Donating Stock or Other Securities to the Food Bank You can make a bigger impact through donations to the Food Bank by donating long-term (more than one year) appreciated securities including stocks, bonds, ETF’s, and mutual funds. By donating appreciated securities to the Food Bank, you avoid paying income taxes on any long-term capital gains. However, you will generally still receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the securities even though you are not taxed on the appreciation. Effectively, your donation costs you less because you save up to 23% in federal income taxes on the amount of the appreciation. Tax deductions are subject to specific federal income tax rules applicable to your situation. You should always check with your tax advisor before making a donation.It is easy to make a donation! Ask our staff for simple written instructions on how to transfer securities to our account. You provide this information to your stock broker along with the securities name and number of shares to be transferred. Once the transfer occurs – usually within a week – we provide you with a written letter about your donation providing the information you need for you and your tax preparer.