host a supply drive
Special drives give you the opportunity to rally others like you to bring much-needed supplies to local children. Every item you collect can help one more child succeed.
Supply drives are fun and easy to host. Collections are perfect for your family gatherings, birthday parties, office team building, church and civic group activities. Use your imagination and the drive possibilities are endless.
You may consider a combination of one or more of these types of drives:
- School Supply Drive: Collect pencils, crayons, glue sticks, markers, paper and other essential school supplies.
- Hygiene Drive: soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant
- Book Drive: new and gently-used reading books
- Winter Wear Drive: new or gently-used winter jackets, mittens, gloves, hats and scarves
Here are some of the ways drives have been conducted:
- Placing a box in your business and engaging your customers in the drive
- Conducting a drive in your office with your co-workers
- Free or reduced price admission to an event for bringing school supplies
- Asking your invited guests to bring school supplies to your special gathering/party
- Asking your networking group to bring supplies to your next meeting
- National Honor Society (NHS) and other student group drives
- Scout troop service projects and school supply collections
- Religious group and civic organization drives
Getting Started!
- Determine what type of school supply drive you want to host:
o A full school supply drive, collecting all of the items on the kids’ wish list.
o Focus on one specific item, like collecting just #2 pencils, or crayons, or glue, etc.
o Collect new backpacks filled with the school supplies - Some creative ideas have been to raise enough supplies for an entire classroom, school building or school district. You can run your campaign for a day, a week, a month, a semester, or even year-round.
- Choose the length of time and the dates during which you will host the supply drive (unless it’s a party, we recommend 2-4
weeks or longer if you like). - Select appropriate collection bins or boxes for your location.
Promotion!
Before the drive:
- Tell everyone about the drive.
- Send out an email, memo or voicemail announcing the kickoff date.
- Announce the drive in your invitations, newsletters and meeting announcements.
- Distribute flyers to your staff and membership.
- Let the community relations or public relations department know about the drive.
During the drive:
- Set up a box at your party, or put boxes out in high traffic areas.
- Have some fun and decorate your collection box.
- Make sure everyone knows what’s on the kids’ wish list.
- Organize competitions. Create “teams” and award prizes to those who collect the most school
supplies. - Create fun themes, such as “Casual Crayon Fridays” to encourage and reward team donations.
- Keep participants informed by tracking progress, and celebrating successes.
- Announce when the drive is reaching its end (about one week prior).
Completion!
Once your school supply drive is complete, contact us to arrange a day and time to deliver the items, or to have them picked up.
Congratulations!
You just helped provide much-needed supplies to local kids in need.
