How To Set Up Your Own Personal Food Drive
Tan’s Treats relies on support from people like you to provide millions of meals to food-insecure families. We partner with businesses, groups and individuals like you to meet the needs of at-risk families in the community.
With the demand for food assistance rising, we need your help more than ever.
Whether you are part of a club, school, church or business that wants to organize a food drive, you can use this collection of ideas and tips to make the most impact possible.
With the proper planning and follow through, your food drive can help those in need and let people of all ages and abilities make a difference. Food drives also help raise awareness about hunger in your community and encourage others to help.
Want to organize a food drive and pack meal kits with your group?
No child deserves to go hungry. You can make a difference.
Let's Fight Childhood Hunger Together.
Click Here For a How-To GuideHere's how to get started:
-
Contact your local food bank or charity of choice
Contact them about hosting a food drive on their behalf. Don't be afraid to ask questions about when you should host your food drive, what kind of food they need, and how you should bring it to the food bank. Also, ask what donations they can't accept.
-
Decide on your food drive format and location
Food drives come in a variety of flavors. You can host a one-day food drive where everyone brings their donations to a specific location on a set day. Or you can set up multiple collection points and accept donations for a few weeks. You can also partner with an event like a sports game, concert, or party and collect donations when people ente
-
Determine food items to collect
Once you have a partner organization, establish exactly what types of items should be gathered. Will it be only canned food items or are frozen and fresh foods needed? Is there a need for cooking staples, such as oils and flour? Are there specific needs, such as items for infants or nursing mothers? This will affect what the drop-off sites look like, as well as how you publicize.
-
Promote your food drive
Promotion is the key to a successful food drive. Make flyers. Tell your friends and family. Post on social media. Your local food bank may be able to supply you with promotional materials to make this even easier.
-
Collect and deliver your food drive donations
Once you've collected all your food donations, it's time to give them to your food bank. Some food banks ask that you drop-off food donations at their warehouse. Others may offer to pick up if you have many donations. n you first reach out to the food bank, ask them how you should bring them the donations.
-
Thank your friends and donors for their help
While handwritten notes may be a thing of the past, a simple thank you goes a long way. Include in your thank you how much food you collected and how they can stay involved with your local food bank. It's important to acknowledge your friends' effort and generosity in making your food drive a success, and there are many simple and meaningful ways to do so.
Other tips for a successful Food Drive
- Advertise/Market the food drive for a minimum of 1 week
- Decide which way will work best for your location
- Either market a designated day/time to collect all the food at once (Example: market all food to be collected Saturday from 2-4pm & give the location) or;
- Collect the food over the dates you choose (Example: bring food donations and drop off anytime between the 1st & 15th of the month in specified location)
- Hang flyers with food list in a very visible place
- Often times, when the food list is as extensive as ours is it is better to just pick 2 items to collect so that when people are out shopping it is easier for them to remember which items are needed.