Food donations and food drives are the scarcest every summer, but OFS believes this year can be different with your help. Indeed, 1 in 6 families in the St. Louis area rely on food banks to provide meals for their families. While schools are on summer break, parents and guardians are faced with the added worry of filling in the gap of school-provided meals or their growing little ones at home. There are also fewer opportunities for community members to donate food and coordinate resources for those in need. But this is a challenge people do not have to face alone. Holding a simple food drive can go a long way to easing the burden on food-insecure families during the summer.
Where to Host a Summer Food Drive
Community recreation centers, summer day camps, summer bible study programs and churches are some of the bastions of St. Louis’ day-to-day human interactions and social hubs. Throughout the summer, they can be ideal places to organize food drives and food donations. In addition to engaging people in a team activity, food drives and donations build community. Hosting a food drive at a church or other religious institution is a fantastic way to increase service attendance and overall member engagement.
Tips for a Successful Summer Food Drive
There is no better way to start combating food insecurity than by organizing a food drive this summer. One of the most common comorbidities of food insecurity is shame. However, providing an array of healthy options from generous donors for families to choose from gives families some control over what seems to be a vulnerable situation. An abundance of high-quality nutritional food can be turned into ‘meal makers’ which is something everyone can take pride in.
The best food drives prioritize nutritional value. OFS encourages donations of non-perishable food items that are in extremely high demand. Some of these include canned light tuna and salmon, peanut butter, canned vegetables and soups. Household essentials such as deodorant and toothpaste are welcome, too. Items with an extensive shelf life are easy to store, transport, and utilize.
How You Can Help This Summer
There are many reasons why this summer is a great time for you to get involved. For one, it is easy. Visit our link below to learn the easy steps of choosing a timeframe, promoting your food drive, collecting the food and then dropping it off at our warehouse. Food drives also provide students with volunteer experience to complete their summer community service obligations.
Whether you hold your food drive at your office, with your church or in your neighborhood, you might be surprised at how many people from different walks of life, ages and backgrounds will heed the call to help you. Food connects us all, and everyone understands the importance of providing immediate hunger relief to food-insecure families in St. Louis.
Visit our website for helpful information about hosting a food drive.
