How to Organize a Food Drive in Your School
Form a committee., Get your idea approved., Start planning., Call your chosen charity., Assign roles., Plan your promotional materials., Post promotional materials (or start running announcements)., Set up the drive., Monitor., Continue promotion...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Form a committee.
This committee should consist of a small group of 4-10 volunteers who want to help organize and run your food drive. -
Step 2: Get your idea approved.
Before you begin planning, check with your principal, superintendent, president, or board to make sure it isn't against policy to ask for donations within your organization. , The committee should think about the following things:
Dates for the drive Location for the drive Where the donations will be going How donations will be collected Additional items such as rewards, promotional events, and so forth. , Once you have decided where you want your donations to go, call that location.
Let them know when your food drive will take place and give them and estimated time that they could expect your donations to arrive.
Ask them:
If it is acceptable to take used items.
What items are most needed.
Hours of operation.
Also find out the best time to drop off the collected items. , Within your committee, a few volunteers should take on roles in your event.
A few committee members should be in charge of making promotional materials. , Possible materials could be flyers, banners, announcements, or social media posts and links.
Make sure your materials include:
When the drive will take place Where the items will be going What items are needed most How donations will be collected Any rewards or contests involved. , Start promoting your event at least two weeks before the start date of the event.
This allows your participants time to prepare.
Post your flyers and banners in high traffic areas such as entry doors, office windows, and in the cafeteria or library.
If you plan to use social media outlets or mass emails, send reminders a few days before the start of your event. , The day of your event (or beginning of your event), make sure there are collection receptacles in all of the places you advertised.
Check with committee members to reaffirm their roles and responsibilities during the drive. , During the drive, check the donation boxes often.
If the boxes are in a frequently unsupervised area, remove all of the donations at the end of the day.
This prevents stealing. Remove things from the boxes if they are:
Unable to be donated to your charity Perishable items Leaky or sticky bottles and cans Out of date or expired items. , If possible, run small flyers or announcements telling your organization how the drive is doing.
Remind your organization of needed items, or which grade/team is in the lead for the contest. , After your drive has ended, collect all donations immediately.
Your committee should decide a central location that you can use to gather and sort your donations. , Committee members should sort all donations.
Box or bag donations in groups such as canned goods, boxed goods, hygiene items, household items, and clothes.
Check expiration dates on items and check clothes for tears or stains that make them unwearable.
Fold clothes and stack cans and boxes neatly.
Count and note all items that were collected and donated for your own records. , Call ahead to the food bank or charity your donations will be going to.
Ask them when and where the donations should be dropped off.
Do this as soon as possible, so that the items can be used quickly. , After the items are donated, ask one committee member to take the notes you made on your collections and write up a small summary.
This summary can be posted in a newsletter, social media post, or read as an announcement.
Your summary should include:
How many items were collected How much money was collected Winner of the contest A thank you to all those who have participated. -
Step 3: Start planning.
-
Step 4: Call your chosen charity.
-
Step 5: Assign roles.
-
Step 6: Plan your promotional materials.
-
Step 7: Post promotional materials (or start running announcements).
-
Step 8: Set up the drive.
-
Step 9: Monitor.
-
Step 10: Continue promotion throughout any extended event.
-
Step 11: Undertake the final collection.
-
Step 12: Sort and count your donations.
-
Step 13: Drop off your donations.
-
Step 14: Summarize your success.
Detailed Guide
This committee should consist of a small group of 4-10 volunteers who want to help organize and run your food drive.
Before you begin planning, check with your principal, superintendent, president, or board to make sure it isn't against policy to ask for donations within your organization. , The committee should think about the following things:
Dates for the drive Location for the drive Where the donations will be going How donations will be collected Additional items such as rewards, promotional events, and so forth. , Once you have decided where you want your donations to go, call that location.
Let them know when your food drive will take place and give them and estimated time that they could expect your donations to arrive.
Ask them:
If it is acceptable to take used items.
What items are most needed.
Hours of operation.
Also find out the best time to drop off the collected items. , Within your committee, a few volunteers should take on roles in your event.
A few committee members should be in charge of making promotional materials. , Possible materials could be flyers, banners, announcements, or social media posts and links.
Make sure your materials include:
When the drive will take place Where the items will be going What items are needed most How donations will be collected Any rewards or contests involved. , Start promoting your event at least two weeks before the start date of the event.
This allows your participants time to prepare.
Post your flyers and banners in high traffic areas such as entry doors, office windows, and in the cafeteria or library.
If you plan to use social media outlets or mass emails, send reminders a few days before the start of your event. , The day of your event (or beginning of your event), make sure there are collection receptacles in all of the places you advertised.
Check with committee members to reaffirm their roles and responsibilities during the drive. , During the drive, check the donation boxes often.
If the boxes are in a frequently unsupervised area, remove all of the donations at the end of the day.
This prevents stealing. Remove things from the boxes if they are:
Unable to be donated to your charity Perishable items Leaky or sticky bottles and cans Out of date or expired items. , If possible, run small flyers or announcements telling your organization how the drive is doing.
Remind your organization of needed items, or which grade/team is in the lead for the contest. , After your drive has ended, collect all donations immediately.
Your committee should decide a central location that you can use to gather and sort your donations. , Committee members should sort all donations.
Box or bag donations in groups such as canned goods, boxed goods, hygiene items, household items, and clothes.
Check expiration dates on items and check clothes for tears or stains that make them unwearable.
Fold clothes and stack cans and boxes neatly.
Count and note all items that were collected and donated for your own records. , Call ahead to the food bank or charity your donations will be going to.
Ask them when and where the donations should be dropped off.
Do this as soon as possible, so that the items can be used quickly. , After the items are donated, ask one committee member to take the notes you made on your collections and write up a small summary.
This summary can be posted in a newsletter, social media post, or read as an announcement.
Your summary should include:
How many items were collected How much money was collected Winner of the contest A thank you to all those who have participated.
About the Author
Richard Robinson
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: