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“… reducing the amount of food that we waste by just a third could feed all the food-insecure people in this country,” says Emily Broad Leib, director of the Food Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School.

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How food donations can help fight hunger and climate change

Harvard Staff Writer

Law Professor Emily Broad Leib examines legal and other hurdles to reducing waste

Every year, nearly 700 million people suffer from hunger around the world, while 1.3 billion tons of food are thrown away. Both food waste and hunger have increased during the pandemic.

It doesn’t have to be that way, said Emily Broad Leib , director of the Food Law and Policy Clinic of the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School. The Gazette interviewed Broad Leib about the ways in which food donation could help the fight against hunger as well as climate change.

Emily Broad Leib

GAZETTE: How did you get interested in the subject of food law?

BROAD LEIB: When I went to Harvard Law School, my focus was international human rights. After Law School, I did a fellowship in community development in rural Mississippi, and one of the first projects I worked on was legal training for local farmers and farmers markets. They wanted to grow foods, but they didn’t know what they were allowed to sell. Everything grew from there. There is a huge change around what people want the food system to do. For a lot of the 1900s into the early 2000s, the idea was just that food appears at the store; we buy it; and we bring it to our house. Now people are thinking a lot more about what’s in our food, how it is impacting us, what it is doing to the environment, where it is coming from, and who the workers are who produce this food. A lot of fields are implicated in this, but law has a lot to say in how we answer questions about our priorities, the transparency in the food system, and who are the winners and losers.

GAZETTE: How can food donation help the fight against hunger?

BROAD LEIB: Prior to COVID, there were about 690 million people globally living in hunger, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. Estimates are that, because of COVID, that increased to between 720 to 811 million people, and rates of extreme hunger have also gone up. There are a lot of factors causing hunger. A big piece relates to economics and well-paying jobs, but hunger also is a day-to-day need, and long-term solutions, while they’re necessary, can’t resolve the day-to-day problem that people are facing. There is a movement to think about the right to food, which a lot of countries recognize, as one that includes the right to not have food go to waste. We put a lot of energy into producing that food, and the best thing that we can do is make sure that it goes to someone who is in need. In the U.S., there is data that shows that reducing the amount of food that we waste by just a third could feed all the food-insecure people in this country. There is nothing worse than thinking about people being in hunger while watching surplus food rot in the field or get thrown into a dumpster.

GAZETTE : What are the obstacles in the law that prevent food donation?

BROAD LEIB: There are two sides to it. On one side, there are actual legal and policy barriers to donating, and they can be real or perceived. As an example of a perceived barrier, in the U.S., we don’t mention food donation in any of our food safety laws. We’re strict about food safety; almost everything is regulated but so often food is wasted because it’s not clear what can you do with the food, whether it is allowed to be donated or not.

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In some countries, there are real barriers to donating food. In our research, we found that in some countries, there is a tax penalty for donating food instead of throwing it away. This happens in Argentina. In general, businesses that acquire food have to pay a value added tax [VAT] and can recover that money from the consumer. In Argentina, when you throw food away, you can claim a credit from the government for the VAT that you paid, but when you donate food, you can’t claim that same credit. There is a real economic penalty to donating versus throwing it away.

On the other side, there is a lack of incentive to donate food. In many countries, there is no tax benefit, or if there is, it’s very low. Also, it’s not necessarily cost-effective to donate food because you need to treat it carefully, have extra space in your freezers and trucks to transport it, and you need to train workers. Thinking about food coming from the farm, in the U.S., recent estimates say that we probably waste 13 million tons per year of food on the farm that doesn’t get harvested because either it’s not up to the aesthetic standards or the farmer met their goal for the contract and there’s extra that they just don’t need. There is a cost associated with harvesting and transporting that food, and if you can’t make the numbers work for businesses, it’s hard to say to them that we want them to spend all this money and time doing what’s good for society if that’s not actually going to make economic sense for them.

Part of our work has been to explore the different categories of barriers and the universal issues that people bring up when it comes to food donation. That has been our work in the Global Food Donation Policy Atlas , a project we conduct in partnership with the nonprofit Global FoodBanking Network that maps barriers and best practices to food donation around the world.

GAZETTE : What are the main findings of this atlas?

BROAD LEIB : In the first year, we picked a range of five countries (out of our initial list of 15) to look at the universal issues surrounding food donation. Now we’re looking at a broader set of countries to compare their policies and see who has the best practice or the best policy on various areas related to food donation. The atlas is trying to answer those questions and help users identify the very strongest model laws, while giving also specific useful tools to each individual country. For each participating country, we include a detailed legal guide of their current laws that food banks or food donors can use right now to find out what is allowed and what is not. There are recommendations for what are the top few changes, based on our conversations with our food bank partners, governments, and businesses, that really need to happen to make food donation more of a habit rather than being taboo or something that only happens occasionally.

GAZETTE: How do U.S. food donation policies compare to other countries in your atlas?

BROAD LEIB: When we first started the project, we thought the U.S. could strengthen its own policies, but when you look around the world, there are areas where we might be better off than other countries. It doesn’t mean that we have it right 100 percent. There are areas where we’re behind, such as date labeling on food products. We have all the resources and the capability of making those dates clear and comprehensible, and we’re just not doing it. The EU is blowing us out of the water; the U.K. has clear standard labels on food and guidance documents for consumers, businesses, and food banks about how foods can be eaten after the expiration date or can be donated. They’re light years ahead of us. But in terms of tax incentives for food donors, we have the most generous of any country. Food donors in the U.S. can get a very good incentive when they donate food, and that could be an example for other countries to follow. Over time, we’ll add more countries to the atlas, but even now you can get a good idea on where the hotspots are, where we’re doing well, and where we can make progress.

GAZETTE: How much of the food produced in the U.S. is donated?

BROAD LEIB: Studies estimate that between 7 and 10 percent of the U.S. surplus food gets donated. The rest of the surplus food goes to landfills; some to combustion, which is incinerated. There is so much edible food that is getting thrown away. It’s so disheartening. If you go behind any store and look in its dumpster, a large majority of what is in there could be in my refrigerator right now.

GAZETTE: How can food donation help the fight against climate change?

BROAD LEIB : The U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] put out a report 18 months ago about food production and climate change, in which they found that about 8 to 10 percent of global anthropogenic emissions come from food waste. That is a sizable amount. There are lots of other places where we can reduce emissions, but it’s going to be tricky because those emissions meet other needs; we need electricity, energy. Reducing food waste seems to be one of those areas that is a win-win situation. No one is benefiting when we throw food away. The production of food itself causes emissions, and when the food goes to the landfill, it’s a huge emitter of methane. So that’s not good on either end of it.

GAZETTE: What is the impact of COVID on hunger and food waste?

BROAD LEIB: Hunger has increased because of COVID but so has food waste. In a lot of cases, it’s because certain supply chains got shut down. Food that typically goes to hotels or restaurants — and this also happened in the U.S. — suddenly had to be wasted because nobody knew where to send the food, and our supply chain wasn’t flexible enough to get all that food to grocery stores or food pantries. Feeding America, the network of food banks in the U.S., has seen an increase of need for food bank services, and that 75 percent of the people knocking on their doors were first-time users of food banks. Much of the food that goes to waste is totally fine and edible and it gets wasted because of log jams in the marketplace or confusion over date labels.

GAZETTE:  What would you like to see happening in the landscape of food donation policies?

BROAD LEIB:   We’ve already seen a lot more awareness about these topics and I think that will manifest in both being more thoughtful about food waste and food donation, but also around treating the land and workers in the food supply better. Every meal that we eat is magical when you think about how all these things came together, and they’re all only renewable resources if we treat them with respect, including the workers. My hope is that we’re moving toward a direction where there’s more respect for all the ingredients in the food system.

I’ve done a lot of research domestically around law school teaching and scholarship on food systems, and I’m doing a project now looking at teaching in law schools globally in this field. I think there is a real opportunity for learning and collaboration about these issues amongst lawyers. My hope is also that there are more active partnerships across countries on not just food donation, but on other food policy issues as well. At this point, more than 25 students from Harvard Law School have been involved in the atlas, and I wanted to acknowledge that. Part of my hope is that we’re training thoughtful leaders in this space who can evolve and build on this work in the future.

This interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.

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Food Donation and Food Drive: Strategies to Achieve Zero Hunger

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• First Online: 01 January 2020
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• Michele F. Fontefrancesco 6  

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

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A food drive is a charity initiative aimed at collecting nonperishable food items to stock and distributed directly or through food banks, soup kitchens, and other charitable institutions to people in need. The initiative is part of a broader system of collection and redistribution that involves a plurality of actors of the voluntary sector. The initiative is commonly employed in Western countries and used to tackle urban poverty as well as to contribute to hunger relief in developing countries or in case of humanitarian crises. Food drives contribute both tangibly to UNSDG 2 “Zero Hunger,” by collecting and redistributing food, and intangibly, by raising awareness on issues, such as urban poverty, unbalance food access, and famine relief.

Poverty and Food Access

Poverty is a debated concept in the social sciences (Villemez 2000 ). It is related to the condition of lack of material possessions needed to reach “ the minimum necessaries for the maintenance of merely...

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Fontefrancesco, M.F. (2020). Food Donation and Food Drive: Strategies to Achieve Zero Hunger. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A.M., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P.G., Wall, T. (eds) Zero Hunger. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95675-6_15

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Food Insecurity Among College Students: The Food Pantry Predicament

By Taylor Lance

Food insecurity is an imperative issue in colleges across the country. “Food insecurity” is a broad term for the two types of low food security: low food security and extremely low food security (Yashamiro). This means that these individuals are not consistently getting the food that they need in order to be healthy. Many students attempting to gain a higher education at two-year colleges and four-year universities are facing food insecurity. To help these student’s, colleges are trying out various methods. There are many concerns for students who are experiencing food insecurity, their overall health is at risk, and their grades are destined to suffer. It is extremely concerning how prevalent this issue is. In the article “Why a Food Pantry isn’t Enough” Gwen Dilworth, a   fourth-year student and executive director of The College and University Food Bank Alliance, reported that “…the GAO concluded that about a third of U.S. college students struggle with food insecurity”. Colleges across the country are becoming progressively more aware of this issue and are taking steps to intervene by adding food pantries to help students get the nutrition they need. Although food pantries are helpful and should be supported, they alone are not enough to completely combat food insecurity among college students.

Food insecurity among college students is a critical issue in dire need of a solution. “In studies among children and adults, FI [Food Insecurity] has been associated with poorer nutrition and health outcomes, higher stress and depression, and adverse learning, academic outcomes and/or productivity…Findings were generally consistent across peer reviewed and gray literature, despite using different metrics” (Bruening et al.). These are all reasons to be concerned for students in these situations. These individuals are trying to get a higher education because they simply want to have a successful future and are met with the obstacle of not being able to afford both education and basic needs. Students struggling with food insecurity are not able to get the nutrition they need; therefore, they are unable to focus on their academics. Since students are preoccupied with the struggle of meeting their basic need for food and safety they cannot focus on their studies. One solution has been the introduction of food pantries, although these are helpful, colleges cannot stop at just this.

