How to Run a Successful Food Drive

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How to Run a Successful Food Drive

Communicate

• Find out more about food security issues in London.

• It is much more motivating for others if they understand the importance of your food drive.

• Consider the following infographic produced by the London Poverty Research Centre:

Provide Incentives

A step by step guide

Organize Contests

If any local groups have agreed to help with your food drive, try to arrange for some friendly competition to increase participation. For example: if a school has agreed to participate, organize an incentive for the classroom that provides the most donations.

Involve the Community

Residents enjoy supporting one off fundraisers that help those in need in their city.

Research

This overview is not exhaustive. There are many other incentives and ideas that will make your food drive a success. Look online for ideas, success stories and lessons learned from other food drives

How do I run a successful food drive?

• Find out what items are needed. Connect with a local food cupboard or Food Bank and ask what they need most.

• Decide on a drop-off location. Consider having more than one. This works best if you have help from a local school, business or church to run your food drive. Make it easy others to donate.

• Get the word out! Promotional materials will help you accomplish this. Create a flyer, brochure, or poster. Let others know about your food drive and how they can make a donation! There are a number of ways you can distribute your promotional materials.

HOW TO PUBLICIsE YOUR FOOD DRIVE

HOW TO PUBLICIsE YOUR FOOD DRIVE

HOW TO PUBLICISE YOUR FOOD DRIVE

HOW TO PUBLICISE YOUR FOOD DRIVE

HOW TO PUBLICIsE YOUR FOOD DRIVE

5.) Contact local schools. They may help campaign or collect food as part of a social justice project.

4.) Post information to community boards. For example, at your local library.

1) Contact local media outlets: Let them know about your food drive and how the community can get involved!

2.) Use social media: This is a one of the most efficient ways of getting the word out about your food drive. Facebook and Twitter are two great examples you can use. Encourage others to share, like, and retweet! Join or add local community pages and share your digital flyer online!

3) Circulate flyers: Target specific areas or groups and do a flyer drop. For example, it might be a good idea to select a neighbourhood close to your drop off point and circulate flyers in those areas. Be safe and always use a buddy system when doing this.

The following is an exerpt taken from the collaborative work of South London NRC, LUSO, Crouch NRC, and GCCRC in the original document titled: "How to Start an Emergency Needs Food Cupboard".

Communicate

• Select a theme or slogan for your food drive. Be sure to use this when creating your promotional materials.

Slogan Examples

Theme Examples

Thank Your Donors

Hunger's Heroes

Basic Needs

Baby needs

Peanut Butter

and Jelly

Senior's needs

Don't forget to thank your donors. You can use social media or any other method. You may wish to keep track of those who contributed large donations and send a thank you card. If you can, let others know about the success of your food drive.

Take a Bite

out of Hunger

Soup drive

Chili Fixins

Food Drive

Stuff a Bus

Pack it in