Host a Non-Perishable Food Drive

Hosting a food drive is a simple, powerful way to help your food-insecure neighbors right here in Spokane. While Feed Spokane rescues fresh food from restaurants and grocers every day, your food drive can supply the shelf-stable items that our partner food pantries and community organizations need to round out their offerings.

How to Host a Food Drive

  1. Pick Your Dates & Set a Goal
    Most food drives run 1-3 weeks. Set a goal that gets people excited – whether it’s 100 pounds, 500 cans, or filling 10 boxes. Give us a heads up that you’re planning a drive! We can provide collection boxes and help you spread the word.

  2. Get the Word Out
    Use whatever works – emails, social media posts, flyers on the break room wall, announcements at meetings. Share why it matters to you and what foods are needed most. People want to help, they just need to know about it!

  3. Collect the Goods
    Put your collection boxes where people will actually see them – lobby, break room, main hallway. Check them every few days and update everyone on progress. Nothing motivates like seeing that pile grow!

  4. Drop It Off
    When your drive wraps up, bring everything to Feed Spokane. We’ll get it sorted and out to our partner pantries ASAP. Got a huge haul? We can arrange pickup. Every single item goes straight to helping families right here in Spokane.

Most Needed Items

Proteins
  • Canned tuna or chicken
  • Peanut butter
  • Canned beans
  • Canned chili or stew
Grains
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Oatmeal
  • Cereal
Canned Goods
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Soup
  • Tomato sauce
Healthy Snacks
  • Granola bars
  • Crackers
  • Dried fruit
  • Nuts and trail mix
Meals & Sides
  • Mac and cheese
  • Instant potatoes
  • Ramen noodles
  • Boxed meals
Baby & Kid Items
  • Baby food
  • Infant formula
  • Diapers
  • Juice boxes
What NOT to Donate:

Please skip expired food, opened packages, homemade items, glass containers (safety first!), and alcohol. We want to make sure everything we distribute is safe and nutritious for the families we serve.

Pro Food Drive Tips

Make it fun: 

Turn it into a competition between departments, classrooms, or teams. Winner gets bragging rights (and maybe donuts). People love a little friendly rivalry!

Keep it visible:

Collection boxes tucked in corners don’t work. Put them where people naturally gather – the coffee station, main entrance, wherever there’s foot traffic.

Show the impact:

After your drive, share how much you collected and remind people where it’s going – to families and seniors right here in Spokane who need a hand.

Let’s Do This!

Ready to organize a food drive? We’re here to help make it easy and successful.