Start a Food For Neighbors Program
Are you passionate about supporting local teens facing food insecurity? Does your school need a food pantry to help students in need? It might be time to start a Food For Neighbors program in your area.
“This program has changed our school culture. Most students are comfortable asking for food and families feel supported. It has also allowed for so many staff/student relationships to develop that may not have otherwise been established. I believe that more kids feel more connected to staff and school because of it. I have met so many students by having snacks available which has allowed me to have greater impact on other areas of need for them….It has been a very positive program.” – High School Social Worker, Fairfax County Public Schools
getting started with food for neighbors
Before getting started, there are a few key elements that will ensure the success of a Food For Neighbors program in your community. Here’s what you need to consider.
If you are a school staff member or administrator…
If you’re a school staff member or administrator interested in starting a Food For Neighbors program, consider the following:
- Are you located in Arlington, Fairfax or Loudoun County in Northern Virginia?
- Have you met with your principal and/or social worker staff to gauge their interest and support in this kind of program?
- Does your school have space available for a food pantry?
- Community involvement is critical to the Food For Neighbors model and a successful program depends on strong community support. Have you identified volunteers who would help you develop and run this program?
To get started, download our presentation about how Food For Neighbors works with your school staff and volunteers. Please feel free to share this with other staff members in your school.
If you have considered these items and discussed them with the key people in your school, please contact us so we can take the next steps to bring Food For Neighbors to your community.
If you are a parent, neighbor or school volunteer…
If you’re a parent, neighbor, or school volunteer interested in starting a Food For Neighbors program for your local community, consider the following:
- Are you located in Arlington, Fairfax or Loudoun County in Northern Virginia?
- Have you met with your middle and/or high school principals and social worker staff to gauge their interest and support in this kind of program?
- Community involvement is critical to the Food For Neighbors model and a successful program depends on strong community support. Have you identified other volunteers who would help you develop and run this program?
- Do you think there are fifty (or more) families who would be interested in donating food in the Red Bag program? From our experience, we have found that fifty Red Bag donors is a good starting point for a new program, and those initial donors usually become the best volunteers.
To get started, download our presentation (pdf file) about how Food For Neighbors will work with your school staff and volunteers. Please feel free to share this with other interested parents/volunteers as well as staff members in your school.
If you have considered these items and discussed them with the key people in your area, please contact us so we can take the next steps to bring Food For Neighbors to your community.
What key roles need to be filled to launch Food For Neighbors in a new area?
1. Area Manager (AM)
The Area Manager provides leadership in a specific region, serving as the main liaison between schools and Food For Neighbors (FFN). This role includes:
- Working with the FFN Director of School Partnerships to assess local needs and program growth.
- Supporting school pantry coordinators to ensure food distribution is efficient.
- Coordinating with the Driver Coordinator and Event Coordinator for successful Red Bag Events.
- Using Google tools and email for communication and organization.
2. Event Coordinator (EC)
The Event Coordinator organizes the five Red Bag Events, ensuring smooth operations by:
- Working with the FFN Event Manager for on-going guidance and training.
- Managing event supplies and coordinating volunteer sign-ups.
- Working with the host school to arrange space and equipment.
- Overseeing event setup and breakdown.
- Distributing collected food to school pantries.
- Sending thank-you messages to volunteers and donors.
- Communicating regularly via email and text.
There are five Red Bag Events per school year, held on Saturday mornings.
3. Driver Coordinator (DC)
The Driver Coordinator supports the volunteer drivers responsible for collecting Red Bag food donations by:
- Working with the FFN Driver Manager to train and communicate with drivers.
- Storing 5-10 bins of Red Bags between collection events (or delegating storage).
- Overseeing food collection logistics five Saturdays per year.
- Using mobile apps for coordination and communication.
4. Bag Drop-Off Coordinator
This volunteer ensures new Red Bag donors receive their collection bags by:
- Delivering a Food For Neighbors Red Bag to each new donor.
- Using a mobile app to access donor addresses, log drop-offs, and add location notes for future collections.
Each of these roles is crucial to successfully launching and maintaining Food For Neighbors in your area. Interested in getting involved? Contact us to learn more.
If you have additional questions or if you are ready to get started, let’s chat!
