Starting a Food Drive

Thousands of Lowcountry residents, schools, churches, and businesses generously donate food to the Lowcountry Food Bank each year through a variety of corporate, civic, and holiday food drives.

What is a Food Drive?
A food drive is a concentrated effort to collect non-perishable food in a certain time period. You and/or your organization will work with the Lowcountry Food Bank in coordinating your organization's food drive. When planning a Food Drive, here are some important questions to ask yourself:

Common Questions to ask yourself before starting a Food Drive:

1. What dates do you want your Food Drive to occur?
2. Do you want the Food Drive to have a theme, such as Help the Hungry ?
3. Do you have containers to put food in or do you need some barrels from the Food Bank?
4. Where are you going to place your containers to collect food (in each classroom, in the lunch room, in the office, etc.)
5. How will you let people know about the Food Drive? (daily announcements, flyers, posters, newsletters, etc.)
6. Will there be an incentive for participants?
7. Is there a designated person who will deliver the food to the Food Bank or does the Food Bank need to pick up the food at the end of the Food Drive?

Containers
Place containers in central areas that are easily accessible. The Lowcountry Food Bank has barrels (55 gallon fiberboard drums) that can be borrowed for your food drive. Each barrel will hold between 100 and 150 pounds of food. If you will need barrels, please notify the Lowcountry Food Bank at the beginning of your food drive by calling or emailing our Food Solicitor, Amy Kosar, at (843) 747-8146, ext. 108, or akosar@lcfbank.org.

Transportation of Food
Please consider assisting the Food Bank in lowering its fuel and manpower costs by making arrangements for your organization to pick-up supplies and delivering the food collected if at all possible. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. However, if the amount of food is too great to be transported by car, please contact us for a pick-up (please allow a minimum 24 hour notice) by calling or emailing our Food Solicitor, Amy Kosar, at (843) 747-8146, ext. 108, or akosar@lcfbank.org.

We hope you are now ready to start your own food drive!
Please see our simple and easy form to get you well on your way! (Click HERE to download PDF form)

Useful Information:

• 7 Easy Steps to a Successful Food Drive
• Making Your Food Drive Fun
• How a Food Drive Will Help Your Community
• The Do's and Don'ts of Donating Food

Food Drive Items that support the Lowcountry Food Bank’s Nutrition Initiative

Protein Products Peanut Butter Canned chicken,salmon or tuna in water Canned sardines in water Low-salt/no-salt canned beans Dried lentils & beans Shelf stable soy milk	Fruits and Vegetables Low-salt/no-salt canned vegetables Low-sugar/sugar free canned fruit Low sodium pasta sauces
Bread, Flour & Cereals Brown rice (regular, parboiled, etc) Whole wheat, multigrain pastas 100% Whole grain cereals Rolled oats Reduced sugar instant oatmeal Whole wheat flour Instant yeast	Snacks Sugar free jello Sugar free puddings (shelf stable) Rice cakes Reduced fat cookies (any variety) Reduced sugar/sugar free cookies Dried fruit (prunes, raisins, cranberries, apples, pineapples) 100% Whole wheat crackers
Dried Herbs with no Salt Celery Seed Italian Seasoning Oregano Thyme Dill Garlic Powder Onion Powder Curry Powder Poultry Seasoning Cumin Cayenne Pepper	Miscellaneous Fat free cooking sprays Canola oil Olive oil Molasses Low fat/fat free mayonnaise Mustards Sugar free preserves/jellies Caffeine free herbal teas Bottled lemon and/or lime juice Flavored vinegars Molasses Low fat/fat free salad dressings
	Dairy Products Non-fat dry milk Low fat/skim evaporated milk Low fat/skim condensed milk

Starting a Food Drive

Thousands of Lowcountry residents, schools, churches, and businesses generously donate food to the Lowcountry Food Bank each year through a variety of corporate, civic, and holiday food drives.

