F4F Clubs collect what we call “Bag of Basics.” The bag of basics is a pre-determined list of items including perishable, and non-perishable goods that provide a total of 100 meals for families in need. Along with the bag of basics, extras such as toiletries, diapers, and other necessary items can also be collected.

YES!! The Bag of Basics was developed with our earliest nonprofit partners to provide a starting point for students interested in getting started. RARELY does the Bag of Basics remain the same. Some nonprofit partners only have the capacity to accept non-perishable items. Some nonprofits serve communities that adhere to Halal, Kosher, or vegetarian diets. Our only requirement is that you treat those you are serving with dignity. Don’t include items that you would not eat or use yourself, and make sure you are providing food and other essentials that are culturally competent.

Grocery collections typically run for 1-3 hours. This includes the collection time, the time it takes to drive to the club’s nonprofit partner, and the time spent visiting with the nonprofit partner.

Yes!

The amount of SSL Hours are dependent on the total amount of time it takes to complete a collection. This includes collecting, packing, transporting, and dropping off the bags as well as all the time spent planning and doing outreach in preparation for the collection. The amount of bags collected does not affect the amount of hours counted toward your SSL hours.

Grocery collection events typically take place on a Saturday morning for 1-2 hours. At the conclusion of the collection, a couple of volunteers drive the groceries to their non-profit partner. Clubs typically host 3-5 grocery collections per (school) year, but times and locations vary.

Typically, grocery collections take place in your school’s parking lot or pick-up/drop-off zone. This optimizes community engagement, and it is also central for all participants. In the event you are unable to collect groceries at your school, you can use a volunteer's house, community center parking lot, or park.

F4F Student Clubs work with a variety of different nonprofit organizations that organize and gather families who are in need. Each family situation is different, but every person receiving food donations from Families4Families need the support that F4F helps provide. Take a look at our NonProfit Partners to see some of the organizations we work with!

Typically 1-2 drivers are enough to transport the groceries. If there is a surplus of groceries, then you might need more volunteers to deliver the goods!

Sign Up Genius! View an example HERE. Need help making this? Contact shariah@families4familiesdmv.org

So many creative ways! Most student leaders make a F4F Instagram account for their club and get community members to follow it. On their account, they frequently update followers on where/when meetings are, and when the next grocery collection is. They link their signups on Instagram stories and posts. Beyond this, we have seen students use sports teams, clubs, and advisories to "sponsor" collections. Several clubs raise money through bake sales, raffles or fun runs to raise money for purchasing groceries in bulk rather than ask grocery donors to shop themselves.

We encourage you to have a nonprofit partner in mind, but if you are struggling to find one F4F headquarters can support you in the vetting process.

After a collection, it’s important to notify the internal team of what took place. You will be sent a Post Drop Form so the team can get a better idea of all of the things that took place. Also, post your pictures from the event, and thank everyone who participated! Without them, collections could not happen.

The Post Drop Form is a Google form that shares the stats with the internal team and will be shared with you on the day of the event. This includes the amount of Bags of Basics collected, the number of volunteers at the event, pictures, and the amount of time it took for the event to take place. Try to fill this out on the day of the collection!