Food Drives

Food Drive Guidelines

To make sure your food drive has the greatest impact, please keep these key factors in mind:

• Because we store food in a non-refrigerated warehouse, we can accept nonperishable items only.
• We cannot use items packaged in glass containers.
• Single-serving items that fit in a bag children will carry are preferred.
• Healthier, low-sugar items are always best for growing kids.
• Food drives are usually most successful when they focus on 1 to 3 specific items. Drives where “anything is accepted” often result in items we’re unable to use.

The photographs below (and on our PHOTOS page) show the types and sizes of food items that work best in our weekend meal bags.

Food Drive Ideas

If you, your company, church, or social organization would like to host a food drive for Got Your Back San Diego, here are some ideas to make your efforts easier and more productive.

1. Have a Clear Purpose

Create a purpose your organization can rally around and communicate it in a way that connects with your group.

For example, supporter Keller Williams Realty in Carlsbad hosts an annual event called RED DAY (Renew, Energize and Donate)—a full day dedicated to improving local communities. For Red Day 2016, their entire staff held a spirited, friendly competition food drive for Got Your Back that produced over 4,000 pounds of food.

A little competition can go a long way. Consider fun ways to recognize “top producers,” such as:

• A wall plaque
• A free lunch with the boss
• A preferred parking spot for a month or a year

Small incentives can create big results.

2. Have a Thoughtful Plan

Food drives can be simple in-house events or large, community-wide efforts. Planning ahead helps maximize your impact.

Example: A Church Food Drive

One of our church partners holds a one-month, in-house food drive every year. They:

• Announce the drive weekly in bulletins and from the pulpit
• Encourage kids to bring a can of soup to Sunday School each week
• On the last weekend of the month, the entire congregation walks local neighborhoods, hands out a printed list of needed items, and asks for donations

They also invite neighbors to attend church. This well-planned project generates 2,000–3,000 pounds of food for Got Your Back and builds awareness of the church in the community.

Example: Girl Scouts — Learning What Works

A local Girl Scout troop first tried going door-to-door in their neighborhood asking people to leave donated food on their porches for pickup the next day. After two long days of walking, they collected only 12 pounds of food—some of it old and unusable—and even had some taken by coyotes overnight!

Determined to improve, they adjusted their plan. The following weekend, they received permission from their local Ralphs grocery store to stand outside both entrances and hand shoppers a list of needed items, asking them to buy one and donate it on the way out.

The response was incredible:

• Instead of one can, people donated 6- and 12-packs
• Instead of one box of mac & cheese, they gave by the case
• The girls worked in 2-hour shifts at each entrance

In just six hours, they raised 3,600 pounds of usable food—all from having a great plan.

3. Tie Your Food Drive to a Special Event

Linking your food drive to an event is a great way to generate excitement and show that your business or organization gives back.

You might connect a drive to:

• Concerts
• Car shows
• Holiday events
• School performances
• Community fairs

For example, Coastal Music Studios hosts an annual benefit concert called CHRISTMAS 4 KIDZ. The entire concert features children performing, with the goal of helping other children here in San Diego by meeting practical needs like food and other resources. For the last three years, Got Your Back San Diego has been one of the beneficiaries of their concert/food drive event.

If you’re part of an organization that holds special events, partnering with a local charity like Got Your Back is a great way to bring awareness to both your organization and the cause.

We’d Love Your Ideas, Too

These are just a few food drive ideas to help get your creativity flowing. There are many ways to have a successful food drive, and we always appreciate it when people share their ideas and experiences with us.

If you have food drive ideas you’d like to share, or if you’re ready to start planning your own drive, please email us at info@gotyourbacksandiego.org or call 760-583-9072.

Together, we can turn simple food items into powerful acts of hope for children in our community.