Pre-Planning

Date of Event___________________________________

Target Zone   ___________________________________

It may be beneficial to make the food drive known to the community in advance.  If you are holding a food drive outside of a grocery store, you can place fliers at the location and around town.  If you will be going door to door at a specific housing location you can copy the food bank’s small informational flier or prepare one specific to your food drive to deliver a week or so in advance.  If residents are aware of the food drive, they will have time to prepare a donation. 

 Potential Target Zones

Bloomington Neighborhoods, IU Dorms, IU Greek Houses, IU Offices, Bloomington Apartment Complexes, Bloomington Grocery Stores

You will need to contact store management to request permission to collect food donations in front of the store.

The Hoosier Hills Food Bank has large barrels that can be used for donations.

You will want to make signs explaining:

Why you are collecting donations

What donations you are accepting (canned/boxed goods– non-perishables)

Who you are and your affiliation with the Hoosier Hills Food Bank

Volunteer Sign Up

            Assign a position to each volunteer

Drivers

Door-to-Door Collection

Storefront Collector 

Zones Sign-Up (Neighborhoods/Apartments/Dorms/Greek Houses)

            Assign Apartment Numbers to each small group

        (ie Apt. 362-Apt. 400)   

If there are multiple drivers, assign a driver to each zone on a map of the area

Times Sign Up (Storefront Food Drives)

            Schedule volunteers for a specific time block

Supplies   

Fliers notifying donors of food drive in advance

Paper/Plastic bags or boxes to collect donations

Volunteer Stickers to place on shirts (available at HHFB)

HHFB brochures about local hunger and HHFB (available at HHFB)

Maps of the food drive area

Absentee fliers notifying missed donors (available at HHFB)

Friendly smiles

Donations to Accept

Any non-perishable cans, boxed goods or items in containers

A short list of possible donations…

Canned soups/meats/vegetables/fruits, macaroni and cheese, rice, beans, powdered milk, flour, sugar, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, tuna and hamburger helper, dried fruit, cereals, etc.

Foods that are easy to prepare and do not require many additional ingredients are great donations too.

The Day of the Food Drive

Assign one car or truck to each zone (Neighborhoods/Apartments/Dorms/Greek Houses)

Door-to-door or Storefront Etiquette

            Greet each resident/donor with a smile

Announce your organization (sorority/class/group) and your affiliation with the Hoosier Hills Food Bank (stickers are available at HHFB)

            Ask for any donations that the individual would be willing to make in order to feed the hungry in their local Bloomington Community

            Thank them many times for their generosity and donations

If a resident is not home, please leave an absentee information sheet.  This will allow the potential donors to become aware of HHFB.

Some donors may wish to give money instead of food.  If this happens, simply bring the cash/checks to the food bank when you bring the donations

Collect all bags/boxes with food donations and bring them to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank.  We are at 615 N Fairview and are open 9-5 Monday-Friday.  If your food drive is planned for the weekend, please call us (334-8374) to schedule a time to bring in the food drive donations 

After the Food Drive

As a group, discuss the day.

How well were you organized? 

How did the individual respond when asked to help the hungry?

Were you able to collect as much food as expected?

Did you remember to thank each individual?

What is the larger impact of what your group has done?

How do you feel after volunteering in the food drive?

What did you like/dislike?

What would you do different?

Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization and was incorporated in 1982. We can be reached at (812) 334-8374 or hhfb@hhfoodbank.org.