Homeless shelters try to meet the needs for basic resources like food and clean water.
Food drives for homeless shelters require different tactics than those for food banks and other organizations that serve individuals and small families. Homeless shelters must provide food for large groups of people each day.
Instructions
1. Find a shelter or organization to receive food donations. It is important to first research the shelters and organizations in your local area and determine with which one you wish to work. Contact this organization and tell them of your intent, they may have specific needs that require targeted food items such as fresh produce, water or grains. Set a date of completion that allows a reasonable enough time to make contacts and gather food. Four to six weeks should be enough notice and time allowance.
2. Get the word out. Let people know through flyers, emails or word of mouth what organization you are working with and how they can help. Starting with people you know best at work, school or within your network of friends and colleagues, begin to recruit volunteers to spread the message to reach a wider audience.
3. Gain access to bulletin boards. Discuss posting flyers or notices in grocery stores, at your office or school, or at your place of worship with those in authority over external commitments. Companies may wish to make matching donations or grocery stores that sell food may inspire shoppers to make an extra purchase to add to a barrel, which you can provide.
4. Post announcements online using social networking and bulletin board sites, such as Facebook, Craigslist, MySpace or Twitter. Make certain to include the region, organization and other pertinent details in your search for additional donations outside your personal or professional networks.
5. Get assistance delivering the food. If the net you cast was very large, you may need to request the aid of people who own trucks and are willing to pick up donations and drop them off at the service entrance to the organization you are assisting. Follow the organization's procedures for drop offs, which includes respecting the times of the day during which they can provide volunteers of their own to process the donations.
Tags: grocery stores, people know