Stock the Shelves

Welcome to the 2022 Stock the Shelves Food & Fundraising Drive Team!

Thank you for helping your community and serving the mission of Loaves & Fishes, your friendly neighborhood food rescue. We are immeasurably grateful to people like you who share our belief that food belongs to people, not landfills.

This year we want to break records with our drive because the need is breaking our hearts. Help us as we aim to gather a record-setting 45,000 pounds of food and $4,500. Previous years have shown us that this goal is within reach–but only with your help— and will make a tremendous impact for those who seek food aid and the agencies that serve them. “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” Thank you for joining us.

Why Support Us?

Our deliveries support some of the most vulnerable people in Greenville County, many who would otherwise fall through the cracks. We support dozens of after-school programs and pantries like you’d expect, but we also support over 60 other nonprofits serving the unhoused, veterans, seniors, and those who live with disabilities, addiction, or other mental health challenges–we bring rescued food where it is needed most. In total we have over 150 partners in Greenville County and we provided nearly 2.5M pounds of rescued food to them last year alone, feeding over 250,000.

This Holiday season, Loaves & Fishes is counting on you. Each dollar you give is turned into $10 of rescued food for one of our partners. Each pound of food nourishes a mind. Talk about a return on an investment! Check out our Quick-Start Guide below, and the additional resources to the left.

Food Priorities

The Loaves & Fishes Hispanic-serving and speaking partner agencies have told us that culturally responsive foods provide dignity and familiarity in tough times. Together we aim to serve these unmet needs with the following foods:

  • Rice
  • Dry beans
  • Pasta
  • Coffee
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Canned chiles
  • Tuna
  • Cooking oil
  • Corn flour
  • Cans with pop tops
  • Canned fruits
  • Seasonings: chicken bouillon powder, garlic              powder, dry parsley & cilantro
  • Hot sauce
  • Dried chiles: guajillo, chile de arbol, etc
  • Cinnamon sticks
  • Mexican chocolate
  • Ready-to-eat meals
  • Fruit Juices
  • Peanut Butter & Jelly

Check out our Amazon Wishlist to find our most-needed food items. Make sure you are shopping via Amazon Smile! You can even send your items directly to our office by purchasing online.

Give without risk of liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and the SC Good Samaritan Law.

To ensure nutrition and safe handling, we do not accept:

  • Rusty or unlabled cans
  • Homemade items
  • Alcoholic beverages, mixes or sodas
  • Open or partially used items

Additional Resources

Theme Ideas

  • Lunch Box — Collect items for school children: Peanut butter, granola bars, juice boxes
  • Warm It Up — Collect items with winter theme: Soups, oatmeal, canned pumpkin & stews
  • Protein Power — Collect items high in protein: Peanut butter, canned salmon & tuna, nuts
  • Fruit Feast — Collect canned fruits and fruit juices
  • Oodles of Noodles — Collect pasta and sauces: Macaroni and cheese, canned spaghetti
  • Superbowl of Soup — Collect canned soups and ingredients for soups
  • Rise ‘n Shine — Collect breakfast foods: Oatmeal, cereal and granola, jam

Encourage participation by getting creative with your theme!

Quick Start Guide

  • Decisions, decisions, decisions!
          • Design your drive. Look at the calendar and decide the start and stop dates for your drive and set goals for the number of items, dollars, or pounds, or meals. Pick a date for a pick-up (if needed).
  • Let us know what you decided
          • Communication is essential! Register your drive online as soon as possible. Download a registration form here if you prefer to email, fax, or send an owl.
  • OUCH! Packaging matters
          • Please don’t stack cans in a box that no human could lift! Our delivery drivers are super heroes to us, but let’s help them out.
          • *PRO TIP* start gathering bankers boxes, ream paper boxes and other small boxes now. Box like-items together.
  • Build your team!
          • Get 3-5 of your favorite coworkers into a room and then collaborate your hearts out! Invite your employer to match cash gifts, invite accounting to count the cans, just get folks involved.
  • Ask for donations and monetary gifts
          • Be direct and ask people to contribute. Ask for donated food and for the gifts needed to put gas in our trucks! Ask your friends, family, and coworkers, just ask! When someone says “Yes, I want to give!” you can just hand them a gift form or direct them to our online giving form.
          • *PRO TIP* Sometimes finding the right words is a challenge and that’s why we’ve prepared some language you can use to ask for support. Click here for samples.
  • Make a fuss
          • Have a party! Pick a day and time to launch and if you want us to be there, just let us know!
  • Promote on social media
          • Not because you want recognition, but because you want others to help. Share the drive details on organizational and personal socials. 3rd time is usually the charm.
  • Creativity counts
          • Promote in the newsletter, post flyers near entrances, invite customers to join, start a competition, or offer prizes.

