A Virtual Food Drive is an online tool allowing individuals and organizations to raise funds to help the Food Bank purchase and distribute large quantities of fresh, nutritious and shelf-stable healthy foods at deeply reduced rates. Just like online shopping, Virtual Food Drives are safe, easy and fun.
What are the benefits of hosting a Virtual Food Drive?
Every Dollar Counts. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank can maximize monetary donations because of their wholesale purchasing ability, partnerships with food donors and suppliers, and efficient distribution model.
How About Them Apples. Hosting a Virtual Food Drive allows you to help many more of your neighbors in need by raising funds for the Food Bank to purchase healthy food in bulk quantities at less-than-wholesale prices including fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and center-of-the-plate proteins.
Can Be Done Anywhere. This is an online program, which makes giving through a Virtual Food Drive just a click away and always socially distant. Anyone can participate whether you are at the office or at home, or at your home office.
Cutting Cost, Not Corners. Virtual Food Drives reduce transportation costs and employee hours to stock shelves and dispose of donated items that may be expired or damaged, all costs that actually drive up expenses for the Food Bank.
Leave the Heavy Lifting to Us. Virtual Food Drives spare organizers the inconvenience of an in-person event and moving heavy boxes of donated food.
Who can host Virtual Food Drive?
Anyone can host a Virtual Food Drive. Individuals of all ages can host a virtual food drive to help raise awareness about hunger in central Pennsylvania. You can register as an individual, start your own team, or join an existing team. Virtual Food Drives work well at businesses, schools, clubs, places of worship, and public events.
How are online and mail-in donations counted toward my Virtual Food Drive?
Donors who wish to give online can donate directly on your Virtual Food Drive homepage. These gifts are immediately reflected on your Progress Thermometer. If a donor chooses to support your drive by mailing a check directly to the Food Bank, we can only credit your Virtual Food Drive with the donation if the donor clearly states that information. Be sure to instruct your donors to CLEARLY attach your drive or organization name to any mail-in donations.
Checks made out to Central Pennsylvania Food Bank should be sent to 3908 Corey Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109.
How will receipts for donations be handled?
Anyone donating on the Virtual Food platform will receive an automated email thank you message with gift receipt. Anyone donating offline (e.g., by check) will receive a printed thank you letter with gift receipt in the mail.
How do I handle 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 match contribution, please follow your company guidelines to ensure proper/correct processing.
What about traditional food donations?
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank acquires, sorts and distributes more than 1.3 million pounds of food per week. Traditionally, community food drives provided less than 1 percent of that food and take valuable time and expense to collect and sort. For this reason, the Food Bank is no longer accepting food from traditional food drives. This way the Food Bank can better allocate employee and volunteer time and resources to mission-critical activities.
