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.
