Money-making Ideas for Food Drives

A food drive helps those in need.

Food drives are public events, usually undertaken by churches or charitable organizations, that solicit donations of food to benefit the needy. Although food is the primary item sought in a food drive, there also are expenses involved. Food drive projects need money for advertising, transportation, storage and the dissemination of the food. Money not used for these expenses can be used to buy more food.

Day-long Fast

The best fundraising ideas for food drives revolve around ideas related to food. This allows donors to learn more about the issues as well as to donate money. One idea is a one-day fast in which people go without eating for a day and donate the money that they would have spent on food that day to the food drive. Given enough participants, this event can raise a lot of money for a food drive, as well as educate people about what it's like to go without food. Even though the fast involves donors, the experience can help to deepen their empathy for those in need.

Concert

A concert can be an enjoyable activity. It may draw people in who are just there for the music, but who can get an opportunity to learn about food issues that they may have been previously unaware of. Musical performances can be interspersed with brief talks by people involved with the food drive, letting the public know what's happening and how much progress has been made. The concert can be combined with a drive to donate nonperishable food. Seeing the amount of food donated in one place may inspire people to get more involved by helping them to realize that they can make a difference.

Walk-a-Thon

A walk-a-thon is a tried and tested way of raising money for a public charity. Participants solicit pledges from family, friends and colleagues, with sponsors usually promising a certain amount of money per mile. The money is then either donated to the food drive for operating expenses or used to buy food. Like concerts, walk-a-thons combine fundraising with opportunities for public education. Being out in the community and walking is an effective way to connect with other people and make them aware of the food drive. The walk-a-thon can end in a public park, where a picnic is held to thank participants and celebrate the success of the event.

Bake Sale

Few fundraising events can be more closely related to food than a bake sale. This event can be combined with a concert or a walk-a-thon. People who want to help out can bake as much as they want and donate it. Baked goods can be sold for a set price or auctioned off as a way to have a publicly accessible and enjoyable event and raise more money.

References

• Community Food Bank: Food Drive Ideas
• Manna Outreach: Fundraising and Food Drive Ideas!