What a great way to increase the supply of food and resources to help those in need! Food drives are welcome throughout the year. Your efforts make an enormous difference in the amount and variety of foods we are able to distribute to feed hungry people in the Houston area.

People usually want to give money if they cannot give food items... and that is wonderful! Please encourage monetary donations as well. Due to our positive relationships with food industry donors and our large volunteer base, $1 provides a full day of meals.

Food and Fund Drive Tools

Current Virtual Food Drives

Six Easy Steps for a Successful Food Drive 

1. Plan Ahead!

• Select a leadership committee to plan the food drive, manage the communications and logistics and set goals.
• Determine the timing of the food drive, such as a holiday or special event to provide a theme. It is best to set a specific timeline for a drive to add energy and a sense of urgency. We suggest choosing a particular day or week.
• Determine the types of food you wish to collect (see our list of most needed items). We request that you promote the collection of nutritious foods. You can also consider hosting a special food drive and focus on collecting one type of food, such as peanut butter and jelly or canned beans.  
• Identify your needs. Determine the quantity of the following items you will need:
  • Containers for collecting food - we provide large collection bins and small packing boxes at no charge.
  • Posters for generating awareness and interest. You can also send out letters, flyers or e-mails to notify people about your drive.
  • Money collection canisters for participants who may also want to make a financial donation.

2. Register with the Houston Food Bank and pick up supplies 
Complete the Food Drive Application Form and submit. For more information, please contact Community Events and Engagement Coordinator, Yolanda Alexander at 713-547-8670.

Bin and box compared to 6 ft-tall man  

3. Set your goal. 
Determine your goal by pounds, number of boxes or even number of cans of food collected and for the monetary donations collected. Aim high, but be realistic, too! If you did a food drive last year, set this year’s goal above last year’s. For fun, consider a competition among departments, groups, floors, buildings, classes, etc.

4. Get company or organizational management involved.
The support of company and organization executives sets a standard for participation to help motivate employees and members. Consider a “matching program” in which your company will match each pound or dollar you collect with its own donation of food or dollars. Incorporate a volunteer component in which company leadership and employees volunteer their time at the Houston Food Bank to sort donated food. 

5. Promote your food drive.
Getting the word out is one of the most important factors in a successful food drive. People must know about it to participate.

• Consider launching the food drive at a special event such as a breakfast, lunch or afternoon cake break.
• Hang up signs, send letters or e-mails to get the word out! Post it on your web site, or in company newsletters or bulletins.
• Identify or decorate collection containers and place in prominent locations.
• Create a tracking and information system to keep participants updated about progress.

Please allow the Food Bank review any use of our logo before production, ajordan@houstonfoodbank.org.  AI, EPS or GIF files are available upon request.
Thank you.

6. Transporting the donation
Since transportation is a significant cost for us and very challenging to arrange around our scheduled food deliveries and donation pick-ups, we encourage you to bring your donation directly to the Houston Food Bank. Stop by the lobby first so that we can notify receiving personnel of your arrival.

Warehouse receiving hours:

9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday 

If you have collected in excess of two standard truckloads of food and are unable to donate the transportation for your food drive, we will make arrangements to pick up your donation as soon as possible, depending on the availability of our transportation department. Monetary donations must be delivered to the Food Bank.  Our truck drivers cannot transport financial donations.  Please contact Community Events and Engagement Coordinator, Yolanda Alexander at 713-547-8670, to make arrangements regarding transport of your donations.

For smaller food drives, the Houston Food Bank may arrange pick-up with one of our member hunger relief agencies.