Programs for Helping Directly.

General and USDA Food Distribution. Products are distributed to individuals through one of FIND's agency members.

Homebound Delivery. Volunteers package a variety of nutritious foods to be delivered to those unable to shop due to age, inability to drive, or illness.

FIND relies on local support and financing.  FIND needs volunteers to help inventory and package food, and assist with the office duties.

How to Hold a Food Drive;

Introduction

Thank you for holding a food drive. The product you raise through your food drive will be used to help children, their families, and other individuals in need in the Coachella Valley.  Currently, Food In Need of Distribution (FIND) distributes food to over 65 Member Agencies (food pantry’s, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, recovery homes, children’s camps, and other non-profit agencies that share FIND’s mission) from Palm Springs to Blythe. 

It is our ongoing goal to provide access to sufficient amounts of food necessary for one to maintain a healthy and productive lifestyle.   We are only be able to meet this goal with businesses like yours – raising food through a food drive.

It is with our utmost delight to share with you this guide on how to hold a food drive. Included in this packet are basic guidelines to hosting a food drive and suggestions on how to maximize your organization’s success.  In order to make this the most rewarding and enjoyable food drive, we want you to have all the necessary resources. If you need any further information, call us anytime at (760) 328-FOOD (3663).

Again, thank you for your help in supporting our endeavor to help those who are hungry in the Coachella Valley.

The Need in the Coachella Valley

It is important to have information to share with food drive participants about hunger in the Coachella Valley and the need for assistance. Following is information on the need for food drives, facts on hunger in the Coachella Valley, and most needed food items.

FIND was established in 1983 by a man who saw a need in the Coachella Valley and today has grown to occupy a 14,000-sq. ft. facility where offices are maintained and food is warehoused for distribution. Hunger is a growing reality for more individuals in the Coachella Valley everyday. To combat this FIND collects and distributes donated grocery products to charitable human service agencies – FIND’s Member Agencies. These agencies in turn provide food directly to those in need at no cost to the individuals.

Did you know?      

• · One out of every five children, in the Coachella Valley, does not get enough food to eat.
   

• · Children who are hungry often experience headaches, fatigue, frequent colds, and other illnesses that may cause them to be less physically active.
   

• · For every $1 donated to the Food Bank, eight meals are distributed to the needy.
   

• · The administrative costs of the Food Bank are less than 3%.
   

• · In 2004, FIND distributed nearly 5.0 million pounds of food to more than 75,000 individuals.
   

• · FIND distributes product to 73 charitable feeding programs.

FIND’s mission is to feed hungry people by efficiently and equitably distributing donated grocery items through a network of agency members and in partnership with the community.

Preparing for Your Food Drive

Careful preparation is important to both the success and enjoyment of your food drive. Here are four basic steps to help you in the beginning stages of your food drive:

1.   Recruit Leaders.   As with many things, large projects are accomplished easier with a team of participants. Having a committee for your food drive will prove to be beneficial in many ways, such as creating more momentum and excitement, increasing team spirit, and more people feeling a sense of ownership for the success. 

Here are only few suggestions for food drive positions:

• Food Drive Team Leader

• Promotions Team Leader

• Food –Handling Team Leader

2.   Create a Timeline.  (Plan Ahead) Holding a food drive can be hectic, but a timeline will help keep the activities focused. In addition, it will simplify tracking your progress.

3.   Set your Goals.  Setting a goal, such as one can per member of your organization or specific department goals, often encourages more participation from members of your organization.

4.   Share Information on the Purpose of the Food Drive.  The more that your members know about the issue of hunger, the more likely they will feel connected and want to participate. Call the Food Bank, at (760) 328-FOOD, anytime if you would like a representative to come and speak with your group about the issues of hunger and FIND’s mission. In addition, we can provide tours of FIND and during the tour share more information on the faces and facts of hunger.

5.   Make It Fun and Simple Fun competition or creative themes will engage your organization’s members to participate while raising more food.

6.   Create Fun Competitions Create many categories (e.g. largest individual donation, most unusual food, most pounds per department, etc.) Also, you can use incentives such as: matching employee donations per pound; giving fun rewards to winners like movie passes, gift certificates, promotional items, parking spaces, leave time, free lunch, casual day, etc.

Making Your Food Drive Fun

• · Develop a name or a theme for your drive.
   

• · Sponsor a casual day, “Beans for Jeans.”
   

• · Use donation incentives: extra break, prizes, etc.
   

• · Consider having a party and use canned food for admission.
   

• · Use payroll stuffers or email to remind employees about the drive.
   

• · Allow employees to take a payroll deduction and donate directly to the Food Bank.
   

• · Skip lunch and donate what you would have spent to the Food Bank.
   

• · Challenge another department, building or business to hold a food drive.
   

• · Have a pizza party for the winning team.
   

• · Have a donation box decoration competition.
   

• · Have a coin drive instead of a food drive, then see which group can collect the most money.
   

• · Build a can sculpture.
   

• · Give awards for the oddest food item collected or the most pounds collected by one person.
   

