Top Five Benefits of Hosting a Virtual Food Drive 

Get Ready for Hunger Action Month - September 2008!
According to America's Second Harvest — The Nation's Food Bank Network, “Hunger Action Month is an opportunity to engage in the fight against domestic hunger. America's Second Harvest (soon to be Feeding America) and its 205 member food banks will host events across the United States that directly benefit our hunger-relief efforts. From food drives to concerts, volunteer outings to advocacy work, there’s something everyone can do to be a part of Feeding America.” 

What is a Virtual Food Drive?
A virtual or online-donation experience is easier and more convenient than lugging sacks of food and heavy cans to the office, worksite or organizational meeting place. Virtual food drives are fun, simple and similar to online shopping—just point and click!  Please scroll down to access online information and resources for hosting a virtual food drive. You can even organize easy-to-judge giving competitions between departments, divisions, locations or individuals. 

Your organization can build morale by helping its community.  Food drives are a wonderful way to get much-needed food to hungry men, women, and children. Your company, organization, club or faith group can organize a “Virtual Food Drive.”   

Top Five Benefits of Hosting a Virtual (Online) Food Drive

1. Convenience: Eliminates grocery shopping and carrying grocery items to the workplace.
2. Easily managed: Organizations operating in multiple sites, cities and states can collectively host and manage an online event.
3. Fun and interactive: Engaging and creatively designed with colorful click-and-drag food icons.
4. Efficiencies: Allows the Food Bank to take advantage of wholesale pricing and bulk purchases.
5. Cost effective: 100 percent of the funds donated go to food contributions. 

FOOD Share, a member of America’s Second Harvest, suggests the following ideas as ways for investing in FOOD Share to feed the hungry.

• Pack your lunch instead of eating out; set aside the money you would have spent on those meals and donate to FOOD Share
• Talk to your colleagues, friends and families about joining you
• Host a food drive
• Tour FOOD Share, come and see who we are and what we do
• Volunteer at FOOD Share

Additional Online Resources for Information and Events: 

http://www.hungerday.org/how_to_help/hungeractionmonth/ 

http://www.secondharvest.org/ 

http://www.foodshare.com/news/featured-articles/hunger-action-month.htm 

http://vad.aidmatrix.org/vadxml.cfm?driveid=2547

Here is a quick and convenient way to participate in September's Hunger Action Month. A virtual or online donation is easier than lugging sacks of food and heavy cans to the office, worksite or organizational meeting place.