Questions
Enrollment and Food Drive Materials
- How do I start a Food and Fund Drive?
- How long should my Food Drive last?
- How do I have food collection barrels delivered to my organization?
- When will our barrels be delivered and picked up?
- What if I need an additional pickup, or don’t need an already scheduled pickup?
- Can I pick up my Food Drive supplies?
Donations and Awards
- How do I turn in financial donations?
- What is an Online Food Drive?
- How do I get my tax donation receipt for funds and/or food?
- How are donations counted toward my organization's food and fund drive total?
- How do I find out how much my organization collected (pounds and financial donations)?
- What is the Annual Awards and Recognition Event?
- What is the awards structure?
- How do I apply for my company's matching gifts?
Answers
Enrollment and Food Drive Materials
How do I start a Food and Fund Drive?
Registering in a Food Drive gives you access to our food collection barrels, great promotional materials and an online donation page where your participants can see the impact of their donation in seconds!
How long should my Food Drive last?
Some Food Drives last for a just a few hours while others span the entire year. If you have never hosted a food drive before, consider hosting a drive for one to three weeks.
How do I have food collection barrels delivered to my organization?
Simply register for a Food and Fund drive where you will request barrels to be delivered and picked up at your organization. You can also order posters, promotional cards and biodegradable plastic bags to be delivered with your barrels.
When will our barrels be delivered and picked up?
Our drivers are out Monday through Friday, from 8AM to 4PM. Unfortunately we cannot schedule specific delivery times throughout the day but base our delivery and pickup schedules on your hours of operation.
What if I need an additional pickup, or don't need an already scheduled pickup?
Please call our Donor Hotline at 1-866-234-3663 for additional pickups when your barrel(s) is/are about three quarters of the way full. To cancel a scheduled pickup, please call at least 2 days before the pickup date so we can open up that slot for another supporter and save on fuel costs.
Can I pick up my Food Drive supplies?
Yes, you can pick up food drive supplies through our self pickup system at either of our facilities. Be sure to register beforehand to have a self pickup pickup scheduled or, if you're already registered, please call our Donor Hotline at 1-866-234-3663
Financial Donations & Awards
How do I turn in financial donations?
All checks and cash donated through your Food and Fund Drive must include your COMPANY NAME and ID NUMBER (which is included in your confirmation email). Checks can be mailed to Second Harvest Food Bank, 4001 North 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95134 and cash and/or checks can be delivered to any of our locations. Please complete a Donation Tracking Form as you collect cash donations for your Food and Fund Drive and include with these donations.
What is an Online Food Drive?
Once registered, the Online Food Drive is an online donation page that tracks your Food Drive's progress and teams' success.
How do I get my tax donation receipt for funds and/or food?
Funds – Online donors will receive an automatic receipt via email. Offline donations of $5 or more will receive a receipt by mail, provided we received the donor's name and complete address at the time the donation is turned in. Please complete a Donation Tracking Form as you collect cash donations for your Food and Fund Drive and include this form with your pooled donation.
Food – Please let participants know that we cannot provide receipts for food donations placed in barrels. Donors can deliver food directly to any of our distribution centers for a tax receipt, however the Food Bank can only confirm the weight of the food donation, not its monetary value.
How are donations counted toward my organization's food and fund drive total?
In order for your organization to receive credit for participants' contributions, the following must be included with all donations of money submitted to the Food Bank:
- Name of your organization or group clearly indicated with donation
- Identification number (provided by the Food Bank after registration)
- Team name (if applicable)
Please tell your participants to include these pieces of information on checks that are mailed directly to the Food Bank. Individuals who want to donate online will give through your Online Food Drive page.
How do I find out how much my organization collected (pounds and financial donations)?
The best way to view your drive totals is to visit your Online Food Drive page. Online donations will be reflected within 30 minutes; however offline food and financial donations may take up to three weeks to process, so these totals may not reflect all recent donations. For clarification, please call our Donor Hotline at 1-866-234-3663.
What is the Annual Awards and Recognition Event?
Each year, Second Harvest celebrates the success of all Food and Fund Drives held throughout the year at this annual event. Points and award levels are calculated at the close of each year's Holiday Food & Fund Drive and then presented to winners at this celebratory evening in spring. See photos from last year's event!
What is the awards structure?
The awards structure is based on a point system:
$1 = 2.5 points
1 pound = 1 point
Formula for total points:
Total Pounds + (Total Dollars x 2.5) = Total Points
How do I apply for my company's matching gifts?
Many corporations have a matching gift program. Please consult your Human Resources department to see if your company matches charitable contributions. When making a contribution that your company will match, be sure to enclose the paperwork required by your company with your gift.