Need help? Things aren’t going as planned? Call us at 864 232-3595.

Helpful Tips

  • Make it fun! Create a contest between departments or groups, hold a competition with another company, create an employee incentive, hold a collection-bin decorating contest, create a can sculpture or pick a collection theme!
  • Incentivize participants! Offer a special prize, treat, or activity for the participant(s) responsible for collecting the most food and funds.
  • Post pictures of your progress. Keep participants engaged and determined by sharing your progress on social media platforms or through mass email. Remember to tag L&F: #LFDrives #StocktheShelvesGVL
  • Connect with us online! Use Loaves & Fishes’ website and social media platforms to retrieve hunger facts and information about our organization. Find us on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Use the Stock the Shelves tools! Find the Stock the Shelves Food & Fundraising Drive Welcome Kit, Stock the Shelves flyers and graphics, and Loaves & Fishes informational sheets here.

Prize Ideas

  • Create an employee incentive with a casual day if they donate 10 or more cans
  • Build a can structure in the shape of the food pyramid or workplace mascot
  • If you exceed your goal, ask management to wear a costume for a day
  • Reserve a special parking spot for the employee who donates the most
  • Make each department responsible for a food group or theme
  • Search coupon sites like couponbug.com for thrifty shopping
  • Initiate a contest for the best decorated collection container/space
  • Create a point system based on the food pyramid (1 point for veggies, 2 points for proteins, etc.)
  • Breakfast or lunch with a manager for the highest-collecting individual
  • Breakfast or lunch for the highest-collecting department
  • Additional entries into a raffle for every pound of food donated
  • Time off with pay
  • Extra break or long lunch hour
  • Parking pass or special parking spot
  • Casual dress day at work

FAQs

  • How much notice do you need for a pick-up?
    • 5 business days, please.
    • If you have registered your drive, you may designate a delivery date in advance, when you register.
  • How do you decide when a pick-up is needed?
    • We try not to send a truck from our fleet unless the total food you’ve collected is large enough to merit it. If you can fit the food into a personal vehicle, please consider that first before requesting a pick-up.
  • Do you have barrels or large boxes we can use at our donation site?
    • Sadly, we do not. Large barrels and boxes are also a challenge when it comes to transportation. Small and medium size boxes are preferred.
  • Are Rubbermaid, plastic or tote containers alright to use?
    • Don’t donate food in a container that you expect to be returned.
  • If I call ahead can you meet me in the parking lot with a cart?
    • Yes, absolutely! Please plan to do so during normal business hours.
    • Business hours are: M-Th 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Fr 9:00am- 3pm.

Please register online for fastest service.

Questions about foods, pickups or logistics? contact Nathaniel McCrary

Email nathaniel@loavesandfishesgreenville.org or call (864) 232-2595

Questions about making monetary gifts, marketing or digital content? contact Naomi Horne

Email naomi@loavesandfishesgreenville.org or call (864) 232-2595

Food Donations Are:

 

 Risk-free. Give without risk of liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and the SC Good Samaritan Law.
 Tax deductible. Loaves & Fishes will provide a tracking report with the amount and type of food donated. Consult a financial advisor to apply the correct donation.
 Always needed. Contact nathaniel@loavesandfishesgreenville.org to plan a Food & Funds Drive throughout the rest of the year.