Give To Continuum Arts Collective Second Annual Giving Tree
NORTH BERWICK, Maine – Continuum Arts Collective is hosting its second Annual Giving Tree to provide free musical instruments, art supplies, and creative instruction for at least 100 lucky student artists and musicians in Southern Maine and New Hampshire this holiday season.
Students can apply for instruments and art supplies by going to continuumarts.org/apply. If approved, students and their families can pick up these materials at CAC headquarters in North Berwick, Maine, on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
CAC is accepting donations to support its giving tree at continuumarts.org/donate. All donations are tax-deductible. Every donation is acknowledged on social media, and an ornament with the donors name is placed on the giving tree.
Cfax Santas Virtual Tree Of Wishes
If you dont have the time or means of transportation to donate to a specific location, CFAX has created a virtual gift-giving initiative, and this is how it works.
First, youll need to search online. Here you will choose an age category. Then select the toy you prefer to donate. Once youve made your choice add it to the cart and complete your donation at the checkout.
- Where: Online via
Create A Virtual Fund Drive
Get your friends and colleagues involved with your effort to help feed Rhode Islanders facing hunger. You can create your own personalized fundraising campaign with many fun options, such as creating a team to engage others in raising funds towards a common goal. You can even connect your movement tracker or your game play streaming account to make a unique and engaging experience for your donors.
Check out our fundraising tool and get started.
Also Check: Harry Chapin Food Bank Donation
List Of Items Needed For Food Pantry Donations
Here’s a list of the most needed items for food pantry donations, including both food and non-food items.
During the holiday season many people begin donating to local food pantries, as well as anytime you decide to organize and declutter your pantry.
While every donation of unexpired food is appreciated, there are items that these local food pantries and banks need more than others. And the reality is that every year volunteers for these pantries go through tons of donations, and often have lists of much needed items that people just don’t donate.
When these charities don’t get the needed donations they then have to find alternative funds to provide those items to the people in need in the community.
So this list is meant to help you provide not only what you have, but to really try to make a difference this year by providing what will help people the most. While I’ve tried to be thorough this list is just a beginning of items you can donate this year to meet the needs in your community, so if you have more suggestions and ideas I would love to hear them in the comments below.
This list has two parts, including both food items, and also non-food items, since both are so important.
What Items Should I Donate To Thanksgiving Food Drives
Food drives only take shelf-stable items like boxes, cans, and containers you find in the middle of the grocery store that dont need refrigeration, says Worthington.
Healthy, filling foods are always in demand. Our most requested items are peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meat, beans, soup and stew, pasta and cereal, says Pullen.
Here are some good items to start with:
Recommended Reading: Food Banks In Vancouver Wa
Help Our Homeless Veterans
EAST KINGSTON The East Kingston Community United Methodist Church and the Peoples United Methodist Church in cooperation with the public libraries in Fremont, East Kingston and Brentwood, N.H. are sponsoring a drive to assist two Veterans Centers that serve homeless veterans, Liberty House in Manchester, N.H. and the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center in Haverhill, Mass.
The following items are needed: soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream, hand lotion, knitted and crochet hats for men, women and children, and quilts, afghans and sleeping bags. All donated items must be newly purchased or made.
Please deliver your donations to these collection sites: East Kingston Public Library, Fremont Public Library, Mary E. Bartlett Public Library in Brentwood, N.H., Fremont Town Hall, East Kingston Town Hall, the Peoples United Methodist Church in Fremont, N.H., and the East Kingston Community United Methodist Church. Note: Quilts, afghans and sleeping bags can only be accepted at the Mary E. Bartlett Library in Brentwood, N.H.
The drive will continue through Thursday, Dec. 15. For further information, please call Gerry Tilley at 603-479-0798.
How Can I Help Three Square The Most
Monetary donations provide the greatest benefit we have buying power that allows us to do more with $1 than you might when you go to the store to purchase canned goods for a food drive. For every $1 donated, Three Square is able to distribute three meals.
Even if you have committed to holding a food drive, please consider the option of adding a fund drive or virtual food drive. Many individuals would rather write a tax-deductible check or make a donation online rather than picking up extra food at the grocery store for the food drive.
Read Also: Donating Food To Food Banks
Make Good Use Of Your Confirmation Pages And Receipts
Your nonprofits donation receipts are more than just your regular record of a financial transaction. Your donors need a donation receipt for their taxes, so donation receipts are semi-permanent records your donors will keep in their files for a while.
Beyond the tax information your donor needs for their records, you can also add customizations to your donation receipts. Use your confirmation pages and receipts as an opportunity to thank your donors for the contribution they made. If your donor made a special contribution in the form of a monthly gift or if they gave extra to help cover processing fees, you can add conditional content to thank them for going the extra mile. And dont forget to add impact statements to show them how their gift will make a difference.
