Food drives, big and small, are a great way to involve many people in the effort to alleviate hunger in the United States. As September is Hunger Action Month, now is the perfect time to host a food drive.
The food collected from food drives, and delivered to food banks and pantries, is sorted and given out directly to emergency food box recipients. Typically, an emergency food box holds a 3-day supply of food for each household member.
1. Organize
Choose the location and duration of your food drive. Neighborhoods, schools, offices, civic groups, and houses of worship are just some of the many organizations that are happy to help sponsor a food drive. Consider registering the food drive with your local food bank. Most food banks will provide you with flyers, containers, and additional tips for running a successful food drive.
2. Advertise
Either use a flyer provided by your local food bank, or make your own. All flyers should include information about where to drop off the food, how long the food drive is running, and the most needed food items.
MOST NEEDED FOOD ITEMS:
Peanut Butter
Canned Meat
Canned Fruit
Canned Vegetables
Cereal
Pasta
3. Collect
Either use containers provided by your local food bank, or use cardboard boxes and plastic tubs to collect all the donated food. Label the containers and put them in a highly visible area.
4. Deliver
Collect all the donated food and take it to your local food bank or pantry. If your food drive has generated a lot of donated food (over 500 food items), then most food banks will pick the food up.
Remember to thank all the participants!
HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN HOST A FOOD DRIVE
Over a meal time discuss the issue of hunger with your children. Talk gently about kids that might not have any breakfast that morning. Perhaps lunch at school was their only hot meal of the day.
What should we do?
I asked this question to my girls. They thought for a minute and together decided to ask their neighbors and friends to donate food.
Here are the beginnings of my girls' food drive...
KIDS HELPING KIDS {food drive}
Joyce at Childhood Beckons found a way to encourage her son to read and support their local food bank. Her son asked sponsors to donate one nonperishable food item per book he reads in a week's time. At the end of the week, they will collect the food he's raised and deliver it to their local food bank.
For more inspiration...
Jennifer at The Good Long Road organized a food drive at her farmer's market.
Megan at Coffee Cup and Crayons hosted a Hunger Heros food drive play date.
The possibilities are endless.
Stacy, the driving force behind Mom's Fighting Hunger, and Jennifer, an indie filmmaker, put together this fun yet touching movie showing how kids can get involved... Every Can Counts.
