FIGHTING HUNGER TOOLKIT Tools for your food drive, fund drive and special event Thank you for helping us fight hunger one day at a time!
FIGHTING HUNGER TOOLKIT TABLE OF CONTENTS Getting started...2 Tips to plan your food drive...3 Our healthy foods wish list...4 Tips to plan your fund drive...5 Special events...6 A closer look at hunger...7 Customizable posters...8-9 Most-needed foods shopping list (designed to print and cut to hand out as grocery shopping list)...10 Third-Party Agreement...11 NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED BY THE FOOD BANK OF WNY IN ANY GIVEN MONTH NIAGARA 15,573 ERIE 95,090 CHAUTAUQUA 19,878 CATTARAUGUS 9,241 Page 1
Getting started Whether your gift of time and energy to the Food Bank of WNY is through participation in a special event, food drive or fund drive, we want to provide support and guidance to make your experience a success. The following pages include helpful tips, promotional materials and guidelines to walk you through those steps. First, determine what type of campaign you are planning. The following definitions will guide you to the section of this toolkit that you will find most helpful: A food drive (page 3) has a singular focus: collecting non-perishable food items for the Food Bank of WNY. These typically are multi-day or weeks-long undertakings. A fund drive (page 5) has a singular focus: collecting financial donations for the Food Bank of WNY. These can be any length of time and are often in coordination with a food drive or special event. A special event (page 6) is a single occurence in a finite period of time, typically a one-day or evening time frame. These may have both a fund and food drive component but they are characterized by their time frame and intent. Questions? Send an email to Volunteer and Food Drive Coordinator Justina Cincotti at jcincotti@foodbankwny.org or Special Events Coordinator Cassandra Barrett at cbarrett@foodbankwny.org! Good luck and thank you! Page 2
Food Drive A, B, Cs Your donations are more vital than ever, and hosting a food drive is a fun and easy way to help our neighbors in need. Here are a few tips to make your drive a success. ready... Establish a team or a committee to organize the food drive. Create a theme, set goals, plan logistics and develop a timeline. See our wish list (page 4) as you consider your food drive theme. Theme examples: peanut butter & jelly drive: These two items are highly requested by the people we serve. back to school: Granola bars, shelf-stable fruit cups and nutritious snacks are perfect for kids in need. meat the need: Canned meats and canned beans are great ways to provide protein! baby shower: The Food Bank is always in need of diapers, baby food and infant formula. set... 2 Obtain sturdy collection boxes or bins. 2 Establish food drop-off locations. 2 If you would like to use one or more of our barrels for your food drive, please consider the following questions before placing your request: Do you expect to collect at least 250 pounds of food? If you re hosting an annual activity, consider historical food collection totals. Did your collection exceed 250 pounds last year? Will your food drive last two weeks or longer? Will your food be collected in a location that is visible to foot traffic, thereby helping to raise awareness for the Food Bank? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you could benefit from using one of our barrels. Contact Volunteer and Food Drive Coordinator Justina Cincotti at jcincotti@foodbankwny.org to reserve your barrel. If the answer is no, we suggest that you prepare a cardboard box or other collection receptacle of your own and utilize our customizable food drive poster (page 8) to market your efforts. 2 Contact the Food Bank before the drive ends to discuss delivery of the food. 2 Promote the food drive through a company newsletter, emails, flyers, posters and on social media. Tag the Food Bank of WNY on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram so we can like and share your posts. 2Consider offering incentives such as a prize drawing entry for those who donate. Make it easy for people to participate by sending friends/coworkers home with a bag to bring back full of food donations. 2Organize a group to tour the Food Bank and/or volunteer prior to or after the food drive. It helps to see how your efforts make a direct impact in our community! Page 3
go! Happy shopping and collecting! Let us know if we can help throughout the drive. Please keep our healthy foods wish list in mind as you are seeking donations for your food drive. you did it! Once your food drive has concluded, please contact us to discuss drop-off or pickup options. It is important that we dedicate the Food Bank's resources to purchasing more food instead of expensive fuel, so we ask that you commit to collecting a minimum of 250 pounds (approximately one full barrel) if you are requesting a pickup. If you are hosting a smaller drive, simply schedule a time to visit the Food Bank of WNY to drop off your donation! We will give you a receipt for the total pounds of food collected. Celebrate! Reivew the event and set the date for next year. Thank you for your support! Our Healthy Foods Wish List - no sugar addedcanned fruit - Applesauce - 100% fruit juice - dried fruit - whole-wheat pasta - Quinoa - brown rice - rolled oats - whole grain cereal -shelf-stable milk -non-dairy alternatives - low sodiumcanned veggies - tomato sauce - canned soups - 100% veggie juice - Low sodiumcanned beans - nut butters - canned tuna - dried beans Page 4
