Food Drives Ideas

• Set a poundage or financial goal: If reached off a reward, maybe a casual day, free lunch, pizza party, etc.

• Award participants: Give certificates to departments that generate the most food/funds (per staff average).

• Have a lottery: Set an amount of donations to earn a ticket to be entered into the lottery.  Winning tickets will be awarded a prize, i.e. dinner for two, gift certificates, gas cards, electronic gadget, etc.

• Ask the CEO/top administrator(s) to participate in an interesting/appealing contest, if an aggressive food/fund drive goal is met; i.e. wear a funny outfit, sing in front of coworkers, (whatever best works for your office atmosphere); etc.

• Request a tour of the Food Bank: Ask your department or group to tour the facility to get a firsthand look at the Food Bank operations and what is involved in the day to day needs of the agency/clients.

• Company support: If you are already having a company event during the drive, ask each participant to bring in canned goods for that event.

• Dedicate your food drive: Select one or two of our most need food items and employ a catchy title for your group and see which group/department can collect the most food. Ex. "People for Peanut Butter, Protein Team, Bean Duty", etc.

• Conduct community events: Bake sales, cake walk, BBQ dinners, car washes, multi-family (department) yard sales, etc. Can always be made into a friendly competition.

• Sell special treats: Have the top cook make that one-of-a-kind, always requested food dish and offer samples for a donation throughout the day.

• Friendly competition: Challenge departments, between floors in an office building, alumni groups of rival schools, high schools, etc.  Whoever wins can make the others wear their schools colors, decorate their office, etc.

• Office atmosphere: Request donations when someone is late to a meeting, a cell phone rings during meeting, swears in the office, etc.