Critique My New Food Bank Giving Plan

[clovis]

A month or so ago, I had the opportunity to talk to a director of a church operated food bank. She says that they are seeing tremendous demand during this reccession, and not from the average poor. She claims that many of those who turned out for the last food day were middle class folks who are not the usual clientele at a food bank.

That little church, in an unnoticed area and out of the way place in the suburb Indianapolis served 136 families with a total of 650 people, and they are only open one day a month! They normally see 50-60 families a month on average.

I am meeting the director again on Wednesday to pitch my idea to help her organization. (She is very down to earth, and a doll to work with, but I am a little nervous that she won't like or get the idea!)

Here is my plan to help out:

I am going to ask her to collect uncut Q inserts from the congregation and from two groups that meet at the church.

I will take the uncut inserts and organize them into SS and RP by date, and file them together. I might just use a big box for storage.

When I learn about a real savings coupon deal, I will pull and cut the needed coupons.

With the help of some other volunteers, I will use the coupons in the stores to get the items. Of course, these items will have to be approved by her until I learn more about what she is looking to buy. I will then deliver the items to the director.

My concerns:

1. Time. I am basically going to be limited to cherry picking the best deals. I do not have hours upon hours to donate to this cause.

2. Unused coupons. If this succeeds, I am still going to have alot of wasted coupons for products that the food bank is not interested in buying, even if they are great deals, like Lysol, or Simply cookies, or Discover $1.

(What to do with those unused Q's???)

3. I know I could list the unused Q's on ebay, but I really don't have the time or energy to do that. Hopefully we can find a volunteer to do that!

4. Complete and utter failure. I am already worried that this idea is going to fail miserably because I cannot get the products that are sold out, we don't get enough coupons, or the deals won't be available/worth the hassle.

In a nut shell, that is the game plan.

Thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Advice? Criticism? Please feel free to poke holes in this idea, or offer solutions and suggestions.

Anyone else doing a program like this????

Thanks!!!!

[Mouse]

Hi Clovis - very nice of you to try and help out in any little way, which is HUGE Hey if you get enough people to volunteer, maybe they can help you do the actualy shopping as well??? I suggest also trying to teach those that are intersted so that you don't carry all of the weight (sounds like a lot of work) No doubt some of them would be happy to learn the ropes and to help with the shopping. Anything learned from the organazation support can definitley be carried homebound...

Also, there are several groups that can use the "unused" Q's (maybe a Womans shelter) and there are great Organazations that can use the exired, Stephanie list some out on our home page.

Good luck, no doubt your meeting will go fine and appreciated!!
Macey

[clovis]

Good ideas!!!

I am even more nervous about the upcoming meeting now that I think about it. This is odd because I was a full commission salesman for 16 years...and loved making cold calls.

[Mouse]

Don't think of it like that (sales), think of it as helping your community and it coming straight from your heart for the good of people that are in need right now. You obviously have a big heart to go to this mile....I bet if it all works out, you'll be teaching quite a few how to become a "Clovis" in disquise

It'll all be JUST F I N E! Promise

Macey

[jillynoodle]

i agree with everyone else i think its great!! and if you get volenteers to help and learn how to use coupons also i dont think you will have a problem getting rid of the extra coupons, maybe you can make it an incentive for them to help they can have all the extras they want i really cant see it being a bad idea at all...it will cost the church nothing except to get the word out to have people not throw out the coupons...i would definetly go for it!!!

[TinaKlein]

Originally Posted by clovis

A month or so ago, I had the opportunity to talk to a director of a church operated food bank. She says that they are seeing tremendous demand during this reccession, and not from the average poor. She claims that many of those who turned out for the last food day were middle class folks who are not the usual clientele at a food bank.

That little church, in an unnoticed area and out of the way place in the suburb Indianapolis served 136 families with a total of 650 people, and they are only open one day a month! They normally see 50-60 families a month on average.

