Give Food

Does the Brazos Valley Food Bank provide boxes or containers for collection?

Yes!  The Brazos Valley Food Bank has 55-gallon logoed, plastic food drive containers. The containers are 33” x 26“ and are stackable. To reserve a container for your food drive, please e-mail the Food & Friends Manager. Food drive containers may be picked up Monday–Friday, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm.

Can the Brazos Valley Food Bank pick up my donation?

The Brazos Valley Food Bank encourages you to deliver your collected food donations. Bringing your donations to the Brazos Valley Food Bank warehouse is very helpful and saves us fuel and labor cost.

However, if your drive has collected over 1,500 pounds (items) of food, you may call the Brazos Valley Food Bank and arrange a pick time of your donation.

What items does the Brazos Valley Food Bank need the most?

Items that are high in protein, such as canned meats, peanut butter, and tuna.  Other items include canned vegetables, canned fruit, personal hygiene products, adult and baby diapers, and rice. NO home-canned foods can be accepted. 

Are monetary donations acceptable?

If you are interested in conducting a monetary drive or a fundraiser for the Brazos Valley Food Bank, please click here.

Can I use the Brazos Valley Food Bank Logo on our promotional materials or flyers?

You may use the Brazos Valley Food Bank logo for promotional materials and flyers as long as your material has been approved by the Brazos Valley Food Bank.

Steps:

Send a copy of your promotional materials to the Food & Friends Manager and let us know where you envision the logo will be placed. 

If the Brazos Valley Food Bank approves the content of your flier, you will receive an approval email within 3-5 days. 

Will I receive a receipt for my food drive donations?

Yes. Donations are weighed when they arrive at the Brazos Valley Food Bank warehouse and a receipt will be given at that time. A thank you letter will also be sent directly to your organization.

Plan ahead

Who will be in charge of planning and coordinating?  When will your food drive begin and end?  Who will you be collecting food from-customers, employees, neighborhoods, etc?  Will you need collection barrels?  How will you get the food collected to the food bank?

Set a goal

How many pounds of food do you want to collect?  How many items would you like for individuals to donate to the food drive?

Get Group Leaders Involved

If a food drive is being held at a local place, encourage leadership to show their support by sending email, or letters.  Ask companies to match employee donations, such as a $1.00 per pound of donated food.  Challenge the boss or club leader to perform an outrageous activity if your goal is met, i.e. kiss a pig.

Promote your drive, Build Awareness and Visibility

Organize a kickoff event to build enthusiasm. Hand out shopping list of items most needed. Hang food drive posters around your school or office.  Distribute food drive flyers in employee mail boxes or send them home with students. Include food drive details in your groups newsletters. Take photos throughout your drive of items collected and post them on social media to keep your group informed and motivated. Tag the Brazos Valley Food Bank in your social media post using hashtags like #bvfb, #cannedfooddrive, #FightHungerintheBrazosValley

Utilize Exciting Competitions and Creative Themes

Create competitions with lots of categories-largest individual donation or most protein. Competitions against departments, men against women, juniors against seniors, etc. 

Think about creating a theme.

“Food of the Day” drive and have participates bring certain foods for each day of the week.  Macaroni Monday, Tuna Tuesday or Peanut Butter week

“Food Groups” drive and have individuals bring food from each food group, fruits, canned protein, breakfast food, vegetables, and grains.

“Can struction” food drive.  Have teams build a structure out of the cans they donate.  Recruit a few judges to pick the best structure and /or the most nutritious structure. 

Celebrate your Success!

Have a party to celebrate your successful food drive.  Take pictures of your events, send them to amandas@bvfb.org. We will put the pictures on our social media pages.