Host A Food Drive

Community-sponsored food drives are important sources of nutritious food for those we serve. We are proud to be a beneficiary of your efforts to fight hunger in Northern Colorado!

Tips for a Successful Food Drive

Plan Ahead and Register Your Drive with Us
Select a start and end date for your food drive. We recommend food drives to be two weeks at the most in duration. We require all community food drives to register with the Food Bank. Our barrels are 3 feet tall by 2.5 feet wide and hold approximately 200 pounds of food.  Our boxes can hold up to 40 pounds of food.

Pick up collection boxes and barrels for your drive at Food Bank for Larimer County (1301 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins), Monday - Friday from 8 am to 4pm.  Drive to the north side of our building and follow the green signs “Agency/Food Donor Entrance”.  Due to Loveland Food Share's space constraints, food drive supplies must be picked up and dropped off in Fort Collins.

 

Establish collection sites at your food drive location -- near entrances, lunch/break rooms, time clocks. Consider a themed food drive -- peanut butter and jelly, red beans and rice, gone fishing (tuna fish), breakfast foods, healthy kids snacks, or a color coordinated food drive.

Suggest nutritious and most needed foods for participants to donate such as:

• peanut butter
• soups
• canned fruits / vegetables
• canned meats (chicken, beef, ham)
• canned tuna fish
• chili
• cereal
• hot cereals (grits, oatmeal)
• beans
• 100% juice
• rice / pasta
• shelf stable milk

Set a Goal
Identify a goal for pounds of food or number of meals to be collected (a meal is 1.28 pounds of food). Consider a competition between groups, departments, classes, etc.
Remind employees of your company's matching gift program whereby the company matches financial contributions or the amount of food collected.

Identify a goal for pounds of food or number of meals to be collected (a meal is 1.28 pounds of food). Consider a competition between groups, departments, classes, etc.Remind employees of your company's matching gift program whereby the company matches financial contributions or the amount of food collected.

 

Motivate Participants to Reach the Goal & Promote

Give updates and thank your participants. Promote the food drive through:

• A food drive launch event to announce the food drive
• Posters, flyers in mailboxes, email footers
• E-blast reminders before and during the food drive to remind everyone to bring canned goods
• Internal newsletters or intranets
• Facebook/Twitter status updates

Offer incentives or prizes to individuals or teams -- a casual dress day, pizza / ice cream party, or gift certificates. Take photos of participants with the food collected to use in future newsletters and e-blasts, or to post on websites and bulletin boards.

 

Food Drive Follow Up
Deliver collected food to the Food Bank for Larimer County warehouse. Items may be delivered Monday - Friday from 8 am until 4 pm.  Don't forget to label food boxes with your organization's name.  If you collect more food than can be transported in a truck, van or SUV, please contact Korrie Johnston, 970.530.3104 to arrange a pick up. Our drivers can assist if you have collected over 500 pounds or 2+ barrels.

 

Announce your Results. 
Make sure participants know how much food was collected toward the goal and thank them for their participation.

 

HELPFUL MATERIALS:

Food Drive Flyer
Food Drive Poster
Food Drive Manual

For more information on hosting a food drive, please contact Korrie Johnston at 970.530.3104.