Whether you’re organizing a food drive, hosting an online fundraiser, or planning a community event, this “toolkit” is here to guide you every step of the way. With a little planning and passion, your efforts can go even further—collecting more food and donations, engaging more people, and spreading hope in every direction.
Your hero’s journey starts here, and every action you take brings us all closer to a hunger-free community.
We believe that everyone is a hero in their own life story. At the Food Bank, we witness heartwarming, heroic acts that take place every day. Hunger Heroes are inspired to take action to end food insecurity, and to serve something greater than themselves. A Hunger Hero exhibits bravery and empathy, and generously sets an example for others to follow. Food Bank volunteers, partners, advocates, donors, staff, and guests are our heroes. And so are you. Thank you for working with us to build a stronger, healthier, well-nourished community.
From packing donations to rallying support—Hunger Heroes of all ages and backgrounds are stepping up to fight hunger in their communities. Every action adds up to something greater.
Gather your group or organization to set goals, plan a timeline, assign responsibilities, and decide who will do what to make your food drive happen.
TIP: Consider adding a theme, competition, or incentive to boost engagement! For example, collect meats on Mondays, toothbrushes on Tuesdays, and (canned) fruit on Fridays.
Complete the Food Drive Form to officially register your drive with the Food Bank.
The Food Bank offers branded collection barrels (32″ x 22″) that hold up to 250 pounds of food each. To reserve a barrel, fill out the Food Drive Form and coordinate with the Volunteer and Food Drive Manager. You can contact them by emailing fooddrives@brafb.org.
If you don’t need a barrel, get creative! Decorate your own containers to grab attention.
Review our Most-Needed Items List to understand what the Food Bank requires most.
After you register your food drive, the Volunteer and Food Drive Manager (fooddrives@brafb.org) will reach out to you to schedule a barrel pickup at one of our warehouses, located in Verona, Charlottesville, Winchester, and Lynchburg.
Attach your logo or poster to the barrels and place them in high-traffic areas to attract attention.
TIP: Think about barrel placement for easy removal. We recommend ground-floor locations near exits. Keep in mind that the Food Bank can only pick up donations of over 1,000 pounds (4+ barrels). Plan accordingly!
Promote your drive through social media, newsletters, flyers, and posters. Use our sample resources and tag us so we can support your drive!
Thank you for all your hard work! The final step is bringing your donations to the nearest Food Bank warehouse: By delivering your donations directly, you help our drivers stay focused on getting food to guests and partners across 25 counties and 8 cities. At the end of your drive, the Volunteer and Food Drive Manager will reach out to you to schedule either a drop off or a pickup.
Warehouse Drop-off Hours:
Visit our Food and Fund Drives page to learn more.
Fundraising for the Food Bank makes it possible for the Food Bank to address the needs of those we serve. For every dollar you donate, we can provide more than three meals.
A fundraiser can be online or in person, used to celebrate a milestone like birthdays or retirement, and many times are coordinated with a food drive or special event. Whether your fund drive is in your neighborhood, your school, your business, or across the state, here are some helpful hints to make it a success.
If your goals are lofty, recruit a team or committee to help organize the drive, plan logistics, develop a timeline, and decide how you will promote and encourage participation. Create a theme or make it a competition – you want it to be fun for you and everyone involved!
Here are a few theme examples to get you started!
GivingTuesday Takeover: Rally your community on GivingTuesday with a day-long goal, hourly challenges, or matching gift incentives.
Use our poster, email, word of mouth, and social media. Remember to “Like” our Facebook page and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Be sure to mention us by name in any posts or tweets so we can help spread the message.
Make sure donation collection sites are well documented, secure, easily accessible, and convenient for your participants.
Track your results and provide updates. Everyone wants to know how they are making a difference.
OR, if you would prefer to have a check presentation ceremony, contact solvehunger@brafb.org to explore what might be possible.
If individual donors request a receipt and/or tax credit, we must receive their contribution as a check made payable to: Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Also, be sure to include the name of your drive or campaign on the memo line so that we can attribute the gifts appropriately.
Share/publicize your results among participants, local media and on social media (tag the Food Bank so that we can celebrate with you). Review the event and set the date for next year! Thank you for supporting Blue Ridge Area Food Bank!
Visit our Food and Fund Drives page to learn more.
Hosting a fundraising event is a great way to support the Food Bank and spread awareness in your community. Whether large or small, your event can make a real impact.
To get started, think about the basics:
Date & Time: Avoid conflicts with major events or holidays.
Audience: Who will attend, and how many people do you need for success?
Fundraising Goals: Estimate costs and potential revenue. Decide how donations will be collected.
Support Needs: Let us know if you’d like help with food or fund collection, promotion, or attendance.
Gratitude: Plan how you’ll thank your participants and donors.
Let us know when your plans are in place so we can add your event to our calendar.
Promoting your food drive, fundraiser, or event is key to its success. The more people who know about your efforts, the greater your impact will be. Here are a few tips and tools to help you share your story, raise awareness about hunger in our region, and inspire others to get involved.
Hunger is more complex and widespread than a lot of people think. Visit our Impact page to learn more about food insecurity in the Blue Ridge region and what we’re doing, collectively, to solve this issue.
Remember to tag us when you post about your event so that our fans and followers can see all the good things you’re up to!
Our Social Media Accounts
Email solvehunger@brafb.org if you need support setting up your food drive, fund drive, or event.
