Host A Food Drive

Follow these steps to ensure your food drive is a stunning success! 

• Set up a committee of team leaders with representatives from every level of your organization to coordinate the drive. Working as a team is important to keep things efficient and organized.
  

• Determine food drive logistics: start and end dates, promotional efforts and whether you will be picking up Second Harvest Food Bank boxes and dropping off food drive donations yourself, or will need the assistance of Second Harvest Food Bank pick up food donations from your location.
  

• Register your food drive with Second Harvest by downloading the registration form and sending it back to Second Harvest (the mailing address and fax number are at the bottom of the form.) Return the form BEFORE you begin your drive so we can add you to our Food Drive Calendar and provide you with all the necessary promotional material needed to make it fun and successful. You can also pick up collection boxes, tape and disposable banners for your drive at Second Harvest Food Bank, Monday - Friday from 8 am - 4pm.

Greater New Orleans Warehouse

700 Edwards Ave

New Orleans, LA 700123

504.734.1322

OR

Lafayette Warehouse

215 East Pinhook Road

Lafayette, LA  70501

337.237.7711

 

•  Set goals! Setting a goal is a great way to encourage teamwork and provide contributors with a sense of accomplishment. Make goals realistic and easy to understand. For example, you could set a goal to collect 750 lbs. of food (1 canned good = 1 lb., 6 lbs. = 5 meals). You can also read and distribute our List of Most Needed Items at your food drive to encourage the right type of non-perishable goods.
  

• Promote your food drive by making it creative and fun: incorporate competitions and themes, decorate boxes and place them in strategic locations where they are in public view, and hang our disposable banners to advertise your event. Use incentives to encourage participation between departments, classes, or coworkers, to see who can raise the most donations, and/or reward participants with prizes for their contributions. 
  

• Build awareness! Use this food drive as an opportunity to spread the word about hunger in Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. Send out links to our website www.no-hunger.org, and feel free to help spread the word about your food drive via social media – Facebook  www.facebook.com/2ndharvestgnoa and Twitter  www.twitter.com/2ndharvestgnoa.
  

• After your food drive is over, we encourage you to make every attempt to deliver to the Food bank yourself. By dropping off your donation to us, we can save on fuel costs and valuable volunteer resources. Items may be delivered Monday - Friday from 8 am until 4 pm.  Don't forget to label food boxes with your organization's name. 

Greater New Orleans Warehouse

700 Edwards Ave

New Orleans, LA 700123

504.734.1322

OR

Lafayette Warehouse

215 East Pinhook Road

Lafayette, LA  70501

337.237.7711

• However, if you have collected more than 25 boxes or 750 lbs., download our Transportation Request Form and Second Harvest will be happy to arrange a pick up date and time.  Keep in mind the date you indicate is a preferred pick up date and may have to be changed due to the availability of volunteers and vehicles, especially during our busy seasons.
  

• Remember to thank everyone who participated. Publicize your success by taking pictures and letting the community know the total amount of food you collected and how many meals your food drive will provide.  This information will be provided by Second Harvest Food Bank when your donations are brought to the food bank.
  

For more information on hosting a food drive, contact Tom Melton at 504.729.2847.

Plan a volunteer day at Second Harvest Food Bank.  Invite participants to volunteer and learn first hand how their food donation is sorted, packaged and delivered to food pantries across south Louisiana. 

Read more on volunteering your time at Second Harvest Food Bank.