Semcac has the opportunity to receive money from Merchants Bank’s Swipe Out Hunger campaign, which will run Nov. 30 through Dec. 10. Merchants Bank will donate a nickel to Swipe Out Hunger every time a Merchants Bank credit card or debit card is used between those dates, up to a total of $10,000.

Supporters of Semcac can vote three times a day on Merchants Bank’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MerchantsBank. At the end of the giveaway, the food shelf with the most votes will receive the top donation prize of $5,000. All remaining participating food shelves will receive a percentage of the remaining money donated to Swipe Out Hunger based on the percentage of votes that organization receives on Merchants Bank’s Facebook page.

This is Merchants Bank’s second annual Swipe Out Hunger Facebook giveaway. In 2014, 15 food shelves across the Merchants Bank service area benefitted by receiving a total of $10,000. The Hunger Task Force of La Crosse received the most votes and received the largest donation of $5,000. Semcac food shelves came in second place. This year there will be one place to vote for Semcac Food Shelf which will encompass all three of the Semcac Food Shelves nominated. According to a press release, the group hopes this will increase its impact. Merchants Bank is a member FDIC.

Semcac’s mission is to assist people to achieve or maintain independence and self-reliance utilizing community resources. Semcac operates four food shelves, providing families in need with nutritious food. The food shelves nominated for the Merchant’s Swipe Out Hunger Facebook campaign are located in Rushford, Preston and Caledonia, in communities in or near Merchants Bank. Last year, these three food shelves assisted 910 households and distributed 259,717 pounds of food.

Now through Dec. 15, Bell Lumber and Pole Co. will match donations made to Semcac, up to $30,000. The matching funds will be utilized for Semcac services in Freeborn County, however donations that are matched can come from anywhere. New donor gifts and gifts increased from the previous year will be matched dollar for dollar. If the group can win the $5,000 from the Merchants Bank Facebook challenge this year, thousands of dollars of funding could potentially be matched.