Food pantries are popping up in many colleges across the country in attempt to reduce food insecurity. While these are showing to benefit the students, there are still limitations to how much they can help. In the case study titled “Hungry for a Higher Education” the author determined that food pantries “may not address larger systematic issues of hunger and poverty experienced by students, but focus on immediate needs” (Yashamiro). Food pantries are not a long-term solution to the problem, their intent is to be a short-term solution. Another reason food pantries are not able to reduce food insecurity among college students on their own is attributable to the students view and perception of the food pantries. “It was reported that 36% of students studied associated the pantry with social stigma and embarrassment…” (Yashamiro). This means that many students are hesitant to take advantage of the food pantry because they fear that people will judge them for it and they do not want to be subjected to that embarrassment. Many students know of the food pantries available but are not aware of how the system works or if they are eligible for this help. “33.8% noted unawareness of how the food pantry worked, and if they would even qualify for the services” (Yashamiro). To improve effectiveness of food pantries some colleges might consider adding more ways to inform students on the operation of food pantries and who among the students might be eligible for access to the food pantries. Colleges should not have the misconception that they have solved the problem by only installing food pantries on campus; there needs to be more long-lasting efforts and programs in place.

In the case study “Hungry for a Higher Education” Connie Moreno Yashamiro discusses some other food insecurity intervention methods such as “developing a single point of contact”. This means having one place that students can go to seek help if they are experiencing food insecurity. By creating a single point of contact the student does not have to keep repeating their situation to numerous people across campus, they can instead, talk to one person to get the help and support they need. Another approach mentioned by Yashamiro was to introduce swipe programs. These programs would make it an option for students that have left-over meals on their cards to donate them to students that are food insecure. The individuals that are food insecure and have received the donated meal swipes will be able to use them the same way as any other student and it would be completely confidential (Yashamiro). This would take away any risk that the students might feel judged or embarrassed by their situation. In addition to those tactics, there are still other ways to help students struggling with food insecurity such as mobile notifications when there is food leftover from events on campus. There is a limitation to this strategy however, students who do not have access to cell phones might not be able to be made aware of when there is food leftover from these events. Gardens on campus can serve multiple purposes, they could be used for agricultural education and could also help supply students in need with healthy foods (Yashamiro). The authors of the scholarly article “Hunger In Higher Education” determined that “While there is public resistance to such efforts, policy changes that expand SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] eligibility or extend the National School Lunch Program to higher education are likely cost effective responses since undergraduates who receive public benefits are more likely to persist than observably similar peers”. These college students are here by choice and have the desire to achieve higher education. Therefore, it makes sense financially to extend the National School Lunch Program to enable these students to be healthy while pursuing an education and working to reach their goals. Although food pantries are a valuable addition to the effort to fight food insecurity, they should not be seen as more than temporary help to students who run out of food.

There are many variations in the food pantries that are in these different schools. Food pantries vary in size, available resources, how much students can take, and hours of operation. It is difficult to measure the success of food pantries when all of them are different. There is a lack of research on the effectiveness of food pantries so in order to get a complete understanding of the help that they provide, more studies need to be done. For these reasons’ colleges need to be cautious of having the mindset that food pantries will be an end-all solution when in reality colleges need to combine various programs and efforts to have the greatest impact.

Food insecurity among college students cannot be solved by merely introducing short term solutions such as food pantries. The combination of many approaches and tactics is the best way to tackle this issue. The steps that need to be taken in order to unravel this type of large-scale problem are efforts that colleges can make, such as the swipe program, alongside policy changes to extend eligibility for assistance.

Works Cited

Broton, K. M., et al. “Hunger in higher education: Experiences and Correlates of Food Insecurity Among Wisconsin Undergraduates from Low-income Families.” Social Sciences,  vol. 7, no. 10, 2018, doi: dx.doi.org.lcc.idm.oclc.org/10.3390/socsci7100179. Accessed 20 Apr. 2020.

Bruening, Meg, et al. “The Struggle Is Real: A Systematic Review of Food Insecurity on Postsecondary Education Campuses.”  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , vol. 117, no. 11, 2017, pp. 1767–1791., doi:10.1016/j.jand.2017.05.022. Accessed 20 Apr. 2020.

Dilworth, Gwen. “Why a Food Pantry isn’t Enough.” UWIRE Text , 26 Feb. 2019, p. 1. Gale OneFile: News , link-gale-com.lcc.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A575986285/STND?u=lom_lansingcc&sid=STND&xid=4dba1729 . Accessed 20 Apr. 2020.

Yamashiro, Connie Moreno. “Hungry for a Higher Education: A Case Study on Undergraduate Student Experiences with a Campus Food Pantry.” Order No. 13881227 California State University, Long Beach, 2019.  ProQuest.  Accessed 20 Apr. 2020.

Writing LCC by is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to organize a successful food drive

Follow these steps to organize a food drive on your own, or with a local food bank.

by Maureen Vaught

Master gardener Alex Portelli was having lunch at an elementary school in Marion, North Carolina, where he volunteers, when two students, brothers, sat next to him in the cafeteria. “One brother pulled out his lunch and started eating,” recalls Portelli, president of the Rotary Club of Marion. “I asked the other brother where his lunch was, and he said, ‘It’s not my turn to eat today.’ I thought, ‘Oh, no. Not during my lifetime.’ That’s the type of personal story that gets us involved.” Portelli is now the chair of his county’s local food advisory council, and he’s active in the Rotary Zones 33-34 Hunger Challenge.

Rotary members in many places hold collection drives to help people, particularly families with children, get the food they need. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect jobs and school food programs, that need is growing. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the COVID-19 pandemic could add as many as 132 million people to the total number of undernourished in the world this year.

Want to organize a food drive in your community? Here are some ideas and tips to help ensure success.

Choose a group to support

If you’re not sure whom to help, contact your local food bank or pantry for suggestions. “In some cases, towns are too small to have a local food bank, but Rotary can connect them with a larger food bank,” says Billi Black, a Zone 33 assistant regional public image coordinator. Then work with the group to address its needs.

Make a logistics plan

Form a committee to determine when, where, and how you’ll hold your drive. Get your members’ input and tap into their connections and expertise.

And make it measurable: pounds of food collected, number of meals supplied, or dollar amount raised. Look for matching opportunities from other organizations that could double or triple your impact.

Promote your event

The members of the Rotary Club of Prescott-Frontier, Arizona, considered their May food drive a success when they collected an estimated 3,000 pounds of food. But they stepped up their marketing when they held another drive in June. After the club contacted local media outlets and lined up news articles, social media posts, and radio interviews, it collected 38,000 pounds of food. “It was unbelievably successful,” says member Mike Payson.

Track your success

Consider naming a “food champion” in your club or district whose responsibility is to help set goals and to promote and track their progress, and to make sure members record their volunteer hours and contributions in Rotary Club Central.

Thank your donors

Even if you can’t thank each contributor individually, show your gratitude by posting photos from your event on your website and on social media.

increase in food insecurity in households with children under 18 from 2018 to April 2020

Million people in the u.s. who experienced low or very low food security in 2018, work with a local food bank.

Staffers at your local food bank have the experience and expertise to ensure that your food drive is a success. They know who needs what in your community and have conducted many food drives, so they know what works and what doesn’t. They can also:

• Help with logistics , including publicity, choosing a location, and scheduling. “We just show up with the money, food, and manpower,” says Johnny Moore, an assistant regional public image coordinator for Zone 33.
• Make better use of your funds . Because of their buying power, your dollar goes further.
• Coordinate the distribution of food where it’s needed most.

Virtual food drives

If you’re looking for alternatives to an in-person food drive during a pandemic, organize a virtual one instead. Set up a page on your club’s or local food bank’s website to collect financial donations, track your group’s progress, and share updates with your supporters.

What to donate

Here are some items that food banks want:

• Peanut butter
• Canned soup or stew
• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Canned fish
• Canned beans
• Pasta (most prefer whole grain)
• Rice (most prefer brown rice)

What not to donate

You may have a freezer full of banana bread, but your food bank doesn’t want it. Here’s what else it won’t take:

• Items needing refrigeration
• Expired food
• Baked goods

Source: Feeding America

• This story originally appeared in the December 2020 issue of Rotary magazine.

Related content

Good nutrition and health care before a child's second birthday are vital to their future

Hunger hits home: The pandemic reminds us that food insecurity isn’t just ‘over there’

Scientist, farmer, innovator, Rotarian

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Organize a Food Drive

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Time Needed:  One or More Days

Skills Needed:  No special skills required

Causes:  Hunger, Community, Poverty

Project Categories:  Family Friendly

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Introduction

Many community-based organizations lack the capacity or resources to meet the needs of the growing population of hungry Americans. Food pantries and other charitable organizations also often run short on food that is age appropriate (e.g., low sodium for seniors), culturally appropriate and/or fresh. Tight economic times have only further burdened these organizations.

How you can get involved

Organize a food drive! Collect food and/or monetary donations for your favorite community-based food organization. There are a few models for how to hold a food drive. This guide focuses on the “single-site drop-off” model, where people bring food donations to a place, on a specific date, where volunteers are waiting to receive it.

"There are people in the world so hungry that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” Mahatma Gandhi

Step 1: PICK A LOCAL GROUP THAT NEEDS FOOD

Consider both the obvious (food bank and homeless shelter) and the less obvious (faith-based organizations, senior citizen centers, schools). If you want suggestions on food organizations in need, start by contacting your local food bank. You’ll find them listed online at www.feedingamerica.org

Food banks and pantries are all different, so before you start planning, be sure to reach out to learn the best way to meet their needs.

Food banks are warehouses that collect large quantities of food to distribute to local food pantries, soup kitchens, etc. The food bank itself may be interested in benefiting from your drive. Or, they may suggest a local food organization in your neighborhood.

Once you’ve determined what organization will benefit from your drive, use the questions in the Tips for Meeting an Organization's Needs section below to talk with them about your idea and how best to shape it to meet their needs.

Local food organizations often are in short supply of age-appropriate food (e.g., low sodium, low sugar, or easy to open foods) and/or culturally-appropriate foods. Use the Sample Food List in the "Supplemental Materials" section and consider narrowing your requests for donations to these special areas to best meet the needs of the people being served.

If no local organization needs support, consider making a donation to AARP Foundation's Fight Hunger Campaign at www.aarp.org/hunger to help those who are hungry.

Step 2: DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO COLLECT FOOD

Single-site drop off:  You ask people to bring food donations to one location during set hours on a specific day. Volunteers stay at the collection site.

Extended food drive:  You set up multiple collection points with drop boxes where people can leave food over the course of multiple days or weeks. Volunteers collect the donations once per day.

Food aid groups often lack fresh produce to provide to hungry people.

Event-related food drive : Your team partners with a local event – like a sports game, music festival or county fair – and sets up collection sites at the event.

Step 3: ASSESS VOLUNTEER NEEDS

Establish a small committee to plan and coordinate the food drive. Select an overall coordinator (that may be you) and team leaders for individual tasks. Depending on the size of your food drive, there could be 2 to 6 team leaders.

Teams can help share the work, motivate volunteers/donors and hold each other accountable to deadlines. Many hands make light work!

Schedule a training session for the team leaders. Provide the leaders with background on the selected organizations, a list of key dates/times (timeline of preparation), responsibilities needed to carry out the food drive and contact information for you and the other team leaders.

The team leaders should:

• Help recruit volunteers for the food drive
• Promote the food drive with flyers throughout the community
• Ensure local media are aware of the drive
• Set up the collection site
• Lead a shift during the event
• Help coordinate food sorting and delivery after the drive

Step 4: FIND A DROP-OFF LOCATION

Identify the desired location for food drop-off and collection such as a school, local business, shopping center, faith-based organization or grocery store.

Contact the appropriate person (store manager, principal, etc.) to get permission to hold the drive there and ask if they’d like to participate in any way. When you call, make sure you have information on the food drive (the goal, the preferred date, background on the organization the food will support, etc.).

Depending on the size of the drive and the number of volunteers, you might want to hold it at multiple locations. Keep in mind, this requires more logistical organization and volunteers but will yield more food.

