Host a Food Drive
Thank you for your interest in hosting a food drive! We’ve put together some tools, tips, and tricks for you. Holding a food drive is as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Pick your dates, location, and goals
- Figure out how long you want to hold your food drive; most drives last from one week to an entire month.
- Have a designated place (or places) for people to drop off food.
- Set a goal! For example, a certain amount of pounds per person (we’ll weigh the food at the pantry for you) or filling a certain number of containers. Goals are a great way to get people excited and motivated!
2. Consider Food and Funds
- By giving people the option to donate food and funds, you’ll dramatically increase the size of your overall donation. (Click here to learn how one group increased the yield of their annual food drive 500% after switching to Food + Fund.)
- Donations made online can be tracked and credited to your group’s food drive. Just type your group’s name in the section marked Food + Fund Drive.
- Cash and check donations are also welcome! Please make checks payable to “Aurora Food Pantry.”
3. Have some fun!
Have a theme to get people interested. Some of our favorites are:
- Thanks for Giving: A food drive around the holidays
- Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer Break: A summertime food drive, when kids aren’t getting lunch at school
- Favorite Foods: Participants donate their favorite food or the ingredients to make a favorite dish
Have a friendly competition
- Different groups compete against each other to see who can bring in the most food/funds
- Some examples are different work departments, classes/grade levels, even men vs. women!
Reward yourself on a job well done
- Rewards are a great way to celebrate reaching a goal or honoring a winning group
- Some examples are a jeans/dress-down day or pizza party
- Cap off your food drive with a tour of the pantry! This is a great way to see how your food and funds will be put to use. Tours are available Monday –Friday from 8:00 to 3:00.
For questions on holding a food drive or to schedule a tour of Aurora Food Pantry, please email Kristan Ensminger (kensminger@aurorafoodpantry.org) or call 630-692-3058.