What Is Classed As Bric A Brac For Charity Bags
What does Bric-a-Brac include? Bric-a-brac has come to mean smaller ornaments and trinkets, stand-up pictures or photo frames, and decorative, porcelain figurines and such. However, there is no list and the term usually includes the items you’d find in a glass cabinet or decorating shelves.Feb 28, 2021
Read Also: Food Bank Of Los Angeles
What Food Items Can Be Donated
As a rule of thumb, Villarreal says food banks are looking for food pantry staples that most people have in their kitchens such as grains, pastas, canned beans, cereal, and peanut butter. Guerra adds that low-sodium canned vegetables, rice, and canned fruit are also needed.
There are some items that food banks generally donât take as donations such as homemade items, Guerra says. Villarreal advises not donating items in glass containers as they can shatter during transportation or anything thatâs opened, damaged, or unlabeled.
Keep the expiration dates in mind as well. âMany nonperishable items have a shelf life well beyond their sell-by date,â Guerra says. So, Villarreal recommends using your best judgment. If the item is near its expiration date it should be fine to donate, but if itâs well past the date itâs best to toss it.
Depending on the food bank, some also accept other items as donations. Think of things that youâd find at your local grocery store such as feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, diapers, pet food, and other household items.
What Can You Not Donate To A Food Bank
What can you donate to a food bank? The main thing to bear in mind is that whatever you give may be stored for some time before it goes to those who need it. Avoid things like fresh fruit and veg, fish, meat and dairy products as it might go bad and the food bank is unlikely to accept it.Oct 20, 2021
You May Like: Alameda County Community Food Bank Donate
Want To Start Your Own Food Business
Hey! Im Brett Lindenberg, the founder of Food Truck Empire.
We interview successful founders and share the stories behind their food trucks, restaurants, food and beverage brands. By sharing these stories, I want to help others get started.
If you liked this story, that includes our food business startup kit and most popular interviews sent straight to your inbox.
What Foods Should I Stockpile For Survival
What to Always Keep in Your PantryPeanut butter. A great source of energy, peanut butter is chock-full of healthful fats and protein. … Whole-wheat crackers. … Granola bars and power bars. … Dried fruits, such as apricots and raisins. … Canned tuna, salmon, chicken, or turkey. … Bottled water.Apr 8, 2021
Recommended Reading: Buy Food With Bank Account
Have A Retention Strategy For New Donors
When you bring new supporters into the fold, its vital that you nurture your relationship with them to build trust. Make it easy for them to get to know your nonprofit and how they can contribute to your mission.
First, always thank your new donors for their contributions. Share stories of your nonprofits impact on the community, and tell them what their gift means to you and the people you serve. Send information on how they can stay directly connected with your nonprofit via social media, and give them options for how to stay involved through volunteer opportunities or with additional ways to give.
Consider starting an email welcome series to introduce your new donors to your nonprofit. Start by designing your emails to be friendly and engaging, as well as informative. Use personalization tags to speak directly to your donors and make them feel welcome. Then, determine how many emails youll be sending and how often. You dont want to bombard your new donors with incessant emails, but you need to send enough that your nonprofit stays relevant to your donor.
Curious about how to host a dynamic and engaging peer-to-peer fundraising event? Request a demo today.
Tree Of Wishes Locations:
- Toys R US, located in the Mayfair Shopping Centre as well as the Westshore Town Centre
- Seven days a week during mall hours starting on November 24th.
For those looking to donate throughout December, make sure you keep an eye out for updates at www.cfaxsantas.com as more locations will be listed in the coming weeks.
Also Check: Food Banks In Anderson Indiana
What To Donate To Food Drive
Nonperishable boxed items are also a critical contribution to food drives. Dried pastas, oatmeal, cereal, and whole grain crackers all have long shelf lives that make them perfect for food drives. Snacks for your kids lunches, including granola bars, applesauce, and dried fruit, are often overlooked in these situations.
What food you CAN donate to your local food bank:
Ner With Corporate Or Media Organizations
Struggling to get the word out about your food drive event? While your email contact list and website are great advertising tools, youre probably only reaching your existing donors and supporters that way.
Expand your reach by partnering with a media organization and advertising your event through external channels. Pitch your event to your local news or ask them to become a sponsor for your food drive. Youll be able to take advantage of their viewership to promote your food drive and bring in new supporters.
Need help planning your next virtual event? Download our Virtual Event Planner to boost your fundraisers success!
Don’t Miss: Food Bank Of Central And Eastern Carolina
Why Donate To Food Banks Specifically
âFood banks generally are very efficient in their logistics processes, affording the food industry a one-stop place for donations that they can trust will be handled with best-in-class food safety considerations,â says Michael Guerra, chief development officer for the San Antonio Food Bank in Texas. âFood banks also work to equitably distribute donated food to local nonprofits that have food as a part of their missionâfood pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, etc.â And, he adds, food banks are often the primary organization in a community that aims at minimizing food insecurity among low-income households and under-resourced households in that community.