A location that is centrally located, with built-in traffic, a large parking lot and an inside option (in case of bad weather) is ideal.

Once you nail down a location, work out logistics with your contact there:

• Where specifically the food drive can be held (e.g., at the entrance of the store or a section of the parking lot)
• The date and the allowed hours of operation for the drive
• Inclement weather backup plan
• Where the food will be stored before pick up
• Place to accommodate the volunteers who will organize the food for pick up

NOTE: If you are talking to a retailer and they are interested, you might explore additional ways they could support the effort. Examples might include:

• Printing your flyers (the retailer could receive an acknowledgment on the flyer)
• Matching the donations raised from the public for the food drive in some way (with a dollar amount or a product donation from the retailer to the food bank or organization)
• Adding the option at the cash register for customers to donate money to the food organization you are helping

Step 5: RECRUIT AND MANAGE VOLUNTEERS

Ask your family, friends, colleagues, neighbors and faith group members to help make the food drive a success. Check with local community organizations, libraries, schools, senior citizen centers, places of worship, etc. that may already have a pool of volunteers for their own purposes. Email is a great way to keep the volunteers informed. Post the food drive on Create the Good by visiting CreatetheGood.org and selecting "Find Volunteers" from the top menu to recruit more volunteers or to promote the drive.

Develop a roster of all the volunteers. Be sure to get each person’s full name and contact information so you can keep everyone informed during the planning stage.

Host a meeting three to five weeks prior to the food drive so the volunteers understand the goal of the food drive, what is required of them, the timeline of the drive, and background on the selected organization you are supporting. Provide a take-away sheet with the information from the meeting.

Develop a schedule for the volunteers so that you have sufficient support throughout the day. Keep in mind, peak hours will need more volunteers than the early and later hours of the event. Communicate the schedule to all the volunteers two weeks prior to the food drive so there is time for rescheduling if needed.

Suggested tasks for volunteers include:

• Make and distribute flyers/signs for the event
• Promote the event through their contacts and local community organizations
• Staff the event (including set up and take down)
• Transport food donations to the recipient organization
• Follow-up communication, including the results of the drive and thanking the supporters

For more tips on project management, see the Nuts and Bolts Guide for Organizers at http://www.createthegood.org/toolkit/nuts-bolts-project-organizers.  

Step 6: GET THE WORD OUT

The key to a successful food drive is to get the word out about the event. Promote! Promote! Promote! See the Tips for Generating Publicity section below for publicizing your event.

Step 7: FINAL PREP ARRANGEMENTS

Touch base with the recipient organization, your team leaders and your contact person at the drive location to confirm all details, including:

• Plans for box/crate drop-off prior to the drive and food pick-up following the drive
• Food sorting instructions (if any)
• Who will supply tables, chairs and refreshments for the volunteers?
• The staffing schedule for the day of the food drive
• 2- to 3-hour shifts are best
• Create 3 or 4 large signs that your teams can post within a block or two of the food drive on the day of the event
• Be prepared with information for people who tell you they need food. Identify the closest food pantry, as well as the closest place people can go to get assistance in applying for SNAP, the food stamp program (see the SNAP Flyer in the ‘Supplemental Materials’ section below).

Step 8: EVENT DAY

• Set up the food collection site (i.e.. two tables with chairs behind them; refreshments behind the volunteer chairs, boxes/crates clearly labeled for various food types)
• Post the Food Drive signs in visible areas and have flyers available
• Welcome volunteers as they arrive and show them how things will work
• Volunteers (not contributors) should put the food in the appropriate crate to ensure efficiency
• Relax, smile and enjoy the wonderful event that is bringing together the community
• When the drive is over, clean up the area and take down the signs. Leave the area the same (if not cleaner) than when you arrived
• Thank the hosting organization and the volunteers

Step 10: FOLLOW UP (within one week after the event)

Send a thank you note, call or email to all volunteers (using the method by which they prefer to be contacted). Include how much food was donated and whether there are plans for additional food drives or other volunteer opportunities.  Call or write a thank you note to the hosting organization.  Again, let them know how much food was donated and convey their important role in the success of the program and the difference they are making.

While it is still fresh in your mind, develop a list of lessons learned for future events. Check in with the local food organization to see if they have suggestions to include. Keep in touch with volunteers and local communities for further volunteer opportunities.

TIPS FOR MEETING AN ORGANIZATION’S NEEDS

Once you have selected the local program you would like to support, get more information on their needs before you start implementing your plan. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. You’ll want your plan to be well-grounded, and you’ll want to be armed with information for your volunteers!  Here are some suggested areas to discuss:

• Who is a contact person to work with for coordinating the food drive?
• Is this a good time of year for them to receive donations? Identify a date for the food drive that works for them and you
• What types of food are in short supply?
• What specific food is needed?
• Do they need healthy, age-appropriate food, like low-sodium or low-sugar foods, and/or easy-to-open packages?
• Do they need culturally-appropriate products? (these needs will vary by local population)
• Do they need any non-food items?
• Are there any foods or packaging that they cannot accept? Can they accept fresh food?
• What quantities (e.g., large or small packages) of each food type do they prefer?
• What is their preference on how the food should be sorted at the collection site? (e.g., canned food, boxed food, condiments, etc.)
• Does the organization have boxes or crates for sorting the food?
• Determine how the food will be delivered to the organization. Can they pick it up or do you need to deliver it? When is the best time for pick up and delivery?

Get information on the organization that you can provide to volunteers, donors or media outlets.

TIPS FOR GENERATING PUBLICITY

Make a Flyer Be creative but also be sure to provide key information:

• Suggested foods for contribution (specific items requested by the organizations, non-perishable foods, gift cards)
• Date, time and location of the event
• Brief information on the organization that will receive the food
• Look at other food drive flyers to get ideas (see the Catholic Charities food drive flyer in the "Supplemental Materials" section below)

Distribute the Flyer Consider the same sources used for recruiting volunteers (schools, faith-based organizations, community centers) and public places frequented by people including grocery stores, coffee shops, libraries, etc.

Word of Mouth Goes a Long Way Spread the word to your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Talk to them in person or use email or social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to get the word out. Ask them to spread the word as well. Approach everyone with a friendly, positive attitude. Explain that it will be a fun event focused on a great cause. Use message boards – both online and the old-fashioned way.

Reach the Largest Audience Use your local newspapers, magazines, community guides, websites, radio stations and television and cable access channels to help spread the word about your food drive. The local media often welcome information about community events, and many radio and TV stations and news outlets offer online forms to simplify event promotion. Also try to get the details in school and faith based newsletters or announcements.

How to Contact the Media Ask some volunteers to develop a list of local editors and reporters (names, phone numbers and email addresses). Most newspapers and radio and television stations will list newsroom contact information on their websites. The reporters most interested in your announcement will be community editors.

Email basic details of the event using plain text without any fancy graphics. Put the event’s date in the subject line. The email should include:

• Name of event (_____________ Food Drive)
• Complete date and time of the food drive
• What organization is being supported, and how much food you are hoping to assemble for a specific cause
• Any special guests or events
• Your contact information (for further questions and possible volunteers)

Send your announcements at least two weeks before the food drive day. Follow up with reporters several days after the event to announce the results of the drive, the approximate number of donors and volunteers and where the food will go. Send this information to the same media list.

The best days to send media announcements are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Publicize the Food Drive – Before and After

• Ask permission to display flyers, posters or postcards at coffee shops, libraries, malls and local businesses. Invite local businesses to participate with you.
• Ask local community members to promote the food drive through their local place of faith, clubs, community groups, etc. People are most likely to do this if they’re motivated by the charity that will benefit from the donations.
• Invite a local celebrity – a congressional representative, your mayor or a radio show host – to highlight the need for food and promote the event.

Additional Resources

AARP Foundation Drive to End Hunger  –  https://endseniorhunger.aarp.org/ In the world's wealthiest country, nearly 9 million people age 50 and older have trouble getting enough to eat. What can you do? Learn more about the problem and join AARP and AARP Foundation in solving it. Feeding America  –  www.feedingamerica.org A network of more than 200 food banks supporting approximately 61,000 local charitable agencies and 70,000 programs which provide food directly to individuals and families in need.

The United States Department of Agriculture  – https://www.fns.usda.gov/partnerships/national-hunger-clearinghouse   The USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center has a myriad of resources and ideas for how to address hunger issues in your community.

Meals On Wheels Association of America  –  https://meals-on-wheels.com/volunteer/ Meals on Wheels represents some 5,000 local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs, which provide well over one million meals to seniors who need them each day. Some programs serve meals at congregate locations like senior centers, some programs deliver meals directly.

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5 ways to use service learning to run a successful food drive.

Posted by Dr. Kristin Joos and Shay Ernest on Fri, Nov 21, 2014 @ 11:52 AM

Service Learning Curriculum Ideas for Food Drive Projects that will Maximize Impact

THE BIG PICTURE

Let us take one step back. To avoid negative outcomes, we need to first understand when there is an imbalance of education and action, food drives can unintentionally be piloted in the wrong direction. A private high school in San Francisco used to take students to the poorer parts of town to volunteer at soup kitchens and food banks for a few hours at a time. Malcolm Singer, the school director of community service-learning, explains what can happen when there is action without proper education, “What we realized, when we were driving them back to school, was that (students) were saying the same things about hunger and poverty that they had been saying the day before. We realized we were reinforcing the same negative stereotypes.”[1] The same problem often occurs with food drives-- as there is typically little or no interaction between students and the community their donations are intended to help, and food drives may include little education about the root causes of hunger and poverty. The way to create a food drive that positively impacts both students and the community is simple – educate students about the issues of social justice and show them how to take action. Once a student becomes aware of the injustices in the world, they aspire to be a part of the improvement.

Nearly fifty million Americans face food insecurity.[2] Education should be centered on the root causes of hunger and poverty with curriculum focusing on who, what, where, and why. Because food insecurity is such a multifaceted issue, it lends itself to easily being incorporated in different areas of study. Below is a list of curriculum ideas for starting discussion and research projects (please keep in mind many of the topics below are not exclusive to the subject they are listed under as there is much intersection between the issues:

• Define hunger and food insecurity .
• Investigate the impact of hunger and how many people it affects.
• Explore relationship of poverty and unequal distribution of food.
• Look at government response to national hunger .
• Research effects of malnutrition, obesity, diabetes.
• Compare rates of obesity in countries around the world with rates of malnutrition/hunger.
• Examine nutritional value verse cost of food.
• Look at MyPlate and USDA to understand what makes a healthy diet.
• Create a healthy menu of one week for a family of four, price how much it cost to eat healthy.
• Define and examine the characteristics of food deserts .
• Identify the causes and consequences of food deserts.
• How does the neighborhood influence the choices made about health.
• Analyze the top five states with greatest food insecurity.
• Research SNAP and the Farm Bill.
• Create a formula to address the income needed to eliminate hunger; how much does it cost each week for a family of four to eat healthy? A single person?
• Define the 2014 poverty guidelines .
• Create a budget for a set area (include housing, electricity, water, transportation, insurances, phone, internet); using the area’s minimum wage at forty hours a week as income, analyze how much is left over for food; discuss how unforeseen circumstances (sickness, school expenses, etc.) can affect food purchases.
• Determine what a family of four at poverty level would receive in government assistance, could they feed their family healthily for this amount? If so, for how long? What income is needed?
• Have students track their own health budget for a week, compare to various income levels and assistance programs.
• Study laws and policies impacting rate of hunger, poverty, and lack of access to healthy food in America. Are new policies needed?
• Compare current rates of hunger in the US to rates during the 1980s and 1990s.
• Conduct comparative study for how others (various religions, cultures, ethnic groups, countries) approach the process of providing “charity” to the needy.
• Comparat ive study on who is hungry (rural vs urban, ethnic groups, age, etc.)

