Food or supply drive plan

A collection drive (food, school supplies, coats, hygiene kits) is one of the easiest ways for a small charity, school or faith group to involve its community. It's also easy to end up with a room full of things nobody asked for, or food you can't safely give out. This plan helps you decide what to collect, where it goes, and who does what, before the first box arrives. Our guide to logistics for small charities covers storage, transport and food safety in more depth.

Before you start

• Ask the receiving program what it needs. If you're collecting for a food pantry, shelter or school, ask them for a list, quantities and any items they can't take. Many have their own rules about what they accept.
• Agree delivery in advance: when, where, who will receive it, and whether they need it sorted.
• Collect what people can use. A short, specific list ("cereal, canned fish, peanut butter") brings better donations than "food."
• Check local rules. Your state or local health department sets the food safety rules that apply if you store, repackage or serve food. Ask them if you're unsure.

Food safety basics for drives

• Accept only shelf-stable food in unopened commercial packaging, unless you and the receiving program have a safe way to handle chilled food.
• Check cans. The FDA says can damage "is shown by swelling, leakage, punctures, holes, fractures, extensive deep rusting," or "crushing or denting severe enough to prevent normal stacking." Set damaged cans aside; don't pass them on.
• Refuse home-canned and homemade food. The CDC warns that containers that are "leaking, bulging, or swollen" or look "damaged, cracked, or abnormal" are signs the food "might be contaminated," and says: "Never taste food to see if it's safe." You can't tell how a home-canned jar was prepared, so it's safest to decline.
• If you collect perishables, follow the FDA's guidance: keep refrigerators "at or below 40° F (4° C)" and freezers at "0° F (-18° C)," and stick to the "two-hour rule" for food left out at room temperature.

The federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects people who donate in good faith to a nonprofit, and nonprofits that distribute those donations, from civil and criminal liability over the "nature, age, packaging, or condition" of "apparently wholesome food" or an "apparently fit grocery product" (such as hygiene and household cleaning products), except for "gross negligence or intentional misconduct." "Apparently wholesome food" must meet "all quality and labeling standards imposed by Federal, State, and local laws." Since an amendment of January 5, 2023 (Public Law 117-362), the protection covers food given to needy people at zero cost or at a "good Samaritan reduced price" (no more than the cost of handling and distributing it), and also covers some businesses, such as grocers, restaurants and caterers, that donate directly to needy people. It's reassuring, but it isn't a reason to relax: good checks protect the people you serve.

Gifts and thanks

Donors of goods may want a receipt. Our non-cash gifts guide explains what to write: describe the items, but don't put a value on them. Thank everyone who took part, and tell them what their gifts achieved.