Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a virtual food drive?

A virtual food drive is an online fundraiser that comes with a customizable donation page you can easily share with coworkers, family, and friends. A gift of $1 helps provide enough food for 2 meals.

Where can I find fun or creative virtual food drive ideas?

You can find creative ideas for virtual food drives of all sizes on our get creative page.

Do you have resources I can use to help promote my drive?

Yes! You can find everything you need to get started and keep your drive going, including our drive checklist, photos and more, in our virtual food drive toolkit.

How long should my virtual food drive last?

Most drives last one or two months to allow time to promote the drive and time for your friends, family and coworkers to participate.

How can I find a virtual food drive?

You can search for drives on our virtual food drive page.

Can I customize my virtual food drive page?

Yes! All virtual food drive pages are customizable with images, logos, content and videos. You can also post regular updates, thank your supporters, and share progress photos and videos. Just log in to your virtual food drive page and select “manage.”

How do I change my goal?

Setting a goal is a great motivator. You can set a goal when you sign up or change it later by logging in to your drive and clicking on “manage,” then “details.”

I created a team and there’s a team member page in my name. Can I delete it?

Yes. Log in to your drive page, select the member page you would like to delete, select “manage,” then “details.” At the bottom of this page is the option to delete the team member page.

Can I change the name of my drive?

Yes! Just log in to your virtual food drive page and select “manage,” then “details,” and then update the team name. Don’t forget to save your changes.

How do I share my virtual food drive?

You can create an easy-to-share custom URL while signing up, or you can add one when you’re done by logging into your virtual food drive page and selecting “manage.” You can also share directly to Facebook and Twitter from your virtual food drive page. A QR code is alsoa great way to share.

What’s the best way to promote my drive?

Share, share, share! You will find sample emails you can customize and share when you log in to your virtual food drive and select “manage.” You can also share directly to Facebook and Twitter from your virtual food drive page. We also have ready to use social media posts, photos, profile photo frames and more in our virtual food drive toolkit. Remember to tag us @2ndharvest!

Can I update participants on my progress or say thank you?

Yes! Log in to your drive and select “manage.” From here you can share updates, photos and videos. You can also comment on your virtual food drive page, reply to others’ comments, or thank supporters for their gift. There is also a ready-to-use thank you email.

Can I access my drive on my smartphone?

Yes! You can view or edit your drive on your smartphone and share your drive via text message or social media apps. Your supporters can also make a gift right from their smartphone.

How do I join a team?

More teams mean more fun! You can join a team as an individual or a group and create your own customizable virtual food drive page that will support an existing drive. Just click “join team” on the drive page you want to join.

How do I check my progress or find my totals?

You can view your progress or your final total from your virtual food drive page or get additional details by logging in. You will also receive regular email updates containing helpful tips and tools as you reach your goal.

How does giving by bank transfer work?

Processing takes 3 to 5 business days. We will send you a receipt dated the day you made your gift and credit the drive you’re supporting once the transfer is complete.

I have a check or questions about getting receipts, what do I do?

Visit our gift FAQs page to find answers to your questions about giving.

What is Classy?

Classy is the online donation platform that powers your virtual food drive, processes your supporters’ gifts and makes managing your drive quick and simple. Use of this fundraising platform is intended to be used solely for tax-deductible financial donations. It is strictly prohibited to use this platform as a form of payment to host a raffle, auction, or to provide goods or services in exchange for donations.

Can I still request barrels to collect food for a canned food drive?

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley has ended our canned food drive program and will no longer provide collection barrels to the community. The best way to support our work is to make a monetary donation, start a virtual food drive or volunteer. If you have non-perishable items to donate, we will accept walk-in food donations at three of our warehouses (Bing Center in San Carlos, Cypress Center in North San Jose and Curtner Center in South San Jose) on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

I am a local business owner or franchise interested in using my business as a force for food. Is a Cause Marketing campaign the right fit for me?

Cause Marketing involves a collaboration between a for-profit business and a nonprofit organization designed to promote a business’s sales and the nonprofit’s cause. Types of a cause marketing partnership include a round-up at the register, percentage of sales, or asks of customers to donate with a match from the business. Interested in a collaboration with Second Harvest? Please review our guidelines here and reach out to our Corporate team with questions.

I still have questions or I need help, who can I talk to?

We are always happy to help! You can reach us via email at drives@shfb.org or over the phone at 866-234-3663, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.