Now the fun part of service learning: taking action! Engage your students in a meaningful service project to enhance their learning and provide guided practice in social responsibility. Don’t just let the food drive end when sufficient amount of cans are collected, connect the students to the community. Finding a food bank to work with will probably be the easiest part out of everything; there are food banks all across the nation. Feeding America is one of the largest food bank networks providing over 3.3 billion meals trough food pantries and meal programs. They have 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries serving more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America has a search on their website to help you find you’re your local food bank . Conducting a food drive will require a little planning. Youth Service America provides an in-depth, mainly logistical guide to running a food drive , appropriate for the high school level. No Kid Hungry also has a guide to integrating service learning and eating healthy for classrooms . Please note that both of these materials can be adapted to fit students of different ages.

A FINAL THOUGHT

Canned food drives can be seen as placing a “Band-Aid” on the issues of hunger and food inequity. Service learning projects are the chance for a cure – an emerging generation of socially conscious students dedicated to empowering others, as well as themselves.

“My motto in life is 'If you think it, you can do it' and if we all apply that thought we can end hunger the world over.” (Dionne Warwick)

[1]  http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-32-fall-2007/feature/beyond-canned-food-drive

[2]  http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/hunger-and-poverty-fact-sheet.html

Photo courtesy of Dolly Duplantier

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URI Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America

• A Hunger-Free Campus Initiative
• SNAP Outreach

Planning A Food Drive

The main goal of the Hunger Center is education. We believe it is very important for all those involved in the food drive process to be informed about the problem of hunger in their community, as well as the services provided by the location receiving the donations. In addition to food drive volunteers, it is also important that everyone donating items be given the opportunity to learn about hunger and how their donations will be used. We recommend that the organization running the drive compile a ”fact sheet” which includes information on hunger, along with some background information on both the hosting and receiving organizations. We would be happy to assist on all aspects of this process. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any further questions or concerns.

1. Plan Ahead:

• Select a recipient (s) 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 supply barrels and/or plastic/paper bags for food collections. Also, they can let you know what items are most needed at the time of your food drive.
• Determine how many collection barrels and/or bags you will need – grocery stores are often willing to donate bags for the collection.
• Create posters and flyers to generate awareness of hunger issues and food drives.
• Donation envelopes – for those wishing to make a monetary donation.
• Select a committee to organize the food drive and delegate responsibilities.

2. 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 of students = pounds of food to collection, certain number of bags of groceries).
• Communicate above information to all participants.

3. Promote The Food Drive:

• Create promotional materials that will help build awareness about hunger issues, your food drive, and encourage maximum participation.
• Hold contests for designing posters and flyers. Tap into the creativity available in your school.
• Include food drive information in take-home notices, school newsletters and calendars.
• Notify your local community centers, churches, libraries, and the media about your event.
• Distribute flyers and posters around your community.
• Use slogans that relate to your school and the food drive.
• Mark your progress with a thermometer or tally board-especially if the drive is longer than one day.
• Afterwards, announce the results of your collection efforts to your community.

4. Educate The Participants:

• Is it important that both donors and the organization’s members are educated about hunger problems and hosting a drive.
• Incorporate ideas from Hunger 101 curricula (see curriculum ideas).
• Arrange for a food bank representative to come to your school, take a field trip to their site, or schedule a volunteer day at a local anti-hunger agency.
• Take the on-line Hunger 101 tutorial (see curriculum ideas).

5. Show Your Appreciation:

• Recognize committee members, participants, sponsors and volunteers for their hard work. Host a pizza party or ice cream social in their honor! Have students create hand-made thank you notes.
• Check-in with the receiving organization(s) after the delivery of the donations. It is important to keep the lines of communication open even after the food drive has ended.

Food Bank Theme Ideas

• Oxfam Hunger Banquet-  host an Oxfam hunger banquet that dramatizes the inequitable distribution of food. For a Hunger Banquet Kit, go to http://actfast.oxfamamerica.org/index.php/events/banquet
• Empty Bowl Project-  students make ceramic bowls for a fund raising meal. How-to’s can be found at  http://www.emptybowls.net/
• Cans for Coins, Coins for Children- collect pocket change and donate money directly to your anti-hunger agency.
• Coin and Can Day-  drop off a can and a coin.
• Coin Wars-  plan a penny war between classrooms. Each class collects change in a container. Students throw dollar bills into the container of a another classroom in order to “cancel out” that class’ change. In other words, change in the container equals “positive” points, while bills equal “negative” points. The team with the most positive points at the end of the war wins!
• Canned Immunity Day- allow students to receive immunity for being late, forgetting homework, or being out of uniform if they bring in canned goods.
• Food Day- designate days of the week for specific foods, i.e. Macaroni Monday, Tuna Tuesday, Wheaties Wednesday, Turkey Thursday, Fruity Friday.
• Special Dress Day-  students “pay” with food to dress a special way.
• Let’s SAC Hunger or TGIF (Take Groceries  In Friday)- provide brown bags for students to take home and fill with food or encourage them to bring a brown bag lunch and donate the money they would have spent on a school lunch.
• Bag Hunger Auction- students collect auction items from home, “sell” admission tickets (cost of ticket = food item), hold the auction, and then the proceeds benefit local anti-hunger organizations.
• largest individual donation
• most protein
• most unusual food
• most original design for a food barrel
• raise our weight in food
• MEAT the Need- canned meat drive.
• Make Every BEAN COUNT-  canned or dried beans drive.
• Read to Feed- for every book a student reads, a can of food is donated.
• Food Drive Event-  have an event, party, or school production as part of the drive and charge “food admission”-the admission price=a certain number of food items.
• Fruity Fines- for one day or several, the school library allows students to “pay fines” with canned fruit or other food items.
• Let the Stars Come Out- use a local celebrity to help increase publicity and contributions.
• Fill ‘er Up, Stuff-a-Bus, Fill-a-Truck, Fill A Shopping Cart- fill the Principal’s office, gymnasium, truck, bus, or other designated area with food. Outline a map of your state on your gymnasium floor, athletic field, or school grounds and fill in area with food.
• Wash Away Hunger- a car wash where the price of wash is a food item.
• Hunger Walk, Run, Bike, or Dance-a-thon- have sponsors pledge food instead of money.

Specialty Boxes or Bags

• Baby Boxes: may contain formula, diapers, baby cereal, fruit juice, and baby food.
• BREAD (Bridges Reaching Elderly And Disabled) Boxes: could contain peanut butter, juice, pasta beans, cereal, canned food like tuna, vegetables, fruits and sauces, dry baking mixes, fruit cup packs, and pudding packs.
• Bags of Hope: may contain breakfast for a single mother and child, or lunch for 2 Chinese-American senior citizens, or dinner for a Latino family.
• Special Diets: such low-sodium or diabetic.
• Women: include iron rich and high-calcium foods.
• Kid Packs: may contain macaroni and cheese, alphabet soup, chicken noodle, instant oatmeal, peanut butter, pudding packs, applesauce, cereal grain bars, juice boxes, graham crackers, and fruit cup packs.
• New Beginnings Bags: bags filled with “new home supplies” such as oils, spices, baking products, pasta, sauces, and cleaning supplies relieve the cost and burden of setting up a new home to ensure the successful transition from homelessness to independence.
• Hot Dish Drive: contain the ingredients to make hot dishes.
• Winter’s Coming Drive: donations consist of “winter” items like stew, chili, and hot chocolate mix (don’t forget the marshmallows!).
• Bathroom Cabinet Bags: contain items commonly found in your bathroom: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, shampoo or deodorant.

Holiday Themes and Event Ideas

• “Take the Mystery Out of Giving”
• “In the Spirit of Giving”
• “Dare to Care”
• “Treat” Your Neighbor Right
• Pumpkin Carving Contest

Thanksgiving

• “Give Thanks-Give Food”
• Turkey and Chicken Drive
• “Share the Bounty”
• “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation”
• Summertime Drive
• Summer Lunch for Kids
• “Spread the Cheer This Time of Year”
• “Tis the Season for Giving”
• Kwanza Harvest Display
• Kosher Food Drive

Valentine’s Day

• “Giving from the Heart”
• Donate in Honor of your Valentine
• Easter Baskets for the Homeless and/or Children
• “Hunt for Solutions to Hunger”

Source : Redwood Empire Food Bank, Food & Funds Drive Kit www.refb.org

Food Drive Slogans

• “Take a byte out of Hunger.”
• “Hunger’s Heroes”
• “No matter how you say it, ‘Hunger Hurts'”
• “Providing better health by curing hunger.”
• “Hunger–If only words could fix it.”
• “The hungry are banking on you.”
• “Bean counters against hunger.”
• “Check Out Hunger.”
• “The hungry are counting on you.”
• “Hunger–go figure.”
• “The blueprint for feeding the hungry.”
• “Sleep over to end hunger.”
• “Let’s get together to end hunger.”
• “See justice done. Feed the hungry.”
• “Contract for a better tomorrow. End hunger today.”
• “Let’s clean up on hunger.”
• “Building a better community by fighting hunger today.”
• “Lend the hungry a helping hand.”
• “Go away…hunger”
• “Wipe Out Hunger”
• “Fighting a high rise problem–hunger.”
• “Design a Hunger Free Community”
• “The best closing of all: A closed door on hunger.”
• “A towering problem: Hunger.”
• “The Ultimate Savings Deposit: Feeding the Hungry.”
• “Hunger: An unwelcome guest.”
• “Making Hunger Disappear”
• “Turn the Tables on Hunger”
• “A City without Hunger is a City with Heart”
• “Let’s BAG Hunger”
• “Adios, Hunger!” (For a Cinco de Mayo Party)
• “Kids for Kids”
• “Cans for Children”
• “Super Kids Soup Collection”
• “It Makes Cents! (coin drive)
• “The Power of Change”
• “Spare Change Changes Lives”
• “Hunger Won’t Wait”
• “Raise Your Voice for the Hungry”
• “The Hungry: Give them the credit they deserve. Feed them.”

Curriculum Ideas

To increase awareness of hunger issues through the use of age appropriate coloring books, games, reading material, and service learning projects, visit any of the following websites:

Hunger 101 Curricula:

• Feeding America Site

Oxfam Hunger Banquet:

• Oxfam America Site

Pastore Hall Room 127 142 Flagg Road, Kingston, RI 02881 View Map [email protected]

• Food Drive Overview
• How to Host a Food Drive
• Food Drive Ideas
• Food Drive Examples

Additional Resources

Thousands of nonprofits and individuals across the country work diligently to raise funds and collect supplies in the fight against hunger. When disaster strikes, the need for these resources is often amplified, yet organizations struggle to match the demand and meet the needs of their communities.

Specifically, that’s what we’ve seen as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. With schools closed, millions out of work, and a looming recession ahead, families are finding that they don’t know where their next meal will come from. To make matters worse, most food banks and pantries are being depleted of their resources faster than they can replenish them.

That’s where food drives come in! Community members all around the world have noticed an unmet need and are trying to do something about it. Let’s explore this idea further and see how we can do our part to help out.

What is a Food Drive?

A food drive is a specific type of fundraiser in which individuals and groups collect both in-kind and monetary donations for the purpose of stockpiling food items.

Then, these (typically non-perishable) food items are ultimately distributed to community members in need.

What Do Food Drives Do, and Why Are They Important?

