh produce, helping redirect surplus food to communities in need. Feeding America also pointed to federal nutrition and farm support programs, saying government purchases from U.S. growers provide more than 20% of the food distributed through its network.
Ami McReynolds, Feeding America’s chief advocacy and community partnerships officer, said supporting farmers is directly connected to helping families access healthy meals. The organization is also urging Congress to support additional farm aid and a Farm Bill that strengthens nutrition programs.
Feeding America said a recent poll found that 95% of voters view hunger as a nonpartisan issue, reinforcing support for collaborative solutions between agriculture, food banks, and policymakers.
Related Links
Source Links
The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.
https://stmdailynews.com/the-bridge
Author
Community
McDonald’s First Job Confessional Turns Career Stories Into Free Meal Opportunity
McDonald’s is launching First Job Confessional, a campaign inviting fans to share first job stories for a chance to receive a $15 gift card in select cities.
First Job Confessional
McDonald’s is putting first jobs in the spotlight with a new campaign that asks fans to share the real-world skills they gained early in their working lives. Launched on National Employee Appreciation Day, the brand’s First Job Confessional invites people to reflect on how those first roles helped shape their careers — and, in some cases, earn a free meal in the process.
The campaign is built around a simple idea: first jobs often teach lasting skills that deserve more recognition. Whether someone learned problem-solving while babysitting, communication during a lunch rush, or teamwork behind a counter, McDonald’s is framing those experiences as valuable career foundations. The company says those are the same kinds of skills employers continue to prioritize as workplace demands evolve.
How the First Job Confessional Works
In select cities, McDonald’s is setting up confessional booths designed to look like ordering kiosks. But instead of placing a meal order, participants can record a story about their first job and the skills they picked up along the way. Those who take part in person will have the opportunity to receive a $15 McDonald’s gift card, while supplies last.
Fans who cannot attend in person can still join online by posting their stories using #FirstJobConfessional. McDonald’s says selected videos may also be featured on its YouTube channel, extending the campaign beyond the live events.
External Related Links
- McDonald’s corporate article: McDonald’s is Asking Fans to Get Real About Their First Job Skills in Exchange for Free Meals
- McDonald’s 1 in 8: First Job Confessional
- McDonald’s 1 in 8 home page
- Marketing Dive coverage of the campaign
- Parade coverage of the First Job Confessional tour
Source Links
- Original PRNewswire press release from McDonald’s USA, LLC
- McDonald’s official corporate story
- McDonald’s 1 in 8 First Job Confessional page
- McDonald’s 1 in 8 official website
The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.
https://stmdailynews.com/the-bridge
The Knowledge
Why Phoenix’s Skyline Has Stayed Low — And How It Compares to Los Angeles
Discover why Phoenix’s skyline lacks supertall skyscrapers, from FAA flight path limits near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to how it compares with Los Angeles’s skyline growth.
Last Updated on March 25, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the United States, yet its skyline doesn’t resemble other major metros like Los Angeles, Chicago, or Dallas. Despite rapid population and economic growth, downtown Phoenix has long lacked supertall skyscrapers — and until recently, didn’t even have a building tall enough to qualify as a true “skyscraper” under standard definitions.
The Basics: Phoenix’s Height Reality
The tallest structure in Phoenix for decades has been Chase Tower, rising to about 483 feet. Under the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat definition, a skyscraper reaches at least 492 feet — which means Phoenix has technically lacked one — despite its size and population.
A new project, the Astra Tower, is planned to rise around 540+ feet when it breaks ground, potentially giving Phoenix its first true skyscraper.
Airport Proximity: The FAA’s Height Grid
FAA Obstacle Evaluation & Downtown Limits
Phoenix’s skyline constraints are rooted in aviation safety.
📍 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport sits just a few miles from downtown.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates building heights near airports so they don’t obstruct flight paths, require planes to alter approaches, or interfere with climb-out safety.
- In Phoenix, this results in a layered set of height limits that vary by location and elevation above sea level — often measured in feet above mean sea level (MSL) rather than simply building height from ground.
The city’s zoning code divides downtown into multiple contour zones with distinct maximum elevation values (e.g., 1,275 ft, 1,525 ft, 1,700 ft MSL), each tied to how close it sits under airport flight paths.
That means in some blocks you can’t build above a specific elevation even if ground levels are lower — a regulatory “roof” that varies across downtown.
City zoning also explicitly states that no building can exceed the FAA’s airport height limits, even if other bonuses or zoning allowances exist.
Phoenix vs. Los Angeles: A Quick Comparison
Los Angeles: Higher Limits, Different Constraints
Cities like Los Angeles also have nearby airports (e.g., Los Angeles International Airport), but their key business districts aren’t directly under major flight corridors.
LA’s downtown has:
- Taller office and residential towers
- A financial core with dense development
- Fewer FAA-driven overlays because the flight paths stretch past the downtown edge
Los Angeles’s tallest buildings — including Wilshire Grand Center (~1,100 ft) and U.S. Bank Tower (~1,018 ft) — were built where FAA restrictions don’t force low ceilings. FAA evaluations were conducted but didn’t cut as deeply into downtown zoning compared to Phoenix.
Phoenix, by contrast, sits right under approach and departure corridors — leading to consistent FAA involvement in almost every proposed mid- or high-rise downtown.
Economic and Planning Philosophies
Beyond FAA rules:
- Phoenix developed in the automobile era, with vast inexpensive land encouraging horizontal growth.
- Los Angeles grew earlier with heavier investment in centralized neighborhoods and higher density.
- Phoenix’s village plan long encouraged multiple smaller hubs instead of concentrating all growth in one downtown core.
These historical differences mean Phoenix didn’t have the same economic “pressure” to build up — even with zoning that allows significant height if FAA permits are met.
What This Means for Phoenix’s Future
Phoenix still has room to grow vertically — but:
- FAA height contours will remain the ceiling unless flight paths change
- Developers must secure determinations of no hazard from the FAA before going taller
- New projects like Astra show demand for taller buildings is rising
As Phoenix’s urban core densifies and land becomes scarcer, its skyline may yet reach higher — but always within the invisible grid drawn by aviation safety.
Related External Links
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Official Website
- FAA Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA)
- City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department
- Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)
- Los Angeles World Airports (LAX Authority)
- Phoenix Skyscraper Database & Diagrams
- Los Angeles Skyscraper Database & Diagrams
Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter. https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/