In addition to providing food, Guerra says most food banks also provide nutritional education and access to public safety programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program .
Stick To Healthy Staples
Many food banks are trying to promote healthy eating, with good reason. Unhealthy food is consistently faster, cheaper, and more calorie-rich than healthy food, making it an easy choice in the short-term if you dont know where your next meal is coming from. Providing healthy, basic foods that can be used in simple meals makes it easier for time-stressed, resource-poor folks to eat more healthfully while still getting enough calories.
However, this doesnt mean buying a lot of diet food. The best way to determine what you should get is to follow the recommendations of the food bank itself. If the organization doesnt provide recommendations, this one from the Capital Area Food Bank is a great start.
Read Also: North Carolina Food Bank Raleigh
Delivering The Food To Connecticut Foodshare
Because Connecticut Foodshare relies on volunteer labor, we consider delivery of the collected food as part of your donation. Plan with your team to transport your food drive proceeds to Connecticut Foodshare at 2 Research Parkway in Wallingford or to one of our partner agencies in your community.
Our Wallingford warehouse is open for deliveries Monday through Friday. . Please call to make delivery arrangements before you visit.
We will weigh your donation and provide you with an acknowledgment letter if requested.
Contact UsContact 203-469-5000 to arrange for your drop-off.
2 Research Parkway
How Does The Insult
If youre just tuning in to this effort, heres how it works. First, you go to the donation page: feedingamerica.org/USATodayRex and there, you can donate under one of two team names: RexRocks or RexStinks.
The primary goal is to fight hunger. The secondary goal is to let the free market decide whether I, a liberal columnist known for needling the likes of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, am worthy of praise or scorn.
Read Also: Food Bank In Mesa Az
What Should You Buy For A Food Drive
When you join a food drive, make sure to coordinate with the non-profit organization on what kind of food to give. Some organizations will accept any canned goods while others would appreciate a home-cooked packaged meal. But the following list of food would be helpful according to FeedingAmerican.org:
- Canned goods such as soup, beans, pasta, vegetables, fruits, and stew
If the families youre donating to have access to clean water, then include noodles, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, and powdered milk on the list. In some instances, you may donate gallons of clean water as well. As a general rule of thumb, try to donate items that are non-perishable and dont need to be refrigerated to keep from spoiling. You want food to stay fresh at room temperature in case there is lag in distributing the meals those in need.
The Best Foods To Donate For Food Drives
As the holiday season draws near, it is a time of excitement for many. Others, however, are worried about what food theyre going to put on the table for their family. In keeping with the spirit of the holidays, we urge you to donate the gift of food this year.
With that being said, here are some general guidelines you should consider when gathering food.
Foods you provide should have a long shelf life, be relatively healthy, and something you would actually eat yourself. Remember, just because some people are down and out doesnt mean they arent worried about their health . Canned food in water and dried food are ideal but there are some other exceptions.
Do your best to get a mixture of grains, fruits, veggies, and of course, protein.
You May Like: Food Bank Of The Rockies Locations
What To Donate To A Food Bank And What To Avoid
So, youre ready to donate food to your local food bank. Thats great! Whether youre starting a food drive or just planning to grab a few extra items for donation while out grocery shopping, there are a couple of things you should know about what you can donate and what food banks wont accept.
What food you CAN donate to your local food bank:
This part is pretty easy. Food banks accept dry and canned food donations. What does that mean? Basically, any food that is shelf-stable or nonperishable you can keep it in your pantry and it wont go bad. And remember, only donate food that hasnt reached its sell-by date yet. Specifically, food banks often need items like:
Thats definitely not an exhaustive list but it covers a lot of what food banks regularly need. Additionally, some food banks accept personal care and household items, since many families struggle to afford these items and they arent covered by other food assistance programs like SNAP.
If youre still stumped about what to donate, just look in your own pantry. Families struggling with hunger often cant afford the staples that we normally have stocked at home. So, check your pantry out and go from there. Even specialty foods like olive oil, dressings, or marinades can be helpful if they dont need to be refrigerated.
What not to donate to a food bank
Where can I donate food near me?
Which Foods Can Be Donated
- Pre-packaged foods that are non-perishable and fresh, whole fruits and vegetables that have not been cut may be collected for donation and distribution without a permit.
- Certain foods that require time/temperature control for safety may be donated if both the donor and recipient are food permitted facilities and the food has been properly handled at an appropriate temperature. See Food Donation Guidelines for more details and information on which foods are not suitable for donation.
Recommended Reading: Best Foods To Donate To Food Pantry