Did you know that 1 in 8 Americans doesn’t know where their next meal will come from? And many of these individuals are ineligible for federal assistance. That’s why food drives are a great way to provide food-insecure individuals and families with the supplies they need to stay healthy.

Plus, in the midst of a global health and financial crisis, the number of food-insecure individuals has drastically risen— and current food banks and hunger relief organizations can’t keep up. Here are three key reasons to host a food drive and the significance behind each:

Keep Food Bank Shelves Stocked

There are thousands of food banks and pantries across the nation that are dedicated to feeding the hungry in their respective local areas.

However, many of these organizations rely on charitable donations from other community members to support their efforts and keep the shelves stocked.

Food drives help provide the necessary funding and supplies to keep the doors open. While there are certainly some generous donors who support hunger relief organizations on a regular basis, many of these nonprofits require certain community-wide boosts to get the giving going.

Raise Awareness About Food Insecurity

Many who are financially sound often wildly underestimate the degree to which hunger impacts the nation and even their own communities. Organizing a food drive is a great opportunity for raising awareness about the extent of the problem and the huge need for food and funding.

Plus, by partnering with a local food bank or pantry, you can simultaneously increase awareness for organizations that are already working hard in your communities.

After all, raising awareness is the first step in advocating for change and improvement ! Starting the conversation with others who are looking to make a difference is a great place to start.

Inspire Continued Support

Hosting a food drive doesn’t have to be a one-time event. Once you start raising awareness for a specific need in your community, there’s a good chance that many supporters will choose to stay involved year-round.

If you partner with a local food bank for your food drive, don’t let that relationship falter once your campaign wraps up. Instead, consider finding ways to support these organizations on a regular basis and encourage your communities to stick together!

Your food drive can essentially be used as a foundation from which life-long support, eager volunteerism , and hunger relief advocattion can grow.

The Purpose Behind Food Drives

The number of individuals in the U.S. living in food-insecure households in 2018

The percentage of food-insecure individuals who are likely ineligible for federal aid

The fraction of American children who do not know where their next meal will come from

The number of Americans who receive supplies from food pantries and banks each year

How Can I Host a Food Drive or Food Fundraiser?

Organizing a food drive might seem like an overwhelming task, but it can actually be quite simple. Let’s walk through the main steps involved in hosting one, and you’ll be ready to get started in no time.

Step 1: Partner with a Local Organization

The first step is to find a local organization that’s already working to fight hunger in your community. A great resource for this is Feeding America , which is a  network of more than 200 food banks and thousands of food pantries across the country.

After locating an organization, be sure to communicate with their team to determine what sort of resources are most valuable to them. Most often, it’s actually not food donations. Money is much more useful because food banks are able to buy the food they know they can distribute to families at far below retail value.

Plus, with social distancing in place for the foreseeable future, it is often safer for food banks to collect money and buy their food from one consistent location than to receive (and have to clean and disinfect)  donations from a variety of sources.

Step 2: Choose Your Team

Then, it’s important to find a team of dedicated volunteers to work with you as you plan and organize your food drive. If you’re already a part of a nonprofit organization, your team will likely be composed of your nonprofit volunteers and staff members. If you’re working as an individual looking to host a food drive, be sure to gather a few friends and community members to help out.

Step 3: Start a Crowdfunding Campaign

Because monetary donations are so much more valuable for hunger-relief organizations, sometimes the most effective type of food drive doesn’t collect food at all! Instead, hosting a crowdfunding campaign allows you to collect donations from individuals who want to support your cause— plus, it expands your reach by allowing you to collect money from all over the world.

With the right online crowdfunding software , your team can quickly and easily raise the money needed to fund your selected food bank and get food out to those in need.

Step 4: Start Reaching Out

The next (and possibly most important) step is to get the word out about your food drive fundraiser. After all, no one can participate if they never hear about the fundraiser.

Many people want to volunteer and give back but are finding their usual channels unavailable due to social distancing. Setting up a virtual campaign and spreading the word about ways to give back online helps you inspire other people to contribute in new ways.

One of the greatest benefits of hosting a virtual food drive through a crowdfunding campaign is freedom from physical and geographical barriers. That means it’s crucial that you spread the word far and wide to ensure the greatest turnout!

Consider leveraging your social media networks, your organization’s website , email contacts, and personal outreach to friends and family to reach as many donors as possible. A successful digital strategy allows you to secure more support and therefore help more people.

Step 5: Organize Drop-Off

Even if your food drive is going to be mostly virtual, you’ll still want to provide instructions and space required to facilitate the drop-off of food items.

Accepting donations of food products is great for individuals who are looking to get involved but may not have the financial capacity to give right now. This way, individuals and families could use the opportunity to donate any non-perishable food items they already have in the house!

Be sure to choose a convenient time and location for individuals to make the drop-off. If it’s too far out of the way or at an inopportune time, even willing donors are less likely to follow through. For example, consider leaving a box open for donations out at a community center for drop-off at any time over the course of an entire week.

And if you’re looking for a way to schedule volunteer shifts, show drop off locations, and collect monetary donations all in one place, you’re in luck. Thanks to Fundly’s integration with SignUpGenius , you can create sign-up forms for volunteers and/or food recipients, and create a link to your crowdfunding campaign right within the sign-up form.

Food Drive Ideas for Your Community

An effective food drive can utilize successful fundraising engagement strategies to get your community involved as well. Here are some of our top food drive fundraising ideas to have fun while supporting a good cause.

Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt

A grocery store scavenger hunt is a great way to make shopping for others fun . Ramp up excitement by providing shopping lists of the most-wanted foods suggested by your partnering food bank. Be sure to post this list on your website and social media channels to get the word out!

Then decide how to score points. You may ask for items from various categories or score based on certain health factors like protein levels.

Be sure to offer a small prize for the winner ( like a custom t-shirt ) to motivate shoppers and encourage some healthy competition.

Canned Pledge Fundraiser

You’ve likely heard of a walk-a-thon (or even a run- or dance-a-thon) fundraiser. For example, a child may gather a pledge of $2 per lap walked in a fundraising event. If the child walks 10 laps, the donor makes a $20 donation to the organization hosting the event.

This class fundraiser can be easily adapted to be a food drive fundraiser! Instead of cash donations, simply ask for pledges in the form of canned food items. So for every lap walked, a donor gives a set number of cans.

Or, you can always collect monetary donations and provide your food bank partner with a cash gift!

Holiday-Themed Drive

This is a great food drive to hold in the fall months approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not only do people traditionally feel more charitable during the holiday giving season, but it also opens the doors to organize exciting fundraisers like these!

Make up a list of holiday-themed non-perishable food items that donors can collect and purchase for this food drive fundraiser. For example, encourage shoppers to pick up canned cranberry sauce, boxed stuffing, instant potatoes, and more. It’s a great way to share the holiday spirit with families who may not be able to celebrate otherwise.

Favorite Meal of the Day

Allow community members to vote for their favorite meal of the day by donating non-perishable food associated with each meal! To get started, set up three large boxes in a convenient location. Then, encourage individuals to take part in your food drive by placing cans in one of three boxes— breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Leave the boxes out for a set amount of time and watch as your community “votes” for their favorite meal For the best results, be sure to provide suggested items for each meal. For example, cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, peanut butter and jelly for lunch, or pasta and canned vegetables for dinner!

Battle of the Sexes

Similar to the Best Meal of the Day fundraiser, this food drive involves setting up boxes in a well-trafficked area. Yet this time, you’ll label each box with “male” or “female.” Get the word out and encourage people of all genders to stop by and vote by dropping food items in one of the two boxes to find out who the superior sex is— once and for all.

After a set period of time, measure the results (by volume, weight, number of products, or another metric of choice) and determine the winner.

Then, consider hosting some sort of event to reveal the champion! You might do this via live streaming tools to allow more participants to tune in.

Soup-er Bowl Party

Canned soup is a very valuable food item in hunger-relief organizations, thanks to its popularity and nutritional value. Consider hosting a soup-themed fundraiser to bring in as much as possible! Although this is a great idea year-round, it works best in the weeks leading up to the NFL’s Super Bowl.

For example, you can start planning a Super Bowl watch party for the day of the big game (early February of each year). Be sure that community members are aware of and excited about your fundraising event by getting the word out early. Then, accept cans of soup (or other non-perishable food products) as an admission fee to the party!

Virtual Food Drive

Although there are definitely perks to hosting a dedicated in-kind donation food drive, it’s important to remember that monetary donations to hunger relief organizations can be substantially more effective. That’s why holding a virtual food drive fundraiser might be your best bet!

Because food banks and pantries can purchase food supplies in bulk at much below retail costs , oftentimes cash donations are the preferred choice. That way, your efforts and donations can go further and make a larger impact on your community.

Although many types of online fundraising campaigns can work for your online food drive, crowdfunding is likely the most effective strategy. Starting an online crowdfunding campaign allows you to collect small and mid-size donations from donors all over the world (rather than be limited by a geographical distance for physical food donations).

Plus, an online food drive is convenient for organizers and donors alike⁠— especially in the midst of a pandemic. No need to worry about germs and proper social distancing thanks to digitally processed payments and online tools!

Examples of Great Food Drives and Fundraisers

Sometimes the easiest way to get inspired is by taking a look at what those working toward similar goals are doing. Here are two examples of ways that others are raising money quickly and safely for food banks in their area!

Feeding Northern Michigan

Feeding Northern Michigan is a crowdfunding campaign that’s raising money to assist Michigan food pantries in fulfilling the increasing demands for food amid the COVID-19 crisis. They’ve already surpassed their goal of $10,000 by over 33%, with several days left in the campaign and fundraising still going strong.

What’s great about this food drive fundraiser is that it makes use of suggested donation amounts when a user goes to make a donation. For $21, an individual can feed a family of 4 for a week, or $100 provides supplies necessary for a month!

The Open Door’s Crisis Response Campaign

The Open Door is a Minnesota-based nonprofit working to fight hunger in a trying economic time. As a result of COVID-19, the organization requires increased assistance to effectively provide for their community.

So far, this campaign has raised $186,000 of its $200,000 goal thanks to nearly 500 generous donors. According to Sarah O’Brien, The Open Door’s development and communications manager, reaching their fundraising goal would ensure that they could continue to support 7,000 individuals each month.

Learn how Fundly can help you raise money for your food drive!

Crowdfunding 101: Raising Money and Awareness Online

First time crowdfunding and not sure where to get started? Lucky for you, crowdfunding is quite simple once you get the hang of it!

We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you better understand the process as well as the tools you’ll need to succeed.

131 Fundraising Ideas for Nonprofits and Individuals

Running the same fundraisers over and over can quickly become tiresome— both for your team and even the most dedicated supporters.

Instead, check out some of our favorite ideas for unique and engaging fundraising campaigns that will truly excite your donors.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: A Guide For Nonprofits

Are you looking to expand your network of donors, leverage current support, and raise money for your cause? Try hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser.

In a peer-to-peer campaign, dedicated volunteers take on the role of a fundraiser on your behalf and secure funds from family and friends!

Crowdfunding Resources

• Crowdfunding (Beginner’s Guide)
• 30+ Standout Crowdfunding Websites
• Success Stories
• Tell Your Story

Fundraising Resources:

• 150+ Fundraising Ideas
• 45+ Youth Fundraising Ideas
• How to Ask for Donations
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Guide

Popular Resources

• GoFundMe Alternatives
• 12 Types of Sponsorship Letters and How to Write Them
• Top Companies That Donate to Nonprofits
• How to Write a Fundraising Letter

Fundly is dedicated to providing you with the tools you need to raise money for whatever your cause may be.