What is a Food Drive?
A food drive is a concentrated effort to collect non-perishable food in a certain time period. You and/or your organization will work with the Lowcountry Food Bank in coordinating your organization's food drive. When planning a Food Drive, here are some important questions to ask yourself:

Common Questions to ask yourself before starting a Food Drive:

1. What dates do you want your Food Drive to occur?
2. Do you want the Food Drive to have a theme, such as Help the Hungry ?
3. Do you have containers to put food in or do you need some barrels from the Food Bank?
4. Where are you going to place your containers to collect food (in each classroom, in the lunch room, in the office, etc.)
5. How will you let people know about the Food Drive? (daily announcements, flyers, posters, newsletters, etc.)
6. Will there be an incentive for participants?
7. Is there a designated person who will deliver the food to the Food Bank or does the Food Bank need to pick up the food at the end of the Food Drive?

Containers
Place containers in central areas that are easily accessible. The Lowcountry Food Bank has barrels (55 gallon fiberboard drums) that can be borrowed for your food drive. Each barrel will hold between 100 and 150 pounds of food. If you will need barrels, please notify the Lowcountry Food Bank at the beginning of your food drive by calling or emailing our Food Solicitor, Amy Kosar, at (843) 747-8146, ext. 108, or akosar@lcfbank.org.

Transportation of Food
Please consider assisting the Food Bank in lowering its fuel and manpower costs by making arrangements for your organization to pick-up supplies and delivering the food collected if at all possible. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. However, if the amount of food is too great to be transported by car, please contact us for a pick-up (please allow a minimum 24 hour notice) by calling or emailing our Food Solicitor, Amy Kosar, at (843) 747-8146, ext. 108, or akosar@lcfbank.org.

We hope you are now ready to start your own food drive!
Please see our simple and easy form to get you well on your way! (Click HERE to download PDF form)

Useful Information:

• 7 Easy Steps to a Successful Food Drive
• Making Your Food Drive Fun
• How a Food Drive Will Help Your Community
• The Do's and Don'ts of Donating Food

Food Drive Items that support the Lowcountry Food Bank’s Nutrition Initiative

Protein Products Peanut Butter Canned chicken,salmon or tuna in water Canned sardines in water Low-salt/no-salt canned beans Dried lentils & beans Shelf stable soy milk	Fruits and Vegetables Low-salt/no-salt canned vegetables Low-sugar/sugar free canned fruit Low sodium pasta sauces
Bread, Flour & Cereals Brown rice (regular, parboiled, etc) Whole wheat, multigrain pastas 100% Whole grain cereals Rolled oats Reduced sugar instant oatmeal Whole wheat flour Instant yeast	Snacks Sugar free jello Sugar free puddings (shelf stable) Rice cakes Reduced fat cookies (any variety) Reduced sugar/sugar free cookies Dried fruit (prunes, raisins, cranberries, apples, pineapples) 100% Whole wheat crackers
Dried Herbs with no Salt Celery Seed Italian Seasoning Oregano Thyme Dill Garlic Powder Onion Powder Curry Powder Poultry Seasoning Cumin Cayenne Pepper	Miscellaneous Fat free cooking sprays Canola oil Olive oil Molasses Low fat/fat free mayonnaise Mustards Sugar free preserves/jellies Caffeine free herbal teas Bottled lemon and/or lime juice Flavored vinegars Molasses Low fat/fat free salad dressings
	Dairy Products Non-fat dry milk Low fat/skim evaporated milk Low fat/skim condensed milk

Lowcountry Food Bank on CNN

Lowcountry Food Bank Executive Director, D. Jermaine Husser shared on CNN Newsroom with Heidi Collins that people in our community were simply looking for "hope" in the form of food. Husser, along with three other spokespeople representing Foodbanks around the country, was part of a panel discussion on the state of hunger in our nation.Watch Video>>>>

The Farmer's Table

This September, we invite you to reconnect with the source of your food, and to honor the talented farmers, food artisans, and chefs that contribute to the growing culinary reputation and local food community of Beaufort. Led by Chef Jim Spratling, The Farmer's Table supper features a 3 course collaborative menu that is seasonal and diverse..... more>>>>

Bon Appetit-August eNewsletter

Click here to view the Lowcountry Food Bank's August Bon Appetit eNewsletter. To sign up to receive our monthy Bon Appetit, please contact the Lowcountry Food Bank's Development Associate, Margaret Williamson