How to Plan a Food Drive

Ask food bank staff what items they need most and promote this.

Food banks provide help to those in need. Food drives led by volunteers collect non-perishable food items from homes. Volunteers also collect cash donations, which will be used for perishable food donations. Perishable food is purchased by the food bank on an as-needed basis in an effort to maximize resources and reduce waste. Maximize your food drive by seeking a corporate sponsor -- ask the corporate sponsor to match any cash donations received at the door.

Things You'll Need

• Flyers
• Boxes
• Marker
• Envelopes
• Coin rollers
• Brochures about the food bank

Instructions

Planning

1. Call your local food bank and ask for its permission to conduct a food drive on its behalf. With permission granted (most food banks always need food drives happening to fill their shelves) set a date and time for the event. Ask what food items are most in demand in the area at the time.

2. Type up a sign promoting your food drive. List in-demand items on the sign. Together with friends, family or volunteers, put up signs in the area in which you will be collecting food. Ensure your sign has the date, time and name of the organization receiving the food.

3. Recruit event volunteers by calling major corporations, small businesses and service organizations, such as the Rotary Club and the Lions Club. Ask for organizations to volunteer teams for the event. Call the student council and student volunteer bureau of local high schools and colleges and ask for student volunteer teams.

4. Send a press release to your local radio, television and print media outlets 2 days before your event. Call these organizations and schedule interviews for the day before and the day of your food drive. Arrange photographers from local media outlets to take pictures of your volunteers in action on the day of the event.

Execution

1. Assign volunteers to particular streets in the area in which you're collecting. Give them a box each for food collections and a brochure, if available, about the food bank receiving the food. Provide each volunteer with an envelope; families may also offer cash donations and the envelope will provide a way of collecting any coin or bills. Tell the volunteers where they will return at the end of the day; your food drive group should return to a common location for a final count of food and money.

2. Meet at the designated location at the end of the day. Organize the food into piles according to tins, boxes and pantry items. Count the cash and roll the coins into coin holders. Place the coins in a box and place the bills in an envelope. Write the total amount of coin and cash received on the cash envelope and deliver this to a manager in the food bank so it is recorded properly.

3. Take the food donations to the organization quickly, especially if it is a time of year in which food banks are in high need. Thank the food bank staff for working with your organization(s) and volunteer to do another food drive during an upcoming period of demand for their organization.

References

• York Region Food Network: Organize a Food Drive