Hosting A Food Drive

Many local corporations, businesses, organizations, fire and police department, local departments, schools and churches in our community conduct very successful food drives and we are so very thankful for the amazing effort that they all put into these successful drives.

A successful food drive is compelling. It gets people involved and excited. It makes them want to participate and contribute. You don’t have to be a marketing wizard to conduct a food drive, but you’ll have a more successful event if you adopt a theme. Themes sound hard, but they actually make event planning easier. If you know the theme is “fall bounty,” you’re halfway to knowing what colors and images will work on posters, banners and other marketing materials.

If you haven’t thought of having one or would like to but not sure how to get started, here are a few basic ideas to get you started. There is an abundance of ideas on the internet as well so do some research on your own and use your imagination! Most of all, how ever big or small your drive is, remember every little bit counts and every little bit helps!

Set Dates

Determine the length of your drive. It can be two days or two months, but most drives last one to two weeks. Organize a team of volunteers at your organization, business, church or school. Contact the Pantry in advance of your drive so we will know and can help with collections and delivery if necessary.

Supply Suggestions for Your Drive

  • Banners, Flyers, Posters – Any one or a combination of all of these announcements will work nicely. Make sure they are colorful and specifies the date(s) of the food drive and what kind of food can be donated (see our “food and other item” list below). Please include a statement that only non-perishable and non-expired food items are acceptable. Also, state that all food and donations will go directly to the Tewksbury Community Pantry.
  • Collection Bins or Boxes – Anything will work such as barrels, bins, boxes that can be decorated with your drive theme and your banner, flyer or poster.
  • Donation Envelopes – Provide donation envelops for those that prefer to make a monitory donation. The Tewksbury Community Pantry accepts checks and/or cash. Checks can be made out to the Tewksbury Community Pantry.

Have A Kick-Off Event

Kick-off your drive with a great event to announce the drive dates. Remind participants that their enthusiasm around the drive is going to help feed those in Tewksbury who are in need of food assistance.

Celebrate

Celebrate your success by announcing your final results, such as the number of boxes, bins or barrels collected. Thank everyone for their participation and remind them that helping those in need can be a life changing experience for the giver as well as the recipient.

Drive Ideas

Local Corporations, Businesses, Organizations, Fire, Police, and Local Departments

  • Create competitions between departments or groups to see who will collect the most food.
  • Each department or group could have their own food containers and their own themes.
  • Use number of items donated to determine the winner. Make sure the winners get a special prize for their winning donation!
  • Have a “loose change” bin along side your food bin to collect loose change.

Schools

  • Launch your drive by having your school conduct a short assembly on nutrition and hunger in your community. This is a great way for students to understand what hunger is all about.
  • Have a food collection competition between classrooms or clubs and reward the winners who collect the most food with a gift.
  • In addition to the food drive, you could hold a “penny war” between classes and clubs and donate the funds collected.
  • Or as many school do, run a food drive during school sports or events.

Churches

  • Have collection containers available outside the church so parishioners can drop of food items as they enter for services.
  • If your congregation hosts bingo, consider advertising a food drive for a specific night of bingo.
  • In addition to actual food drives, have youth groups host car washes, pancake breakfasts, bake sales, simple soup suppers or any other fundraising events to help those in our community in need.
Get In Touch

“I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”

For more information or to get involved, please email us at info@tewksburypantry.org or call (978) 858-2273. We look forward to hearing from you.