There is often a post-holiday slump in food donations. Encourage families to pick up some extra non-perishable food items during their holiday shopping. Then kick-off the New Year with a food drive to collect those extras.

Here’s what you’re doing:

Do a post-holiday food drive when there is often a slump in donations.

Here’s what you need:

• Poster board or construction paper for posters or fliers
• A large, sturdy box
• Markers, colored pencils, crayons, glitter, etc. for decorating your posters, fliers, and donation box

Here’s how you do it!

1. Contact your local social services or local soup kitchen and tell them you will be doing a food drive for nonperishable items. Ask them what their needs are and how and when to deliver the donation.
2. Make posters and fliers advertising your food drive encouraging families to buy an extra can or box of food as they do their holiday shopping. Include when, where, and how people should drop off their donations.
3. Ask local businesses—especially grocery stores—if they would display your posters and fliers.  
4. Decorate and setup your collection box.
5. Collect those cans!
6. Sort through the donations. Make sure nothing has expired. Count your grand total of items.
7. Drop off your donation with the local social service or soup kitchen.
8. Thank everyone who helped you and tell them the grand total of items donated!

Interesting fact:

In the U.S., 49 million people don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Reflection Questions:

1. How did our project help people?
2. Did we learn anything?
3. What worked well about our project?
4. What can we do better next time?
5. What is our next service project?

Click on the link below for downloadable project instructions: