Food and Fund Drive Kit

Contents:
1. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 2. Food and Fund Drives: Where to Start? 3. Food and Fund Drive Checklist 4. Add Energy to Your Food and Fund Drives 5. Fun Ideas to Raise Food and Funds 6. Most-Wanted Foods List
For more information or to answer your questions please call: 269-488-2617

Why Both Food and Funds Matter

Food drives can help provide some of the healthiest and highest
quality food we receive. Fresh produce or high nutrition items are sometimes hard to come by through the food bank network so receiving them through donations is crucial.

Food donations also provide a direct connection between donors

and people who are hungry. Food drives are a great way for your team to work together to help raise food for those that need it most. Results of your groups hard work can be seen within days.

Cash donations

allow us to keep our freezers cool and our trucks running. They also support innovative programs aimed at achieving food security. But most importantly, cash donations allows us to take advantage of amazing purchasing power (pennies on the pound) through our connection with the Food Bank of South Central Michigan.

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Every dollar we spend equals about $10.00 that you would spend on the same food items. Through our Grocery Pantry Program, less than $5 can feed one person for four days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I drop off donated food?
Drop off food at the Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (KLF) warehouse at 913 E. Alcott, near downtown Kalamazoo, between 9 am and 3 pm. Directions are available by calling 488-2617 or by clicking on Directions to KLF at www.kzoolf.org. For a current list of other drop off sites throughout the area, check Current Food Drives on our website.

Do you have containers to collect the food?

KLF can provide large (55-gallon, 3-feet high and 2-feet wide) fiber barrels. Each barrel holds 125 to 150 pounds of food. To make it cost-effective for KLF to deliver and pick up food-collection receptacles, your food-drive goal should be at least 300 pounds. This amount of food will cover the costs of running our truck. A barrel will fit in the backseat of most normal sized cars. For large food drives, we can provide bins (4x4x4) which will be delivered and picked up for you. Please remember, we will need to use a non-motorized pallet-jack, which needs a hard, snow and ice-free surface to maneuver the bin in and out of your facility. Please give KLF staff as much notice for drop-off and pick-up as possible. We also supply cardboard boxes for food drives that will be less than 300 lbs.

Do you have promotional materials I can use?

Visit www.kzoolf.org and at Hold a Food Drive, you can download a generic PDF version of our food collection flyer and other information. For use of our logo, photos, or other promotional materials, please call 488-2617 ext. 218. If you are unable to download flyers from the site, you may pick up generic flyers and/or brochures at our main office during normal business hours. Advanced notice would be appreciated.

Where do I send contributions?

Please make checks out to: Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes and send to: 913 E. Alcott, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Do I need to let KLF know that I am having a food drive?

If you need barrels or collection bins, you must call KLF ahead of time to reserve those. If youd like to use our logo or have us add your food drive to our website, please give us a call. Notice of your collection efforts is always appreciated and helps us better prepare for your incoming donation.

How does the food collected reach those in need?

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes distributes most food donations to a network of 25 Grocery Pantry Partners throughout Kalamazoo County that fed over 86,000 people in 2010.

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Can I find out how much food my group collected?

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes will send you a formal receipt stating the weight of the food your group collected. Be sure to give us the name of your organization or group, a contact name, and address to receive your receipt in a timely manner.

Will I receive a receipt for monetary donations?

Anyone making a monetary donation will receive a receipt with the amount of the donation. If you want a receipt for cash donations, please put the cash in an envelope with the donors name, address and amount of donation on the outside of the envelope. Remember that many donations are eligible for the Michigan Food Bank tax credit, but only until Dec. 31, 2011. See www.kzoolf.org or talk to your financial advisor for more details.