• · Encourage your customers or vendors to participate.
   

• · Hold a hunger walk.
   

• · Set your goal. If you exceed it, your executive director must do something outlandish.

Have daily donation themes such as, “Macaroni Mondays,” “Tuna Tuesdays,” etc.

Making Your Food Drive Fun

• · Develop a name or a theme for your drive.
   

• · Sponsor a casual day, “Beans for Jeans.”
   

• · Use donation incentives: extra break, prizes, etc.
   

• · Consider having a party and use canned food for admission.
   

• · Use payroll stuffers or email to remind employees about the drive.
   

• · Allow employees to take a payroll deduction and donate directly to the Food Bank.
   

• · Skip lunch and donate what you would have spent to the Food Bank.
   

• · Challenge another department, building or business to hold a food drive.
   

• · Have a pizza party for the winning team.
   

• · Have a donation box decoration competition.
   

• · Have a coin drive instead of a food drive, then see which group can collect the most money.
   

• · Build a can sculpture.
   

• · Give awards for the oddest food item collected or the most pounds collected by one person.
   

• · Encourage your customers or vendors to participate.
   

• · Hold a hunger walk.
   

• · Set your goal. If you exceed it, your executive director must do something outlandish.
   

• · Have daily donation themes such as, “Macaroni Mondays,” “Tuna Tuesdays,” etc.

Most Needed Items

Meat and High Protein Group

Canned Meat: ham, Spam, stew, chicken, tuna and salmon

Peanut Butter

Canned Soups

Macaroni and Cheese

Rice

Beans

Canned Fruits and Vegetables

Canned Fruit

Canned Vegetables

Canned Juices

Dairy Group

Canned Milk

Powdered Milk 

Breads and Cereals

Bisquick

Cornmeal

Baking mixes

Boxed Cereal

Oatmeal

Flour

Sugar

Things to Remember

• · Please do not give home canned or homemade goods. The Food Bank is not able to redistribute these items.
   

• · All products must be in original packaging with proper labels for distribution. We cannot take “bulk” or loose packaged items.
   

• · Retail sized items are preferred. Many households cannot use jumbo-sized products.
   

• · No perishables (e.g. potatoes, bread, meat.)
   

• · No alcohol or medicine · All cans must have labels
   

• · We cannot distribute anything that has been opened.

Promoting Your Food Drive

After you have made the final decisions about your food drive, it is time to promote your food drive. These are some simple suggestions on how to create awareness about your food drive.

Using the following list can help organize the varied methods of dispersing the information to your organization:

Communication Check-list

1.      _____Deciding on Methods of Communication

_ Flyers

_ Posters

_ Bulletin Boards

_ Marquee

_ E - Mail

_ Newsletters

_ Assemblies

_ Meetings

_ Announcements

_ Your Own Ideas

2.      _____ Organize publicize a kick off event

3.      _____ Develop a method of having on-going communication during the drive

4.      _____ Have an eventful kick-off so everyone is aware and excited.

5.      _____ Make sure everyone knows where to take donations.

6.      _____ Keep everyone informed on ways to celebrate the success!

Other tips: 

• · At least one week before the drive, hang posters, pass out flyers, send interoffice email, or use payroll stuffers that list the dates of the food drive, who will receive the food, and what types of food are needed.
   

• · Promote the drive on your marquee or outside signage.
   

• · Have a mid-food drive event to keep the momentum.
   

• · Create fun competitions like “dress like your favorite vegetable day,” give out awards for most unusual food award, etc.

Organizing Your Food Drive

Now that you have planned your food drive and decided on the promotion methods, the food will be arriving soon. Here are some tips about how to contain food until your scheduled pick-up date:

• · Decide where you will have participants leave their food.
   

• · Use boxes to collect the food. Boxes are sturdy and can be easily decorated for visibility and fun.
   

• · A high-traffic area that is easily accessible will draw attention to the food drive and make it easy for drop-offs and be sure to have posters and banners around your drop-off point.
   

• · If your facility is large, you may consider having two drop-off points.
   

• · Have your food displayed so it is easily noticed FIND will provide you with containers to place at your drop-off, upon your request.

Any time during your food drive, we can provide more information and materials as needed. When your food drive is complete, you have the option to drop the food off at FIND, or we can come pick it up. It is our goal to assist you in making this a convenient and enjoyable event. Please call (760) 328-FOOD, and we will gladly assist you in making pick-up arrangements.

Celebrating Your Success

After your food drive is completed, it is time to enjoy the your hard work. Here are a few suggestions on how to conclude and celebrate your food drive:

• · Announce the results of your food drive.
   

• · Highlight your event in your organization’s newsletter.
   

• · Create signage acknowledging your organizations success and place them in highly visible areas.
   

• · Place announcements in paychecks or employee mailboxes.
   

• · Acknowledge your accomplishment on outside marquee.
   

• · Have a special gathering.
   

• · Recognize team leaders and volunteers.
   

• · Bring participants to FIND for a tour of our facility.
   

• · Gather comments from participants on their experience.

Contact us for any information to help get you started.