Food Drive Information

HERE ARE SOME PROVEN FOOD DRIVE IDEAS THAT HAVE WORKED WELL IN THE PAST:

  • Select a theme – such as “One CAN make a difference” or “Let’s Can Hunger”
  • Dedicate your food drive – Select one or two of our most needed items and employ a catchy title for your group. Example: Meat the Need (canned meat drive), Break the Fast” (breakfast items such as cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix, syrup, canned milk, canned fruit), People for Peanut Butter
  • Make Food the Fee – If your company, church or organization is sponsoring an event, make a canned food donation part of the cost of admission. Be sure to give everyone advanced notice and provide a list of food items that are in demand.
  • Walk, Run or Pedal – Host a run, walk-a-thon, bike race, or other sporting event and ask sponsors to pledge food.
  • Friendly Competition – Challenge departments, alumni groups of rival schools, etc. Whoever brings in the most pounds of food can make the others wear their school colors, decorate the office, etc.
  • Rock the Vote Have employees or members vote with canned goods for a manager/boss/pastor who would have to complete an agreed upon activity. The individual with the most votes may have to sing for the group, dress like Elvis, dance a popular dance, kiss a pig, or be hit in the face with a pie….
  • TGIF (Take Groceries in Friday) – provide bags on Thursday for employees to take home and fill
  • Designated Food Days – designate days of the week for specific foods. Example: Macaroni Monday, Tuna Tuesday, Veggie Wednesday, Thanksgiving Foods Thursday, Fruity Friday.
  • Include Business Sponsors – Let your business partners know that you are participating in a food drive for The Food Pantry and ask them to participate or promote your event.
  • Advertise – Make fliers, send emails, promote on your website, and share on social media. The more people that know about your event, the more donations you’ll receive.
  • Highlight Your Progress – Have a central drop-off location where everybody can watch their donations accumulate! Take photos and share where everyone can see your progress and visualize the goal.
  • Be sure to show appreciation – to participants, donors, volunteers, community business partners for their participation in your food drive. Hand-written thank you notes, certificates or other awards can be extremely gratifying and generate more support for your drive next year. Be sure to let them know how successful you were!
  • Valuable Lessons – Remember that no matter how much food you are able to raise, there are valuable lessons to be learned. Realizing that these efforts make a difference in their community is so important. Encourage their ideas and efforts!

HOW THE FOOD PANTRY WILL HELP:

· We can provide banana boxes for collecting and transporting donations to The Food Pantry to be weighed. We will be happy to pick up donations at your business.

· If you would like pantry volunteers at your event, just give us a call!

· We will advertise any events you organize on our Facebook page, blog and notify local media- just let us know the details!

· We will add your business/church/organization as a Sponsor on our social media and “Pantry Angel” wall.

· We can provide information about The Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs to educate your employees, clients, congregation or members

· We are happy to organize a tour of our facility for your employees, management, staff, congregation or board members

· We welcome any opportunity to speak with your employees, management, staff, congregation or board members about our mission in serving the hungry of Clay County.

 

Some individuals may prefer to donate money as well as foods.

Checks can be made payable to
“The Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs”

Mail these funds to

P.O. Box 696
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

or simply leave them with the volunteers at The Food Pantry