Hosting a food drive can be as simple as 1-2-3 if you follow these Do's and Don'ts!
DO: Choose an accessible and visible setting to host your food drive.
Location is everything! People will be more willing to bring their donations to you if it's in a central location like a library, public school, church, or other public places.
DON'T: Rely only on word-of-mouth to promote your food drive.
While getting people talking about your food drive sounds like a simple task, in this technology-savvy society, it is more important than every to promote your food drive via social media. This can be as simple as creating a hashtag for posts, uploading photos of donations to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, or tweeting about the food drive in the days leading up to the event.
DO: Check for expiration dates and damage.
Most non-perishable foods can last past the "best-by" dates on the label. However, it's important to check for expiration dates that exceed the date too far. It is also important to check that food isn't opened or packaging isn't damaged.
DON'T: Accept any fresh foods or perishable items.
As much as a bunch of bananas or fresh chicken would be nice to donate to someone in need, these kinds of items are not food drive friendly. Make sure your items are non-perishable like canned vegetables or boxes of pasta.
DO: Make your food drive exciting.
Adding a theme or competition for a food drive can provide an incentive to participate! Making your food drive fun will bring in even more donations.
DON'T: Ignore the issue you're supporting.
While adding fun elements a food drive fun and exciting is important to gain donations, it is even more important to acknowledge the issue of hunger in America by informing participants about statistics and news on the issue.
Start planning your food drive today!
To find out more helpful tips for hosting a food drive in your area, click here.