Fund Drive 1, 2, 3s Did you know that 94% of every dollar donated to the Food Bank of WNY goes directly to support our programs and services that fight hunger? The Food Bank continues to receive the maximum 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America s largest independent charity evaluator. When you hold a fund drive for the Food Bank, you can be sure that we are using your donations wisely. Here are some suggestions to help make your fund drive a success! first: plan Establish your target audience and set a goal for your drive. Consider forming a team or committee to help organize the drive, plan logistics, develop a timeline and decide how you will promote the drive and encourage participation. *make sure your donation/collection sites are well documented, secure, easily accessible and convenient for your participants Create a theme or make it a competition - you want it to be fun for you and everyone involved! Ideas to get you started: skip-a-lunch: Have your participants pack their lunch or hold a potluck. Ask your participants to donate what they would normally spend on lunch to your fund drive. (This is a great idea for the workplace!) friendly competition: Spread the word to neighboring businesses and community groups to gain their participation and track who can raise the most for your drive. Celebrate the winner with a prize or bragging rights. second: promote Spread the word! Use posters, send emails and post on social media. Remember to "like" our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to mention us by name in any posts or tweets so we can help spread the message. Track your results and provide updates. Everyone wants to know how they are making a difference! third: give Collect all donations and deliver to the Food Bank of WNY. If you would prefer to have a check presentation, contact us at 716-852- 1305 to explore possibilities. If individual donors request a reciept and/or tax credit, we must receive their contribution as a check made payable to: Food Bank of WNY. Also, be sure to include the name of your drive or campaign on the memo line so we can attribute the gift appropriately. celebrate! Share/publicize your results among your participants and in local and social media (tag the Food Bank of WNY so we can celebrate with you). Review the event and set the date for next year! Thank you for supporting the Food Bank of WNY! Questions? Contact Special Events Coordinator Cassandra Barrett at cbarrett@foodbankwny.org. Page 5
What makes an event special? A special event is a wonderful way to support the work of the Food Bank of WNY. Not only does an event generate much-needed funding, but it can spread awareness about the reality of hunger in our community. Thank you for helping us raise awareness for our programs and the necessary funding to support them. Let us know when your plans are in place so we can add your event to our calendar. planning a successful fundraiser 1. Choose a planning team. Involve enough volunteers to share the work load. 2. Set a goal and develop a budget.work with the end result in mind. Identify all possible sources of revenue and anticipated expenses. 3. Choose the right event. Be sure the your event complements the Food Bank of WNY's mission to end hunger in Western New York. Is the event unique to your community? 4. Identify your audience. Plan a date and time that is appropriate and convenient for those who want to attend. 5. Fill out our Third-Party Agreement. See page 11 of our Fighting Hunger Toolkit. 6. Promote/publicize your event. Use all appropriate tools to spread the word about your event. Consider sending a press release and use social media to share your event with others. 7. Make your donation. Please turn in all proceeds to the Food Bank within 10 days of your event. All checks should be made payable to: Food Bank of WNY. 8. Give thanks! Acknowledge everyone who participated in or supported your event! Things to consider for your event: date & time - Does the event conflict with any significant events planned for that time? Is this an after-hours event? potential audience - What is your target number of attendees to make your event successful? Will the event be held if your target is not reached? potential revenue - Is the potential revenue in balance with the anticipated expenses? Is any portion of the revenue going elsewhere? How will the money/donations be collected? staff requirements - Our resources are limited, but we'd like to help you if we can! Examples of Food Bank assistance include food collection (barrels), fund collections, promotion and attendance. stewardship - How will your participants be thanked for their efforts? Questions? Send an email to Special Events Coordinator Cassandra Barrett at cbarrett@foodbankwny.org. Page 6
