Givley

FAQ Topics

Recipient FAQs
Donor FAQs
Other FAQs

How do I create a cart on Givley

It's really easy to create a grocery cart with Givley. Simply, click on "Need Groceries"; choose a participating grocer and then start adding items to your cart. Once you’re finished shopping, click "submit" and your cart will be placed on Givley so a generous donor can purchase your groceries for you.

Is there anything I can do to help get my cart funded quickly

Yes! You can share your cart on social media with your friends and families to get as much exposure as possible.

How will I know when my cart is fully funded

You will receive an email notification from Givley, that your cart is ready for delivery or pick up from your local grocer!

Is there an expiration date from when I submitted my cart to Givley

No! Our mission is to help people get access to the food they need! We have a general cart fund to help fulfill orders if you’re unable to get funding through a donor.

How, where and when do I pick up my groceries

You will receive an email notification from Givley, that your cart is ready for delivery or pick up from the grocer you selected!

Can I order other things beside food items (e.g. diapers, medicine, feminine products)

Yes! We believe that 'essential items' expand beyond just groceries. We recognize that you may need diapers, formula, fever reducing medicine for your baby or feminine products, etc. However, please do not add any tobacco or alcohol items; these items are restricted and will delay getting your cart funded.

What if my product is damaged when I pick it up from the Grocer

You'll want to double check your items when you pick them up from your local grocer. If you notice an item is damaged, then please return it to the store that provided the item. Givley does not process exchanges or returns.

Can I remain anonymous as a recipient

Yes, but we don't recommend it. Real images of your family along with a genuine description of why you need help is more likely to get your cart funded more quickly.

What are the ways I can give

There are several options to donate with Givley. The most popular approach is to fund a cart directly for an individual or family who is waiting for food. Alternatively, you could contribute any amount to multiple carts; or, join our monthly gives program where you can have any amount automatically deducted from your bank account. We also have several options for Businesses to become involved by partnering with Givley or offering our platform to their employees.

How do I know my money is going towards the individual carts I selected

Once you select a card to fund, we make the payment for that cart directly to the participating grocer. This prevents your donation from going to the recipient and being used on something other than what was in their shopping cart.

How does Givley apply the money received from the general cart fund, monthly donations and corporate donors

Our general cart fund, monthly donations and corporate donor funds goes toward our most urgent carts. These carts have waited the longest for funding and haven't received full funding yet.

What if I want to contribute to multiple carts

You are able to sponsor a cart in full, or spread your donation out over multiple carts. In order to do this, simply go to "Give Groceries", select the multiple carts you wish to donate and then enter the amount to donate. The total amount donated will be spread evenly across all the carts you’ve selected.

Are my donations tax deductible

Donations made through Givley are generally considered to be personal gifts and are not guaranteed to be tax-deductible. However, you can always check with your tax professional to be sure. Givley does not issue a tax receipt.

How can I nominate a family / individual in need

Do you know a family or an individual having financial difficulty? Simply go to "Need Groceries" and select "Nominate Family". From here, enter their information and we'll invite them to join our platform where they can shop and request funding for their groceries.

How can my company partner with Givley

We're always on the lookout for new partnerships with like-minded organizations. If your company is looking for a way to help tackle the hunger crisis, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact us to discuss a potential partnership.

How does Givley make money?

It is our imperative to bring Givley to the world. Hunger can easily be found in our communities and we need to combat it as quickly as possible. A coworker may be skipping lunch every day. A neighbor might not have the funds for groceries. A first-grader may only eat meals at school. Though you may not be aware of them, hungry people are in your neighborhood, workplace, church, and schools. In order to fulfill our mission and reach our goals, we charge a small platform fee to help cover our costs. In addition, Givley accepts donations from Foundations, Partners, Corporate Sponsors, Individuals and Grocers.

Is Givley a non-profit organization (501c3)

No. We weighed this option heavily and didn't make our decision lightly. In order for us to fulfill our mission and reach our goals of zero hunger, we need to remain competitive and be able to attract the talent needed to remain innovative. We didn't feel like we could grow as fast as needed if we were a NPO.

Are any items restricted

Yes! We're unable to fulfill prescription medicine and we refuse to fulfill tobacco and alcohol items.

How does Givley verify shopping cart requests are for families in need

In order to create a cart with Givley, the recipient needs to verify a few items before they can create an account. In addition, the recipient needs to enter a verified mailing address with the Grocer in order to receive their cart without any delay. Additionally, with thousands of carts being loaded daily, we rely heavily on our donors to be our eyes and ears. If something doesn't look right about a cart or individual requesting assistance, then please flag that cart for further review by Givley.

Who and when was Givley founded

Givley was founded in 2020 by Jessenia and Chad Beals

How can I get personally become involved with Givley

Are you passionate about fighting hunger? Our platform is rapidly growing and we are looking for community leaders to help connect Givley with various partners throughout the U.S. Please submit a request through our contact page to get in touch!

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How We Got Started

It was a pretty typical day for us when we had noticed a family standing on a corner asking for help. Both the father and mother had lost their jobs and were desperate to feed their family. As we looked in their direction, a car quickly pulled up and a lady handed them a bag of groceries through her window. The look of gratitude in the parents' eyes when they received that bag of food will be one that we'll never forget.

The very next day, we were driving past another person in need and witnessed someone else giving that individual a bag of groceries. It was at this moment that it hit us...people want to personally give groceries directly to those in need! But unfortunately, our current food pantry system is outdated, inadequately funded, overwhelmed and was never intended to handle the demand they are seeing in our modern world.

It was shocking to learn that over 54 million people in the U.S. and over 820 million people worldwide will go hungry tonight. Things we take for granted, like going out to dinner with your family, or simply buying an ice cream cone are things that some kids will never experience. Not to mention, more than ever before families are having to choose between paying their utilities bills or buying food.

At that moment, it struck us that giving groceries to those in need is something common people do in their communities. We figured that if there were an easier, more accessible way for giving essentials to others, then more people would get involved. We knew that we had to do something, so we created the Givley platform; the only peer-to-peer food pantry in the world.

Shopping cart requested

Donors fund the cart

Food ready for pickup

Common Questions