Taking action to improve the lives of those in your community is a wonderful endeavor, but it can also be complicated at times. Organizing a food drive is a tangible way to help feed food-insecure people in your area. To properly get those around you motivated and involved in your project, it is essential to make a plan, promote your event, and share your results with those that participated. Following these steps can help you to be successful as you organize a food drive.
Make a Plan
One of the most critical steps in organizing a food drive is selecting a food bank to support. Depending on your area, you may have more than one local food bank to choose from. You may select one closer to your food drop-off location or one that needs certain donations more.
Another important step is deciding what kind of donations you will be collecting. If you are wondering what to donate to a food bank, don’t be afraid to ask. Your local food bank may need shelf-stable canned food items, or if you are doing a holiday food drive, they may ask for seasonal items like cranberry sauce or hot chocolate mix. Make sure you also consider your ability to transport these items. Canned goods donations can be heavy; depending on turnout, you may have a large volume of them.
A final thing to consider in the planning stage is the food drop-off location and drop-off window. You may want to select a location close to the food bank or a location that your community often uses, like a community center or local church building. Also, consider how long you want your food drive to run. Give time for donors to hear about the food drive and prepare to contribute.
Promote Your Event
Once you know the details of your event, you can begin to let people know. You can get the word out on social media, through community announcements, or by posting flyers in public places. If you plan to use social media to spread the news, creating a Facebook event is an easy way to keep all the details in one place and let others you know share it with their circles. Additionally, attending community events to announce your food drive can help you answer any questions potential participants might have.
Share Your Efforts
Finally, once you can collect your donations and take them to the food bank, it is time to share your results. You can let your participants know how it went in the same ways that you got the word out about the event, to begin with. Social media is a quick way to do this. Letting others know their contributions were meaningful can help to encourage participation in future events.