A closer look at hunger... understanding hunger in wny Hunger remains a serious problem in Western New York, even when the economy feels better to many of us. Many people who need food assistance are employed but are unable to make ends meet. The faces of hunger in Western New York do not belong to any one demographic. Those who struggle with hunger include hardworking families, seniors living on fixed incomes, children trying to learn on empty stomachs, people with disabilities and veterans. Use the following facts to educate your team and the community about the need in WNY: * Within the Food Bank's service area (Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties), 1 in 8 people is facing hunger. * One in five children is facing hunger in the Food Bank's service area. * In any given month, the Food Bank provides nutritious food and support to as many as 140,000 individuals in partnership with its member agencies. * In 2017, the Food Bank distributed nearly 14.9 million pounds of food, enough to provide 12.4 million meals! * Hunger touches every corner of our community, including our cities, rural areas and suburban neighborhoods. * Hunger doesn't discriminate. Many of our community members are just one job loss, medical emergency or unexpected crisis away from needing food assistance. Page 7
food drive Drop non-perishiable food donations here to help neighbors in need www.foodbankwny.org
www.foodbankwny.org
Most Needed Items Low sodium, low Sugar, and whole grains items preferred Cereal Peanut or other nut butters Canned Tuna and Chicken Canned Soups, Stews and Chili Canned Fruit Canned Veggies Beans, Canned or Dried Boxed Mac & Cheese Pasta and Rice Spaghetti Sauce Baby Food, Formula, and Diapers Thank you! www.foodbankwny.org Most Needed Items Low sodium, low Sugar, and whole grains items preferred. Cereal Peanut or other nut butters Canned Tuna and Chicken Canned Soups, Stews and Chili Canned Fruit Canned Veggies Beans, Canned or Dried Boxed Mac & Cheese Pasta and Rice Spaghetti Sauce Baby Food, Formula, and Diapers Thank you! www.foodbankwny.org Most Needed Items Low sodium, low Sugar, and whole grains items preferred. Cereal Peanut or other nut butters Canned Tuna and Chicken Canned Soups, Stews and Chili Canned Fruit Canned Veggies Beans, Canned or Dried Boxed Mac & Cheese Pasta and Rice Spaghetti Sauce Baby Food, Formula, and Diapers Thank you! www.foodbankwny.org
THIRD PARTY EVENT GUIDELINES Thank you for your interest in supporting the Food Bank of WNY by helping to raise funds to feed those in need throughout Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. It is because of individuals like you that we are able to continue the Food Bank of WNY s mission to obtain nutritious food and support from public and private sources and efficiently distribute these resources to the hungry in Western New York through our member agencies. We welcome your special event/promotion activities with deep gratitude and will make efforts to assist you throughout your planning. However, due to limited staff and resources, we are unable to support every proposed event/promotion. To protect and assist the donating party and the Food Bank of WNY, we have drafted the following information: How we can help with your approved promotional activity: 1. Provide information about the Food Bank of WNY for your media promotions. 2. List your third party event on Food Bank of WNY s event webpage and/or supplement your social media actions. 3. Provide standard promotional material templates. 4. Provide food collection barrels or boxes. 5. Provide thank you letters for donors who make checks payable to Food Bank of WNY or contribute online through our Donate Now button (and reference your event). Criteria for entering third party relationships: 1. To initiate the fundraising special event or promotion, organizers/sponsors or organizations should review, complete and submit the proposal application (last page of this document) for review at least 10 days prior to the fundraising event or promotion start date. 2. If only a portion of the proceeds will go directly to the Food Bank of WNY, the sponsoring individual or organization must clearly disclose to purchasers, participants, etc., the approximate amount of dollars and/or percent of the proceeds that will go to Food Bank of WNY. 3. With the exception of nationally approved promotions, events/programs that cross the Food Bank of WNY s geographic boundaries must have the approval of all food banks involved. 4. All publicity and/or promotional materials referencing the Food Bank of WNY s involvement require advance approval from the Food Bank of WNY. 5. Events involving alcohol require approval of the Food Bank of WNY. 6. If conducting a raffle, the sponsoring individual/organization must adhere to all state and federal laws and regulations governing terms and conditions of raffles. 7. The sponsoring individual/organization will need to provide the Food Bank of WNY with a list of targeted corporate sponsors. The Food Bank of WNY reserves the right to exclude solicitation of specific sponsors. 8. If a separate bank account is being established by the third party for the event, it must be opened in the third party s name. Food Bank of WNY policies do not permit a third party to establish a bank account in the name of the Food Bank of WNY. 9. All checks from participants of third party events and programs must be made out to the Food Bank of WNY in order to qualify as charitable contributions. As of August 29, 2018
