Organize A Food Drive

No matter if it is just you, you and a few neighbors, your organization, club, team or organization at school, a small business or large corporation, every food drive regardless the size makes a difference in reducing food insecurity in our community!

Big or Small, You Can Make A Difference

Host a Food Drive

It's easy! Fill out the contact form below and download our Food Drive Guide showing you how to organize and host a food drive, helping us fill the shelves of the food pantry. We will contact you answering any questions you may have and finalizing the details. There are 6 easy steps to follow.

1) Coordinate Your Drive With Us

2) Set Date / Timing

Food drives are popular around the holidays, but there’s no need to wait to organize one. Make a real difference any time of the year. You may be able to get more donations during a time of year when people aren’t giving in so many other areas of their lives.

In fact the late spring and summer is typically the time of year we could use help keeping our shelves well stocked! Having a food drive just before school is out or during summer sports activities will help us tremendously through out the summer when we are providing lunches and snacks to our client's school age kids in addition to their normal needs.

Prince William County Schools do not currently provide breakfast and lunch unless school is in session.

3) Ask for Dontions and Volunteers

Consider people in your family, neighborhood, school, church, workplace, community or kid's sports leagues and performing arts groups. There are many creative ways to collect items. Be sure to keep the collection box in a central place accessible to everyone:

Put a clear plastic storage bin with signs explaining the food drive in the break-room or reception area to collect donations.
Ask neighbors to leave donations by their mailbox for you to collect on a specific date.
Encourage guests to bring donations to a party at your home instead of a host(ess) gift.
Ask for donations during a local sporting event/tournament or dance recital.
Ask for donations for events at your community center, club house or golf tournaments.

4) Get the Word Out

Let people know about your food drive, what is needed, and when and where to drop off donations.

Insert a flyer in mailboxes.
Send emails about your drive.
Post information on Facebook, instagram, twitter, and TicTok.
Make an announcement in your school or company newsletter with QR codes linking to the event on social media.
Hang flyers in the cafeteria or other public space with QR codes so everyone can see it. Download a sample HRFP Food Drive Flyer.
Ask your friends and family to ask their friends to participate.

5) Be Thankful For All Donations

Graciously accept all donations, no matter how big or small. Everything helps.
Afterward, send a thank you note (maybe by group e-mail) to everyone thanking them for participating, and encouraging them to donate to the food pantry on their own. Possibly with a link to our website so they can donate virtually.
Celebrate your success and tell people who participated how many cans, or other items, you collected for the food pantry.

6) Deliver All Donations You Collect

Any time of the year is a good time to have a food drive. Most people have them around the holiday season. We ask that you would consider a time of year where we may not have as many donations ie: the summer or back to school seasons in addition to the holiday season. We appreciate you helping feed our community.

Organize a Food Drive

Download Our Food Drive Guide

Haymarket Food Pantry, Haymarket Food Pantry Food Drive

Park Valley Church Food Drive, Haymarket Food Pantry

Food Drives Help Us Stock Our Shelves With Variety

Group Food Drives

Groups and organizations can collect nonperishable food items anytime at an event or competition, or club at school, their work or where they worship.

Work Place Food Drives

Food drives at work can bring employees together around a great cause. Your employer can also participate by donating per pound of food donated.

Community Food Drives

Lake Manassas Women's group showing the proceeds of their cereal food drive. Other ideas can include diaper drives, pasta drives, kid's snacks, etc.

Create Your Food Drive

Have fun creating a unique food drive for your next event. Idea: Use social media & flyers asking neighbors to leave can donations at specific homes on Halloween.

Help us turn a $1 donation into $4's of food!

Virtual Fundraising Drives

Hosting a virtual food drive is easy and well suited for individuals, companies, and community groups alike. Money raised through these drives allow us to turn a one dollar donation into four dollars of our most-needed food items for people facing hunger. How do we turn a dollar into four dollars. We work with our partners purchasing selected items in bulk so we always have them in stock.

Organize an Online Fundraising Drive