Food and Fund Drives

Thank you for coordinating a food and fund drive to help fight hunger in our community. Here are the steps to a successful drive:

First - the basics

Decide who can help you organize the drive. Decide if you will raise food, money or both. Decide what type of drive you want to have such as a party or a competition. Then, set a goal. o How many potential contributors do you have? o How much can you reasonably expect to collect from each donor? o Will you offer any incentives for donating? Agree on the drive length. Will it be for one day? One week? We recommend two to three weeks to collect a substantial amount of food. Choose the drives location. Will it occur at one place or at several locations? How will you publicize your food drive? Write a letter to your local newspaper, post the collection dates on your favorite social networking site, or hand out flyers around your neighborhood. Decide on a collection method - boxes or barrels. When to use boxes: We encourage the use of boxes for any drive generating fewer than 300 pounds of food or 3 full grocery carts. Copy paper boxes (or smaller) work well for food drives. They aren't too heavy when full and you can decorate with wrapping or a Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes flyer. KLF can also supply boxes for you to use. When to use KLF barrels: KLF can provide large fiber barrels which hold up to 125-150 pounds of food. Tip: Barrels hold more food if you remove food from grocery bags before placing the food in the barrel.
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KLF can deliver the barrels (two or more) to your food drive site and pick them up at the end of the event with advanced notice. To schedule food collection barrel delivery or pickup, call Marvin King, warehouse director, at 343-1616. If your group can pick up empty barrels from our warehouse at the start of your drive, thats an even better way to save time and start your drive faster. Saving KLF the delivery trip is equivalent to making an additional donation! Please call in advance if you plan to pick up a barrel. Let us know as early as possible (at least two weeks in advance) if you will need food picked up. Please note that during the winter holiday season, our pickup schedule fills up quickly.

Food and Fund Drive Checklist

Next - get everything ready
If youre not customizing your own flyers for the drive, download KLF flyers from our website OR pick them up at the warehouse. Would you like something special or specific made up? Call 488-2617 ext. 218 with your ideas and well see what we can do. Send out memos, phone messages, newsletters and emails to promote the drive. Challenge your co-workers, congregation members, or friends to participate. Plan special theme days such as Meal Monday, Tuna Tuesday, etc. Consider arranging a Hunger Awareness Day or picking a theme at the start of your drive. Check our website often for national hunger awareness days that you can be a part of. If you would like to schedule a speaker to come to your organization or group, please call Jennifer Johnson at 488-2617 ext. 213. Encourage participants to look at the KLF website, www.kzoolf.org for up-to-date hunger facts. Acquire your own barrels or boxes for your food collection. Be creative and eye-catching with decorating and design. Place the barrels or boxes in convenient and visible areas. Arrange to store them during the drive.

Then - during the drive

Update participants on the amount of food and funds youve collected through a sign in a high traffic area, announcements in meetings, emails, or online updates. Remember, every $4 feeds one person for four days! Send out creative messages to keep people excited about reaching the goal. KLF can offer helpful statistics on what your donations mean to hungry people in our community.

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Finally, when the drive is over

Deliver your food to the KLF receiving dock, located on the south side of the building between 9 am and 3 pm on weekdays, or make arrangements with our warehouse for additional options. When you deliver the food, please complete the donation form available at the drop-off point and indicate that you collected the food through a food drive. Share and celebrate the food drive results with all your participants. Afterwards, KLF will send you a letter listing the total amount of food and funds raised during your event.

Most-Wanted Foods
KLF needs these nutritious foods: Protein (7 grams or higher) canned meats, dry beans, hearty
soups, macaroni and cheese, beef stew, etc. Fruits canned, preferably without sugar or corn syrup added 100% Fruit Juice canned or plastic Vegetables canned Grains pasta, rice, oatmeal Perishables please call Marvin King (343-1616) in advance to discuss current needs

Please Note
To ensure recipients safety, KLF is unable to use:
Rusty, badly dented or unlabeled cans Glass containers Perishable items other than fruits or vegetables Homemade items Noncommercial canned or packaged items Alcoholic beverages, mixes or soda Open or used items If you have any questions please call 269-488-2617.

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Best of luck with your drive and thanks again for helping KLF meet its mission: To expand the availability of emergency food resources and promote the ability of hungry people to feed themselves.