10. The third party must tender the percentage of net proceeds from the event due the Food Bank of WNY within 10 days of the end of the event. 11. The sponsoring individual/organization shall provide the Food Bank of WNY with a summary of results relevant to the event/program (number of tickets/sponsorships, revenues generated, and a list of expenses) within 30 days of the event s end. We ask that the third party maintain records in the form of receipts, invoices, etc. in the event that a review of the event is necessary. 12. Hazardous events that are inconsistent with our mission will not be considered. Limitations: 1. The Food Bank of WNY has limited financial resources and is unable to fund third party events. All promotion expenses need to be covered by the individual/organization sponsoring the event. 2. Any use of the Food Bank of WNY s name and logo on print or any collateral material must be explicitly approved by the Food Bank of WNY to ensure compliance with existing brand standards. 3. The sponsoring individual/organization is responsible for coordinating the location and logistics of the event. If you need a food donation pick-up, please contact the Food Bank of WNY in advance. 4. The Food Bank of WNY is unable to share or sell its internal list of donors or supporters. 5. The sponsoring individual/organization is also responsible for any insurance, permits or licenses and must ensure is compliant with federal, state, and local laws. a. If the sponsoring individual/organization is conducting an event that requires insurance, the Food Bank of WNY requires verification that the sponsoring organization has adequate insurance coverage. A certificate of insurance that names the Food Bank of WNY as the Additional Insured must be provided no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled event. The third party must, in its sole discretion, determine the extent of required insurance for the event in order to protect itself from claims which may arise out of the event. For the Food Bank of WNY s protection, the Food Bank of WNY must have the third party agree to indemnify and hold the Food Bank of WNY harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, attorney s fees, expenses, and liabilities incurred in connection with any claim or action or proceeding arising out of or incurred in connection with the event. 6. The Food Bank of WNY will not supply any funding to finance a third party promotion and will not be responsible for any debts incurred. Submission Process: Please send your completed and signed application via email to cbarrett@foodbankwny.org.write in the subject line: Promotion Application - Your Organization s Name. You may also mail your completed and signed application to 91 Holt St, Buffalo, NY 14206. Notification: Within 10 days of submission of your registration form, you will be notified of the decision. The Food Bank of WNY will contact you if additional information is needed to make a decision about your registration application. Thank you again for your support of the Food Bank of WNY! As of August 29, 2018
EVENT/PROMOTION PROPOSAL APPLICATION CONTACT INFORMATION Event/Promotion Coordinator s Name: Group/Organization s Name: Event/ Promotion Coordinators Address: Phone: Email: EVENT OVERVIEW Name of Fundraiser: Location of Event: Date(s) of event: Hours of Event: Type of Event: Has this event/promotion been done before? Yes No Projected Attendance: List of sponsors (secured or prospective): What percentage will go to FBWNY? 100% of all funds 100% of net proceeds Other Are there any other beneficiaries of your promotion/event? Yes No If yes, please list: How do you plan to publicize or market your event? (Circle all that apply) Press Release Flyer PSA Social Media Posters Invitations Website Mass Email If you plan to use the Food Bank of WNY s logo for your promotion, which format (jpeg, eps, etc.) would you like to receive? I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the preceding guidelines for promotions/events to benefit the Food Bank of WNY. Signature of Authorized Event/Promotion Representative Date Printed Name & Title Please return this form to: Cassie Barrett, Special Events Coordinator Food Bank of Western New York, 91 Holt Street, Buffalo NY 14206 As of August 29, 2018