HOSTING A PET FOOD DRIVE

Dog Food BowlWith more people out of work and struggling to feed their families, pets are often one of the first things to be impacted when it comes to trimming the budget.  After all, pet food can be expensive. That is why pet food drives are not only a wonderful idea, but also a community necessity.

For those interested in launching a traditional or virtual pet food drive, here’s a few ideas on how to have a successful campaign…

TRADITIONAL DRIVE

Raising 50,000 lbs of pet food in one year is a huge undertaking. To reach our goal, we are always looking for volunteers who would like to sponsor pet food and pet supply drives at local businesses, churches, schools, parties or other special events, and any other venue that you can think of!

For your pet food drive to be a success, it’s important that you tap into your community for support.

For example, you can start by contacting the pet shops in your local area to find out if they are willing to put collection bins in their stores.  Here’s a few other places where you can solicit participation and find donors for your pet food drive:

  • Schools
  • Churches and synagogues
  • Supermarkets
  • Local rotary clubs, Senior Citizen Centers and other organizations you may be a member of

Once you decide where you would like to hold your drive, it’s important that you provide complete instructions as to what kind of foods/supplies you are collecting.  We are in constant need of the following items:

  • Dog Food (wet or dry)
  • Cat Food (wet or dry)
  • Dog Treats
  • Leashes
  • Collars
  • Crates
  • Dog Runs
  • Toys
  • Litter Boxes
  • Kitty Litter

Collections may include new and/or gently used non-edible pet-related items, and we ask that all non-perishable pet food should be in the original manufacturer’s packaging with a clearly marked expiration date and unbroken seal.

Collection bins will not be enough to ensure a successful pet food drive, so here are some ways to elicit enthusiasm from potential donors:

  • Competitions – Whether it is a classroom-to-classroom, department-to-department, or troop-to-troop contest, you can draw on the competitive nature of students, co-workers or girl/boy scouts by offering a nice prize to the group that gathers the most donations.
  • Special Events – Host a children’s pet show, a dance marathon, petting zoo, or a hamster/turtle/rat race and charge a bag of pet food for admission.
  • House Party/Concert – Find a local musician with a passion for pets and ask if they will perform at house parties. Guests can bring pet food donations in exchange for an evening of good music.

VIRTUAL DRIVE

In lieu of a traditional pet food drive, you may want to hold a virtual pet food and supply drive instead.

A virtual drive is the perfect way to raise funds for our DaisyCares Pet Food Program – a program designed to provide struggling families and individuals with pet food assistance for their pets.  All proceeds from the virtual drive will be used to purchase pet food and supplies for distribution to needy animals through out our community.

With the click of a mouse, donations can quickly add up! For each virtual drive participant we will create a personalized fundraising page and that will allow you to easily raise donations via email and social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Again, competition can be a driving force here. By offering donated prizes to the individuals who raise the most money, the additional motivation can help you meet and exceed your goals.

Groups and individuals can raise money offline and then add the collected monies to their pet food drive web pages. You can solicit donations through…

  • Fundraisers – Concerts, car washes, bake sales or spaghetti dinners are just some of the ways to raise money (and awareness). Host a walk/run. Ask local groomers to donate their time for a “groom-a-thon” in exchange for a donation. Get creative!
  • Company Matches – Find a pet lover in the human resources department where you work and ask if the company will set up a matching donation program.
  • Neighborhood Solicitation – Design pet-themed envelops and go door-to-door in your neighborhood asking for donations (having an adorable puppy accompany you on your quest is a sure way to increase giving!).
  • Host a Raffle – Ask local businesses to donate prizes for a raffle or silent auction.

WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Whether you choose to host a virtual or traditional food drive, animal lovers with a passion to help others and a little perseverance have the ability to help cats and dogs all across our community.

If you’re interested in sponsoring a pet food and supply drive, participating in a pet food and supply drive, or would like to help us identify possible food drive sponsors, please contact DaisyCares or mborrego@safoodbank.org for more information.

With your help we can save so many pets! Thank you!