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How to Organize a Pet Food Drive

• Shelter and Rescue Work
• How-To Guides and Resources
• Help for Organizations
• Pet Nutrition

Access to free pet food can make all the difference in helping families in need keep the pets they love. This in turn saves lives by reducing the number of pets who enter shelters. Learn how to organize a pet food drive to help support pets and the people who love them in your community.

Set your pet food drive goals

The general goals of a pet food drive are:

• To collect donated pet food to help stock the shelves of a local pet food pantry that acts as a distributing organization to those in need
• To assist individuals and families facing economic difficulty by providing free pet food to help them keep their pets
• To increase awareness about homeless animals, adoptable pets, and community resources such as low-cost spay/neuter and other veterinary services

When planning your food drive, it is important to set goals and milestones. Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve helps everyone involved stay focused on the project. Consider setting some simple goals. For example:

• To collect a total of 10,000 pounds of pet food at one large event
• To collect 500 pounds of pet food every week for a month
• To have five collection sites for one month
• To hold a collection event once per month for a year

Remember to set realistic goals that reflect the resources and demographics of your community.

Find a food pantry partner

Some pet food drives provide pet food to food banks that work with people in need while others benefit animal shelters or rescue groups. Working with an existing food pantry helps support the community by allowing the food to be distributed by an organization that has experience and expertise in this area.

Some food pantries are large city or statewide organizations. Most large food banks do not distribute food directly to the public but instead work with smaller partner agencies by supplying food to them for distribution. And some communities have numerous smaller food pantries that operate in conjunction with animal rescue groups, shelters, or organizations that provide human social services.

Before undertaking a food drive, identify and contact an existing food pantry in your community and establish that they will be willing to take the pet food you collect.

Questions to ask:

• Do they provide collection bins?
• Can they pick up the food you collect? When? How often?
• If not, what are the drop-off hours?
• Are there any other requirements or guidelines to follow?

Decide your collection strategy

A one-day event held in a prominent location with colorful signage and run by enthusiastic volunteers generates excitement. Retailers that sell pet food or provide pet services are often eager to host an event, and being at a location where people can easily purchase food to donate will increase collections.

On the other hand, an ongoing effort with unmanned collection bins available provides flexibility and allows you to collect food for a longer period of time. Many businesses are open to putting out a collection bin, and some might even want to hold an in-house employee pet-food drive.

If you're not sure which strategy to choose — a one-day event or something ongoing, consider a combination of both. This will often bring in the most donations.

Build a support base

One person sitting at a table collecting pet food can make a difference, but if you want to gather a lot of food, you’re going to need help. Ideally, you’ll find allies who will commit to the cause. 

Religious groups are often willing to help. Schools or parent-teacher associations, as well as scout troops and service clubs, also might like a community service project. You can also consider teaming up with animal rescue groups, nonprofits, and other animal lovers who are dedicated to helping pets stay with their families.

Here are some other suggestions:

• Ask your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Start with the people you know and see whether they know others who want to get involved.
• Use social media to get people involved. Be sure to include the pertinent details (when, where, contact information) and a compelling description of the project that will make people want to join you. 

Get the word out

Getting the word out about your pet food drive will help ensure the success of your project. Start by creating a flyer that provides the details of who, what, where, when, how, and why. Post your flyers all over town (with permission, of course). Also, email copies to everyone you know and ask them to post the flyers in their workplaces and the businesses they frequent.

Create smaller versions of the flyer to use as bag stuffers for retailers, especially if you will be holding a collection event there. And consider creating a press release to send to local media outlets.

Sometimes staging a promotional event and inviting the media can be helpful. For example, find someone who has received — or who would like to receive — pet food from the food pantry and who is willing to talk to the media. Then invite the press to meet you at the food pantry to interview the person and the food pantry coordinator. You can talk about what it means to get help with pet food.

Keep the momentum going by posting pictures online, especially for an ongoing pet food drive. To show how the food drive is helping keep pets in their homes, consider telling the story of a particular family and their pet.

Ready, set, collect: A few more details

If you’re doing an event, use signage — such as posters, sandwich boards, and banners — that will call people’s attention to your pet food drive. Streamers, flags, balloons, special T-shirts, or costumes also can add a festive touch.

If you’re setting up unmanned collection sites, make sure your containers are clearly marked. And post flyers nearby that explains the project, including the name of the food bank or pantry you’re working with.

It's also a good idea to create a list of animal shelters and rescue groups in your area. Include each organization’s location, website, email address, and phone number. Then, make copies to hand out to people at the food drive who want to get a pet and are interested in adopting. You can find organizations in your area by visiting petfinder.com.

Tracking the pet food donations

Some food pantries will weigh the food for you and report the total. (We recommend that you only use pet food that is sealed in the original manufacturer’s packaging and is not expired.) If they don’t weigh the food, you’ll need to keep track yourself.

Monetary donations

If you’re doing an event, some people might want to donate cash, so be prepared to accept money. Have a donation jar or cash box handy. You can use this cash to purchase additional pet food. If you’re going to be buying a large volume of food, talk to the store manager about a discount.

If you’re having an event, no matter how many volunteers you have it’s a good idea to designate roles. That way, everyone feels comfortable and has a plan. 

You should have someone designated as the leader to keep things going smoothly, one or two people to greet the public and explain the project without being pushy, someone responsible for the donation jar, and one or two detail-oriented helpers to keep track of the quantities of food being donated. If the food bank is not able to pick up the food at the end of the day, you might also need help with moving and transporting.

Also, if you’re setting up collection sites, be sure to have someone check the bins often and take away enough of the food to prevent an overflow, which could create a problem in the place of business.

Finally, thank your volunteers sincerely and often.

Pets at the event

Although bringing your well-behaved pets to an event might generate interest in what you’re doing, having pets at your food drive could also create a distraction. Some people might crowd in to see the animals and keep you from interacting with potential donors.

Having pets present also creates a possible hazard. For example, if you’re doing the event in a parking lot or in front of a store, traffic and exhaust fumes might be a danger for pets. Some pets also might become stressed by meeting so many strangers. The weather might be a problem. And you'll need to be careful that your pet doesn’t wander away while you’re not paying attention.

In short, consider all potential hazards before deciding to bring your pet along, and have a plan for someone to be able to take your pet home if necessary. That way, you can focus all your energy on ensuring that your pet food drive is a success.

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Descriptive Essay

Descriptive Essay About Food

Delicious Descriptions: A Guide to Writing a Descriptive Essay About Food

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Writing about food can be a delectable experience. Whether it’s discussing the taste, texture, smell, or presentation of something delicious, descriptive writing about food is an art form.

But how can you describe food in a way that engages the reader and makes them hungry for more? With some tips, your writing can be mouth-watering and make readers want to try out whatever you are describing.

In this guide, you will get tips to write an essay that will tantalize the taste buds of your readers. You will also get to read essay samples that will help you write your essay.

So let's jump right in!

• 1. Descriptive Essay - A Quick Overview 
• 2. Tips for Writing a Descriptive Essay About Food
• 3. Descriptive Essay About Food Examples
• 4. Descriptive Essay About Food Topics

Descriptive Essay - A Quick Overview 

A descriptive essay focuses on describing the characteristics, features, and appearance of a person, place, or object. This type of writing is often used in essays, articles, and other types of written work.

Descriptive writing requires strong sensory detail and vivid description to create a full picture of the subject matter. It is important to use descriptive language that evokes emotion, imagery, and imagination. 

When writing about food, descriptive language can help readers feel as if they are actually tasting the food.

Watch the following video to learn more about descriptive essay:

Tips for Writing a Descriptive Essay About Food

Are you wondering how to write a descriptive essay about food? We've got the answer for you!

Here are some tips to help you create a stunning descriptive essay about food that will make readers savor every word: 

Tip 1: Choose An Interesting and Appetizing Topic

Make sure your topic is something that people can relate to. For instance, you can write an essay on your favorite food, or describe different kinds of foods.

You can also write about a cultural food experience or discuss an unusual ingredient. Whatever topic you choose, try to make it interesting and engaging. 

Tip 2: Use Vivid Language

When writing a descriptive essay on food, use adjectives, metaphors, and similes to make the description come alive. Try describing the texture, smell, flavor, and presentation of the food in detail.

It's also important to incorporate sensory words like “tangy”, “savory” or “sweet.” Use descriptive language to evoke the senses to create an image that readers can visualize and relish.

Tip 3: Include Personal Anecdotes

If you have an interesting anecdote or experience related to your topic, include it in your essay. Readers will be more engaged if they can connect to your narrative.

Including a personal story in your essay can make it more engaging and memorable. Talk about how the food made you feel, why it was special to you, or any sensory experiences associated with it.

Tip 4: Do Some Research

Doing some research about your topic can help you create a well-rounded essay. Look up recipes, food facts, and regional influences to add more detail and depth to your writing.

Research can also help you understand the history behind certain dishes, ingredients, and cultures. This will provide interesting facts for readers that they may have not known about before.

Tip 5: Structure Your Essay

Make sure to organize your essay in a way that makes sense and flows smoothly. You can use a descriptive essay outline for this. Set up the introduction by introducing the topic and explaining why it’s important or interesting.

Then, move into the body of the essay, which should include vivid descriptions of all aspects of food. Finish with a conclusion that ties everything together.

Tip 6: Be Precise and Concise

When writing a descriptive essay about food, it’s important to be as precise and concise as possible. Choose your words carefully and eliminate any unnecessary details that could distract from the main idea.

Also, make sure all of your sentences flow together smoothly to create an effective piece of writing.

Now that you know how to write a descriptive essay about food, let's look at some example essays. Reading examples that effectively use these tips will help you use them in your own essay. 

So read on!

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Descriptive Essay About Food Examples

Check out the following food essay samples. These examples will serve as models for crafting your own amazing essay.

Descriptive Writing About Favorite Food

Descriptive Essay About Fast Food

Descriptive Writing About Food

Descriptive Essay About Food Festival

Descriptive Essay on My Best Food

Descriptive Essay About Chinese Food

Descriptive Essay On Food Street

Descriptive Writing About A Food Court

Descriptive Writing About Junk Food

Short Essay On Food

My Favourite Food Essay 250 Words

You should also read othe r descriptive essay examples i f you want to master descriptive essays.

Descriptive Essay About Food Topics

Here are a few topic ideas that will help you get started.

• The Perfect Pizza Slice: Describe the ideal pizza slice, including its toppings, crust, and the experience of savoring it.
• A Gourmet Burger Experience: Write about a gourmet burger you've enjoyed, detailing its ingredients, flavors, and the ambiance of the restaurant.
• Exploring Street Food: Describe the sensory overload of a bustling street food market, highlighting the various cuisines and vendors.
• The Art of Sushi Making: Take your readers on a journey into the world of sushi, explaining the ingredients and the skills required to create this delicacy.
• A Homemade Family Recipe: Share a cherished family recipe and recount the memories associated with it.
• A Chocolate Lover's Paradise: Describe a visit to a chocolate factory or shop, focusing on the range of chocolates and the experience of tasting them.
• The Allure of Fine Dining: Write about a fine dining experience, elaborating on the ambiance, service, and the culinary creations that make it special.
• An Exotic Fruit Adventure: Detail your encounter with an exotic fruit, highlighting its appearance, taste, and any cultural significance.
• The Charm of a Picnic: Describe a picnic in a scenic location, discussing the food, surroundings, and the joy of outdoor dining.
• A Culinary Trip Abroad: Share your experience of trying local dishes during your travels, explaining the unique flavors and cultural context.

Try writing your essay on one of these topics or think of a topic by yourself. 

