Chicago's Food Bank

Set a Goal

Setting a goal can help provide more focus to your collection efforts. Use our 'fill the truck' image on your customizable web page provided after you Start My Food Drive Now.

Recruit Help

Invite enthusiastic people to support your food drive by asking them to encourage others to participate and by sharing your drive on social media. The more people you have supporting your food drive, the more success you will have.

Create a Theme

Giving your food drive a theme is a great way to get people excited about participating. Consider organizing your food drive around our Most Needed Items or a holiday. See our list of Creative Theme Ideas for examples and suggestions.

Organize a Special Event

Consider combining your food drive with a special event. Offer a reduced ticket price to a theatre performance or allow employees to wear jeans to work one day if they make a donation to your food drive.

Use Social Media

Let everyone know about your food drive and how they can help. Provide status updates, reminders and special call outs to individuals and teams.

Like the Food Depository’s Facebook Twitter Instagram pages and tag @FoodDepository and #No1ShouldGoHungry in your message.

Company Matching Gifts

Does your company offer a matching gift program? Matching gifts provide additional financial support allowing us to further serve our community in need. Check with your employer to see if they will match your donation. Please contact fooddrives@gcfd.org with any questions.

Create Friendly Competition

Organize teams by department, floor, classroom or other groups and see who can collect the most donations. It helps if the winning team is rewarded with a special incentive or prize.

Provide Incentives

Prizes and incentives are a great way to increase overall participation, and they don't need to be large or expensive. Consider offering the winner a prime parking space for a week, the ability to sleep in late or have a free day off, or a free coffee or lunch on the boss.

Get Management Involved

Having support from your organization’s leadership can help emphasize the importance of your food drive. Encourage leadership to set an example by making a donation, sending an email or making an announcement at your next meeting. Use the Promotional Email/Letter Template to help them craft a personalized message.

Double Your Donations

Participants will feel like they are making a greater impact if they know their donations are being matched. Talk to your company’s HR Department to see if they have a formal matching gift program or ask leadership or a partnering organization to match your donations. See our FAQs for more information about how to submit corporate matching gifts.