www.uwcm.org/healthyfood
HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE
IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT
HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE
IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT
www.uwcm.org/healthyfood
Give food you would serve to your family.
Give to the best of your ability.
United Way of Central Maryland’s
Access to Healthy Food Initiative
More than 345,000 children and adults in central Maryland are food
insecure, meaning they do not have regular access to healthy food
such as fresh produce, whole grains and low-fat milk. Lack of healthy
food has been linked to chronic disease such as diabetes, obesity
and delayed cognitive development in children. To combat this crisis,
United Way of Central Maryland has created the Access to Healthy Food
Initiative, which sources, distributes, and improves the accessibility
and affordability of healthy food in central Maryland.
Fruits and Vegetables:
Proteins, beans and legumes:
• Low or no sodium canned vegetables
• Low sodium canned chicken, tuna and other seafood in
water
• No sugar added or unsweetened canned fruit and fruit
cups*
• Unsweetened all natural applesauce*
• Low or no sodium canned or dried beans and lentils
(black, pinto, white and kidney beans chickpeas, etc.)
Grains:
• Shelf stable tofu
• Plain, low sugar oatmeal or rolled oats and cream of
wheat
• Low sodium or all natural nut butter,
• Whole grain, high fiber cereal*
Of the more than 7.6 million pounds of healthy food that the initiative
has collected since its inception in 2011, more than 628,547 pounds
have come from organizations running healthy food drives.
HOSTING A HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE
We welcome any size business, school or other organization to
participate in a healthy food drive! United Way will connect you with an
organization or pantry in need of healthy non-perishable items or your
group may select one on its own. Determine the weight (by weighing
or approximating) of food collected and share the total poundage with
United Way, along with any photographs you would like others to see.
Your pictures just may inspire someone to donate!
FAMILIES LIVING UNITED HEALTHY FOOD WEEK
Healthy food drives happen throughout the year as part of United
Way’s Access to Healthy Food Initiative. However, there is particular
need for healthy food donations during the spring and summer months
when food banks and pantries often have bare shelves. United Way’s
third annual Families Living United Healthy Food Week will take place
in early May 2015 in partnership with Coldwell Banker, local and
state elected officials, grocery stores and other partners to grow our
community’s healthy food system through the power of caring. Join us
at one or more of the many events during this week. Visit uwcm.org/
healthyfoodweek to learn more.
• More than 345,000 central
Marylanders are food insecure.
(as many as could fill M&T Bank
Stadium about five times.)
• More than 17 percent of central
Maryland children do not have
reliable access to healthy food.
• United Way of Central Maryland’s
Access to Healthy Food Initiative
has helped collect 7.6 million
pounds of food since October
2011.
• Unsalted nuts and seeds
• Low sugar and fat granola
Other:
• Whole grain pasta
• Bottled plain/still water
• Brown or wild rice
• Baby food (fruit and vegetables and whole grain cereals)
• Quinoa
• Low or no sodium shelf-stable pasta sauces
Dairy:
QUICK STATS:
• Low sodium beef stew, chili or bean soup
• Low fat shelf stable powdered milk
• Low fat, calcium fortified and shelf stable regular, soy,
almond or rice milk
• Low or no sodium chicken, beef and vegetable broth
• 100% fruit or low sodium vegetable juice
• Virgin and extra virgin olive and canola oil
• Low sugar fruit spreads
• Low or no fat pudding cups
Snacks:
• Low sugar, low fat and low sodium granola bars and
protein bars
• Plain, no salt added popcorn
DONATIONS NOT OF USE
• Damaged or already opened jars and cans
• Whole wheat fig bars
• Food in glass jars
• Whole grain rice cakes
• Rusty or unmarked cans of food
• Reduced fat, whole wheat and multigrain crackers
• Homemade food items
• Low fat pudding cups
• Expired cans and boxed food items
• Dried fruit (100% fruit, no sugar added fruit leathers,
raisins and dried fruit)
• Soda and sweetened drinks
• Low sugar protein bars
• 100% fruit juice boxes
• Sweets: cookies, cakes and candy
• Ramen noodles
• Any food you would not eat or serve your family
*No artificial sweeteners
HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE
IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT
www.uwcm.org/healthyfood
HOW TO HOST A HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HEALTHY FOOD DRIVE
•
Name, phone number and/or email for your
organizations preferred contact person
Host a kick-off party and consider charging an admission fee to
begin collecting monetary donations as well as inviting a staff
member from United Way’s Access to Healthy Food Initiative.
•
Planned length of drive
Competitions
•
Number of locations that will be collecting food
•
Distributions site(s) who will be accepting the donated
food you collect
Invoke some friendly competition within your organization to
get people involved!
In order to confirm your commitment to host a Healthy Food
Drive, we will need the following information:
If you need assistance in selecting a donation site, we are
able to give local recommendations.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
•
Before the drive begins, plan a drop-off date with your
selected food pantry/bank.
•
If possible, give your selected food pantry/bank an
approximation of how much food your organization will
be collecting (this is helpful but not required).
•
Notify United Way and your selected food pantry/bank
of any change in the length of your drive.
•
Following the drive, transport collected food to selected
food bank/pantry in a timely manner on a mutually
agreed-upon date.
•
Report the amount of food collected to United Way in
pounds, unless it has been decided that the selected
food pantry/bank will report poundage.
WEIGHING OPTIONS:
1. Use a bathroom scale to weigh the food.
2. Ask the food pantry to weigh food. Make sure to call
ahead and ask if they have a scale.
3. Approximate your poundage using our rules of thumb:
•
1 can item (14-15 oz.) weighs 1 pound (larger cans
will account for 1.5 pounds)
•
5 cans of protein, such as tuna, equal 1 pound
•
1 box of cereal equals 1 pound
•
3 boxes of small items, such as pasta, average 1 pound – this may vary on the variety
Please note that these are approximations. Don’t worry if
you don’t have an exact number.
CONTACT US
Have question or need help? Contact Liz Crammond at
[email protected] or 410.895.1306.
Kick it off
• Penny Wars
Find large glass containers and place them around your
workplace or department and have a race to see who
can fill their jars with pennies first. Create a competitive
environment by adding silver coins and dollar bills to
opposing team’s jars as subtractions from their total
amount. (e.g. if you put in a $5 bill, that team loses $5 from
their total). Funds raised will be used to purchase healthy
food donations.
• Contests and Incentives
Organize a contest between departments, teams or groups
with awards for the group raising the most food and/or
monetary contributions. Offer prizes such as a pizza lunch,
“Jeans or Casual Day”, more PTO time to “Sleep in Late” or
“Sneak Out Early” for the winners.
Themes
Food of the Day: designate days like Macaroni Monday, Tuna
Tuesday, Whole Wheat Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday and Fruity
Friday to make it easy for people to remember which kinds of
food are appropriate to donate.
Is Dinner Ready?
Collect nonperishable items that can be used to prepare a
complete, healthy meal. Create Italian or Mexican themes and
collect items such as spaghetti noodles and sauce or refried
beans, taco shells, salsa and seasoning.
Brown Bag it
Ask friends and colleagues to bring a bag lunch and donate the
money they would have spent eating out at a restaurant that day
to purchase healthy food items.
Auctions and Raffles
Have each department/group create a gift basket with a theme,
then hold a raffle or auction to determine the winner of the
basket. Also, raffling off a half or full day of vacation is a great
way to raise money or incentivize can donations.
CANstruction
Build simple or elaborate sculptures using canned goods to be
donated to hungry Marylanders. Visit www.canstruction.org or
search online for some ideas!
11/13/14 (SM)