You can also check out other descriptive essay topics to get inspiration.

Wrapping it up,

Writing a descriptive essay about food can be both enjoyable and challenging. With these tips, you can write a delicious and compelling descriptive essay on food that will make readers hungry for more. So grab a pen and paper and get writing! 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start a descriptive essay about food.

Start your essay with a hook, which can be an interesting quote or anecdote about the topic. Afterward, start by introducing the topic and explaining why it’s important or interesting.

How would you describe the appearance of food?

You can describe the food’s appearance by including vivid adjectives and phrases. For instance, you can describe the texture of food as “crispy”, “crumbly”, or “smooth”. You can also include words like “juicy” and “succulent” to describe the flavor of food.

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Rooted in our community. Helping children grow.

Donations support food banks and non-profit organizations in Whitman and Latah county.

2023 recipients include:

• Albion Food Bank
• Backyard Harvest
• Community Action Center – Pullman
• Colfax Food Bank
• Colton-Uniontown Food Bank
• Deary Food Bank
• Family Promis
• Garfield Food Bank
• Genesee Food Bank
• Inland Oasis
• Juliaetta-Kendrick Food Bank
• Moscow Food Bank
• Northwest Cancer Foundation of Hope
• Palouse Food Bank
• Potlatch Food Bank
• Pullman Child Welfare
• St. Vincent de Paul
• Troy Food Bank

We Work Together

The goal of Palouse Cares is to ensure that children on the Palouse are fed, educated, cared for, and supported. We strive to meet these specific goals every year and constantly remind ourselves of the smiling faces that receive the benefit of our community’s goodwill.

Helped People

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• 208-746-9646 55 Southway Ave Lewiston, ID 83501
• 208-882-8544 604 S. Washington St. Moscow, ID 83843

American Insurance NW Inc. Blog

All you ever wanted to know about insurance, 2021 food drive results.

• Posted on Monday, November 22, 2021

We appreciate all of our donors for their contributions to ensure our successful 6th annual food drive.

The total count is 12,780 lbs. including cash donations for our 6th Annual Food Drive. 

Thanks to you, our business partners and personal donors, we supported 3 local food banks with our 6th year of donations..

In Lewiston, donors gave 5,748 lbs. and $750 to donate to the Community Action Partnership Food Bank.

In clarkston, donors gave 1,021 lbs. and $550 for donations. .

In Moscow, donors contributed 3,135 lbs and $1,500 in donations.

We appreciate our grocery partners to expand our support for local food businesses., we welcomed grocers a & b foods on 8th street and on thain as partners this year, so thank you to mark and all of his staff for their support..

We appreciate Grocery Outlet in Lewiston and Moscow Food Co-Op in Moscow for their continued support as Partners this year!!

Thank you so much for our individual donors and all of our business donors!!

American insurance staff.

2kidsfromLewiston

Anonymous donor of $1,000 to Palouse Cares

Alpine Vision Center (Lewiston)

Alpine Vision Center (Moscow)

Aspen Park of Cascadia 

Assist 2 Sell Discovery Real Estate, newcomers this year!

Bay Equity Home Loans, newcomers this year!!

Blondie's Beauty Bar

CA Financial Services, also newcomers this year!

Carmel Minogue CPA & Associates -- 6 year Partners! 

Castle Carpet Cleaning

Century 21 Price Right

Classic Wood Floors & Carpentry

Dan's Helping Hands -- 6 year Partners! 

Deranleau's of Moscow 

DK Mullin Architects 

Furniture Center 

Gambinos Restaurant

Garlinghouse Memorials / Colfax Monument

Grocery Outlet -- as the second year as Grocer Partners!

Guy’s Outdoors Motorsports & Marine, newcomers this year as downtown Partners!

Happy Day Catering 

Hells Canyon Grand Hotel, newcomers this year!

Idaho Central Credit Union

Institute of Physical Therapy 

JetCo Machine & Fabrication

Latah County TItle Company

LC Smiles Family Dentistry 

Lewis & Associates 

Lewiston Tribune 

Living Waters Lawn & Landscape, Inc. 

Meyers-Folsom Dental office 

Moscow Alehouse 

Moscow Food Co-Op

Norm’s Custom Glass 

North West Design

Northwest Engraving Service, LLC 

Oral Facial & Surgery in Lewiston, newcomers this year!

Oral Facial & Surgery in Pullman, newcomers from across the state line this year!

The Owl Southway & Home Medical

Paramount Pest Control Inc 

Precision Signs

PrintCraft Printing 

Rogers Subaru

Ruddell Chiropractic 

Simon Audiology & Tinnitus

Sisters Cookie Company

Skeltons Carpet One 

Southway Animal Clinic

Spence Hardware

Steiners Electronics Inc -- 6 year Partners! 

Summit Funding, newcomers this year!

Sunrise Home Center Inc -- 6 year Partners from Clarkston!

Superior Floors 

Swiss Styling Salon, newcomers this year from Clarkston!

Synergy One Lending Moscow, newcomers this year!

Twin River Bank in Clarkston

Valley Car Sales, newcomers this year!

Varsity Classic Diner 

Welenco Stove Store -- 6 year Partners! 

Ready for 2022?

We have a goal of 100 business partners and we would love for you to join us next year. the 7th annual hometown business food drive is scheduled from nov. 14-18, 2022. you can call stephanie at (208) 413-6242 or contact us online to get on the list of interested businesses for next year's 100 years hometown business food drive event., more articles related to…, get a quote.

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Hold a Food or Fund Drive

Thank you for your interest in coordinating a food or fund drive!

Forms and guides, food drive registration.

We are a nonprofit organization and cannot be associated with any sales or marketing efforts for another product. However, some companies or groups have used food drives as a way to encourage people to come to their businesses or gatherings. This marketing practice is within acceptable nonprofit limits and can help increase the proceeds of your drive.

Online Fund Drive

Consider holding an Online Fund Drive to compliment your physical food drive. Online fund drives appeal to donors that want to make monetary donations.

Most Needed Items

The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommends that adults and children regularly consume foods that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals while low in calories, salt, fat and sugar. See how you can help nourish Idaho’s hungry!

Food Drive Barrels

Collection Barrels are available for free to anyone interested in holding a food drive. Your help in picking up the barrel from our warehouse is appreciated but if pickup is not possible, delivery of barrels can be arranged. Barrels are constructed of heavy-duty cardboard and fold flat, so they are easy to transport by car.

Food Drive Drop-Off

Please deliver the food to our warehouse and we will help you unload and give you a total weight right away. Deliveries can be made any time Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. Contact us if you have questions.

Upcoming Food & Fund Events

Summer Empty Bowls 2024

“Empty Bowls is an event to raise funds to fight hunger in Idaho. Artisans and community members have painted, created and donated one-of-a-kind bowls for purchase. Every time you use…

• June 8 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
• The Village at Meridian – 3597 East Monarch Sky Lane, #225 Meridian , ID 83646 United States

Displaying 1 - 25 of 54

Boise Fire CAF

Organized by: boise fire caf, food for the holidays, organized by: rockbox fitness meridian.

RockBox Fitness Meridian is a place where people come to change their lives for the better physically, mentally and emotionally. We are a boxing, kickboxing and functional strength training studio next to Top golf in south Meridian. We focus on fitness, customized nutrition, accountability, community and fun. Schedule your first class for FREE and when you donate food for our drive when you come-we will give you a second class for free too! Please come, donate, invite your friends and get your sweat on this holiday season!

Tyler Recla

Organized by: hybrid health.

Bring 5 or more non perishable items and receive $10 off any session at hybrid health.

Share the LOVE with Phenix Salon Suites

Organized by: phenix salon suites.

2243 E 17th St Idaho Falls, ID 83404 Map It

Touch of Kindness Food Drive

Organized by: silk touch cosmetic surgery & medspa.

We can all use a touch of kindness every now and again. Join us in spreading joy, nourishment, and beauty throughout the community with Silk Touch Medspa's Canned Food Drive for the Idaho Foodbank! Make a difference today, and treat yourself to kindness tomorrow!

Bring 3 or more canned items, and receive $25 off your next aesthetic service. Call us at 208-939-3110 for more information.

4305 N Eagle Road Boise, ID 83713 Map It

McCleary's Love

Organized by: mccleary's pub.

Come enjoy a beverage before or after your Christmas activities. And while ur making room & cleaning up, how about helping out your community and bring food items for the Idaho Food Bank.

MELT Away Hunger at MELTZ!!

Organized by: meltz extreme grilled cheese.

Please join us at Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese for our Thanksgiving food drive and help us MELT away hunger!! All canned food donations to be donated to the Idaho Foodbank! The food drive will take place Monday November 20th, 2023 and Tuesday November 21st, 2023 from 11am until 8pm each day. Bring in 4 or more cans of food and receive $2 off your meal!! If you bring in 10 or more cans of food, we will enter you in a raffle to win a $25 gift card towards a delicious meal at Meltz!! (4 to be raffled off) Come on in and have a delicious meal and bring your donation to help someone else have a meal this holiday season!

6565 W Fairview Ave Boise, Idaho 83704 Map It

ISDA BOL Food Drive 2023

Organized by: idaho state department of agriculture.

Give back at the ISDA!

2300 E Old Penitentiary Road Boise, ID 83712 Map It

Idaho Arthritis Thanksgiving Food Drive

Organized by: idaho arthritis center.

Idaho Arthritis Center is having a friendly competition between our provider teams, Dr. Lagwinski, Dr. Palfreyman, and Dr. Meier. The team that brings in the most food wins! Visit us today to donate to our creative food boxes. Help us help the community by donating food today.

Hunter's Ace Hardware Food Drive

Organized by: ace hardware.

We would love to help the wonderful, supportive folks in our community make ends meet or maybe just have a little extra this year. We all know that it is the little things that matter. Please drop off what you can, everything is appreciated.

5226 W Overland Rd Boise 83705 Map It

Owyhee County Food Drive

Organized by: owyhee county museum.

17085 Basey St. Murphy ID Map It

Organized By: GARDEN CITY FIT

Drop off food and get three gym visits free.

116 E. 40th 3908 West Taft St, ID 83714 Map It

Fit Body Food Battle

Organized by: boise fit body boot camp.

Boise Fit Body Boot Camp is fighting hunger! Our goal is to raise over 250,000 food items to be donated across the brand! We are competing with other Fit Body locations nationwide to collect the most food items!

Help support us and grab a free workout at one of our scheduled sessions! Our schedule can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aIkLkeErBaz8Xtf6FsFggQK27dSrtGio/view?usp=sharing

3415 N Cole Rd. #104 Boise, ID 83704 Map It

Christmas Food Drive

Organized by: tru by hilton.

Tru By Hilton Meridian Boise West-

* Complimentary Night Stay*

By participating in our food drive, you are eligible to enter into our raffle for a free night stay- Raffles will be held each month, one for the month of November and for December. Donations are accepted and can be dropped off 24/7 to the Front Desk.

1401 S. Eagle Rd. Meridian, ID, 83642 Meridian, ID 83642 Map It

Cortland on the River Food Drive

Organized by: cortland on the river.

749 E Park Blvd Boise, ID 83712 Map It

Superior Physical Therapy Canned Food Drive

Organized by: superior physical therapy, smile hy food drive, organized by: smile hy teeth whitening.

Receive a discount on Teeth Whitening when you donate to our food drive! Save up to $50

1023 Yellowstone Ave Suite M Pocatello, ID 83201 Map It

OCI Gives Back 2023

Organized by: oppenheimer companies, inc..

877 W. MAIN STREET BOISE, ID 83702 Map It

Pound for a Pounder

Organized by: hyde park pub.

