Planning a Food Drive

Donation Tips

Foods to Donate

Fruits:

• Fruits canned in juice
• Unsweetened applesauce
• 100% fruit juice
• Dried fruits (raisins, craisins)

Vegetables:

• Canned vegetables (without salt added)

Meats and Beans:

• Canned meats and fish (chicken, ham, beef, tuna, salmon)
• Peanuts and peanut butter
• Beans (canned, baked, or dried)
• 

Dairy:

• Yogurt (not past expiration)
• Cheese (not past expiration)

Grains

• Whole grain, low-sugar cereal
• Whole grain crackers and popcorn
• Whole grain enriched pasta and instant rice

Miscellaneous:

• Spaghetti sauce
• Salsa
• Reduced-sodium broths and soups
• Salad dressings or spreads
• Baby food (not past expiration date)

Meal Makers:

• Boxed meals that can be easily made (ex. Hamburger Helper)

Signs that may mean food is unsafe to eat:

Cans:

• Crushed so they will not stack
• Crushed at the end seam
• Dents with sharp edges
• Dents deep enough to rest a finger in
• Severe rust pits
• Swollen or bulging edges
• Holes, fractures, or punctures
• Evidence of leakage
• Signs of spoilage when opened (spurting; unusual odor or appearance)
• Baby food or formula past expiration
• Missing label

Glass jars:

• Home-canned foods
• Raised, crooked, or loosened lid
• Cracks or chips
• Signs of spoilage (dis colored food or cloudy liquid)
• Dirt under the rim
• Baby food past the expiration date

Paperboard cartons:

• Packages that are opened.
• Evidence of insects.
• Baby food past the expiration date.

Plan Ahead

• Select a recipient to receive your donations.  This can be your local food bank and/or anti-hunger agency that provides food or meals to the needy.
• Contact the organization- they may be able to provide barrels or other containers for food collections.
• Determine how many collection barrels you need.
• Create posters and flyers to generate awareness of hunger issues and food dives.
• Donation envelopes- for those wishing to make a monetary donation.
• Select a committee to organize the food drive and delegate duties.

Establish Basics

• Create a theme! Make it FUN! Themes often help generate excitement around a food drive and aid in the creation of promotional materials.
• Set beginning and end dates for the drive.
• Determine collection sites and who will deliver items to your recipient (s) at the end of the drive.
• Set a goal for how much food and/ or money to collect (i.e. one million pennies, total weight = pounds of food to collect, certain number of bags of groceries).
• Communicate above information to all participants.

Promote the Food Drive

• Create promotional materials that will help build awareness about hunger issues and your food drive.
• Hold contest for designing posters and flyers.
• Include food drive information in school newsletters, emails, and calendars.
• Notify local community centers about the food drive.
• Distribute flyers and posters around the community.
• Mark progress with thermometer or total board.
• Announce results of your collection efforts to your community.

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