Bring in a Pound of non-perishable food and receive a 16oz draft beer of your choice. Limit one per customer, per day

1501 N 13th ST Boise, ID 83702 Map It

Dairy Queen

Organized by: dairy queen.

This year were wanting to help others with the holiday's steadily approaching, and to support those who are in need of food in the LC Valley. In the past years we have wanted our store to grow more in helping out the community, and feel like this would be a great opportunity to reach out and to make a difference for local families. Every person who comes to support the food drive can receive a small blizzard, and with that small treat hopefully it can make a bigger impact in people's lives.

1302 MAIN ST LEWISTON, ID 83501 Map It

Columbia High School November

Organized by: columbia high schoo.

Columbia High School Feeds Families- November Challenge

301 S. Happy Valley Road Nampa, Idaho 83686 Map It

Good Neighbor Food Drive

Organized by: state farm-kimberly shurtleff.

Join us for our 'Good Neighbor Food Drive' at Kimberly Shurtleff's local State Farm office! Be a part of our community by helping those in need during this season of giving. Together, we can make a difference and spread the warmth of the holidays by sharing the gift of food. Your contributions matter, so let's come together and support our neighbors in their time of need. Together, we can truly be 'Good Neighbors' in action.

410 S orchard St Ste 168 Boise, ID 83705 Map It

Thanksgiving Weekend Donation Drive

Organized by: idaho state museum.

Give back to the Treasure Valley community this weekend at the Idaho State Museum and Old Idaho Penitentiary! From Friday, November 24th through Sunday, November 26th, bring in an Idaho Foodbank donation to either site (shelf-stable food, personal care items, or virtual monetary donation), and enjoy 20% off in the M Store or Souvenir Confinement!

The Idaho State Museum is open to the public Friday and Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm. The Old Idaho Penitentiary is open 12pm to 5pm.

Discount valid for one purchase at site of donation November 24th – 26th, cannot be combined with other discounts. Exclusions apply.

Laps Before Naps

Organized by: harward recreation center.

Bring 4 items of canned or non-perishable food and receive free entry to the Harward Rec Center on Thanksgiving day 5am-Noon. All food will be donated to the Idaho Food Bank.

131 Constitution Way Nampa, ID 83686 Map It

Ink Spa Food Drive

Organized by: ink spa.

Join the Ink Spa Food Drive and help us make a difference this holiday season.

Every time you drop off non-perishable food items at our studio in BoDo now through Dec. 2nd, you will help bridge the meal gap. Not only will you be helping those in need, but you also have a chance to enter our raffle and win some fantastic items, including an Ink Spa gift certificate.

We can't wait to see the impact we can make together!

INK SPA 404 S 8th Street, Suite L110, Boise (BoDo: Across from the Theater & Food Warehouse)

404 S 8th Street, Suite L110 Boise, ID 83702 Map It

Fast Food Drive-throughs Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

The Drive-Through Process

Customers’ role in speed and efficiency, reference list.

As a rule, the time spent by customers on making reservations and orders takes a lot of time, especially in peak hours when all customers are willing to receive what they want in the shortest possible time.

When this concerns fast food restaurants and other quick services, there is such a concept that occurred in the USA in 1930s and spread all over the world named drive-through. In this respect, the drive-through services are aimed at reducing the throughput time and serving a maximum number of clients in the minimum time compared to other similar services.

s such, it is necessary to compare the throughput time in a conventional quick service restaurant and a drive-through restaurant of fast food because they both are aimed at serving the customers in a timely manner on the highest possible level appropriate for the service.

When a drive-through process is arranged in an appropriate manner, its operation decreases the throughput time compared to the conventional quick service restaurants. As reported by Baraban and Durocher (2010), “Separate ordering, payment, and pickup stations have been shown to speed the drive-through queue in many operations” (p. 46).

At the same time, the conventional fast food restaurant operates on a queue basis when every customer is served by one staff member which takes some time to receive the order, perform the order, give the order to customer, and receive the payment.

In this respect, electronic drive-through payment is one of the methods that make the drive-through process faster compared with the conventional fast food stores where the speed of serving orders depends on the skills of the staff members and the number of staff members in one shift with regard to the busy or not busy hours.

The drive-through concept can be considered one of the most effective in terms of the time needed for serving one customer. In other words, the order can be placed remotely to speed up its fulfilment and decrease the throughput time required to fulfil every order and increasing the throughput capacity of the fast food restaurant with drive-through services.

However, some conventional quick service restaurants can speed up their operation by adapting the system of electronic payment. As reported by Emmelmann, Bochow and Kellum (2010), “Electronic drive-through payment systems may be able to substantially increase vehicle throughput…” (p. 7) while the same electronic payment system can make the operation of conventional fast food restaurants more time-efficient compared with their rivals.

For instance, Schneiderman (2002) claims that system of electronic payment can be established through free Wi-Fi or simply through mobile internet when a customer who is in the fast food restaurant can submit payment through electronic payment system using a mobile phone. This process is claimed to increase the speed of serving in conventional fast food restaurants.

To increase the efficiency of drive-through restaurants, customers can place their orders by contacting the call centre and submitting payment through electronic payment system. As a result, the order would be ready as soon as the customer decides on the order and provides payment. In this respect, the speed of fulfilling the order would depend on the speed of the call centre and electronic payment system only. If a customer wants the order to be prepared on time, he/she should use the benefits of innovative drive-through process.

Baraban, S.R. and Durocher, F.J., 2010. Successful restaurant design . 3 rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Emmelmann, M., Bochow, B., and Kellum, C., 2010. Vehicular networking: automotive applications and beyond . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Schneiderman, Ron, 2002. The mobile technology question and answer book: a survival guide for business managers . New York: AMACOM.

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IvyPanda. (2019, February 20). Fast Food Drive-throughs. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fast-food-drive-throughs/

"Fast Food Drive-throughs." IvyPanda , 20 Feb. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/fast-food-drive-throughs/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Fast Food Drive-throughs'. 20 February.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Fast Food Drive-throughs." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fast-food-drive-throughs/.

1. IvyPanda . "Fast Food Drive-throughs." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fast-food-drive-throughs/.

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Ukraine Strikes Into Russia With Western Weapons, Official Says

The official said Ukraine had destroyed missile launchers in the Russian region of Belgorod using an American-made rocket system.

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By Maria Varenikova ,  Constant Méheut and Aric Toler

Just days after the Biden administration granted permission for Ukraine to fire American weapons into Russia, Kyiv took advantage of its new latitude, striking a military facility over the border using a U.S.-made artillery system, according to a member of Ukraine’s Parliament.

Yehor Chernev, the deputy chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament’s committee on national security, defense and intelligence, said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had destroyed Russian missile launchers with a strike in the Belgorod region, about 20 miles into Russia. Ukraine’s forces used a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, he said.

It was the first time a Ukrainian official has acknowledged publicly that Ukraine had used American weapons to fire into Russia since President Biden lifted the ban on such strikes. For months, the ban had stood as a red line the Biden administration would not cross out of concern about increasing tensions with a nuclear-armed nation.

The Ukrainian military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In granting permission last week, the United States imposed limitations, saying the weapons could only be used in Russian territory near northeastern Ukraine and for defensive purposes. Mr. Chernev, in text messages, said Ukraine destroyed S-300 and S-400 missile systems, without specifying how many. Russia has used the systems, initially designed to shoot down aircraft, to bombard the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which is just 45 miles from Belgorod.

The HIMARS that Ukraine used is an American-made long-range rocket system that is able to fire from beyond the range of most of Ukraine’s non-Western weaponry.

Mr. Chernev’s account of the strike could not be independently confirmed. But videos of the aftermath of the attack on the S-300 and S-400 systems emerged on Monday. Satellite imagery and social media posts suggest there were multiple strikes in Russian territory over the weekend.

Mr. Chernev, a former member of the Ukrainian military, is also the head of Ukraine’s delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, a role which has led him to take part in discussions with Western partners about the supply and use of Western weapons.

A video from a Russian Telegram channel showed burning Russian military equipment and a swirling plume of gray smoke after a strike on Sunday. The video , which was verified by The New York Times, was recorded just outside of Belgorod, and satellite imagery captured at this location by Planet Labs shows smoke rising from what appears to be destroyed vehicles. At least one of the launchers was in an elevated position at the time of the attack.

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and an expert on the Russian military and modern warfare, said that the range and precision of the attack on the missile launching systems suggested the weapon used was American.

“Given the range, type of target, munition availability and change in the Biden administration’s policy,” he wrote in a text message, “I think it is probable this strike was conducted with HIMARS.”

Russian bloggers , researchers analyzing satellite images and footage of the battlefields and the Russian Defense Ministry have reported multiple instances of strikes inside Russia with American rockets since Thursday, when the Biden administration approved their use.

On Saturday, Evgeny Poddubny, a war correspondent for Russian state television, shared photographs of what were presented as fragments of American guided rockets found in Russian territory. It was not possible to independently verify when or where the fragments were found.

Military analysts had been watching to see when Ukraine would use American weapons on Russian territory — and how.

For weeks, Ukraine had been aggressively lobbying its Western allies to allow it to use their weapons to strike inside Russia. It said that Russian troops were massing at the border and preparing strikes on Ukraine with impunity. And it cited the urgency of being able to hit airplanes that drop so-called glide bombs from inside Russian territory that soar to targets in Ukraine, as well as striking military bases, command points and ammunition depots in Russia.

“We use every meeting and every day to give our warriors more possibilities,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine wrote in a Telegram post on Tuesday. “I am grateful to all partners who are helping in the way we need it and in time.”

Military analysts say the Ukrainians’ new ability to strike in Russia will help slow Moscow’s attacks across the border.

“Now we can hit the Russian troops at the stage of formation, which reduces the probability of preparing new offensives” at other sites on the border, said Mykhailo Samus, director of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies, a military research organization in Kyiv.

Russia has repeatedly warned Ukraine’s Western allies that allowing strikes inside Russia would carry grave consequences. “We would like to warn U.S. officials against miscalculations that may have fatal consequences,” a Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei A. Ryabkov, said on Monday, according to the Interfax news agency. “For some unclear reasons, they underestimate the seriousness of the response they may get.”

Russia has not specified what those consequences would be, though its president, Vladimir V. Putin, last week made a veiled threat against small European countries, noting that they are “very densely populated.”

Mr. Chernev’s confirmation that American weapons had been used to strike inside Russia is the only one Ukraine has given so far, perhaps out of concern for adding fuel to Russian propaganda and stoking more bellicosity from Russia. Ukraine is also preparing for a diplomatic initiative in Switzerland later this month to present its plan for a settlement for the war.

A spokesman for the National Security Council, John F. Kirby, said the United States will not reconsider its policy prohibiting strikes deeper in Russia in the nearest weeks. The administration also prohibited Ukraine from firing a longer-range, more powerful rocket, ATACMS, into Russia. Ukrainian officials are pushing for expanded permissions to fire into Russia.

“All Russian troops at the border region must be destroyed, to not let them break through” the border, said Mr. Samus, the Ukrainian military analyst. Public disclosure of precisely how the weapons are used are unlikely, he said. “There are official positions of Ukraine and of the United States. All the rest is the fog of war.”

Maria Varenikova covers Ukraine and its war with Russia. More about Maria Varenikova

Constant Méheut reports on the war in Ukraine, including battlefield developments, attacks on civilian centers and how the war is affecting its people. More about Constant Méheut

Aric Toler is a reporter on the Visual Investigations team at The Times where he uses emerging techniques of discovery to analyze open source information. More about Aric Toler