I am meeting the director again on Wednesday to pitch my idea to help her organization. (She is very down to earth, and a doll to work with, but I am a little nervous that she won't like or get the idea!)

Here is my plan to help out:

I am going to ask her to collect uncut Q inserts from the congregation and from two groups that meet at the church.

I will take the uncut inserts and organize them into SS and RP by date, and file them together. I might just use a big box for storage.

When I learn about a real savings coupon deal, I will pull and cut the needed coupons.

With the help of some other volunteers, I will use the coupons in the stores to get the items. Of course, these items will have to be approved by her until I learn more about what she is looking to buy. I will then deliver the items to the director.

My concerns:

1. Time. I am basically going to be limited to cherry picking the best deals. I do not have hours upon hours to donate to this cause.

2. Unused coupons. If this succeeds, I am still going to have alot of wasted coupons for products that the food bank is not interested in buying, even if they are great deals, like Lysol, or Simply cookies, or Discover $1.

(What to do with those unused Q's???)

3. I know I could list the unused Q's on ebay, but I really don't have the time or energy to do that. Hopefully we can find a volunteer to do that!

4. Complete and utter failure. I am already worried that this idea is going to fail miserably because I cannot get the products that are sold out, we don't get enough coupons, or the deals won't be available/worth the hassle.

In a nut shell, that is the game plan.

Thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Advice? Criticism? Please feel free to poke holes in this idea, or offer solutions and suggestions.

Anyone else doing a program like this????

Thanks!!!!

Yes..I do, I donate to my local food pantry monthly, If you were able to collect coupons, you will have great success. No way could you fail because anything you donate is a blessing. I use up to 50.00 monthly of my personal budget.

You could just focus on what you get free, or see what budget they have for you. I have been doing this for 3 months

1st month: Spent $50.00 Retail 195.00
2nd month: Spent $27.00 Retail; 110.00
3rd Month: Spent $45.00 Retail: 170.00

Last month I only had personal item til they ran the kroger mega deal. They were really excited about the health and beauty item, they were running low, which you can use the coupons that say on any, and purchase the trial size and get them for free

my goal is donate 300 retail value, and show others even if they don't have money to spare, getting free items and donating the ones they do not need is greatly appreciated and needed.

At first it may be time consuming, but soon you will get the hang of it, and work it in your shopping plan, or at least that's how I do it,

The forums have helped: see what others get free and or cheap, and be able to get these items.

The unused coupons, I am sure they would have no problem, you keeping what you need, trade with others on here, or I sell some on ebay which produces more money to buy coupons or food.

Don't be nervous. Congrats on your new project..I always post my monthly donation list, you can see how much I am able to donate with just me imagine lots of coupon inserts

[clovis]

Wow!!! Thanks for the responses....and keep 'em coming!!!!!

I should clarify something: While I am happy to donate cash or products, I will be asking the FB to reimburse me on some items. I simply don't have an extra $100 a month, if it grows to that, to donate.

I have been donating my Q deals to those in need for many years, and know that it can nickel and dime you to death! I remember in the heighth of D-T Q's at Kroger's, one week I gave away a bunch of stuff to friends, family and donations that cost me $18 OOP, and the next week was $12 OOP, and $8.50 the week after that. It is funny that some friends and extended family love to get $10 razors and $4 english muffins, but laugh out loud when you ask for the 72 cents in tax you paid OOP. I remember giving two huge bags full of nice stuff to one gal, and she literally started laughing when I asked her for the $3.87 I had OOP. Wanna guess who gets nothing from me these days? (I must sound really cheap!)

The FB does have a decent budget for purchasing food stuffs. I am hoping to improve the quality they buy, and increase the quantity for those dollars spent.

[AlInAz]

Your enthusiasm will be contagious and many will be blessed by learning how to work the deals.

Here's an idea for the leftover Qs: Leave them in an envelope or basket at the church with a note for people to help themselves. If no one wants them, you can always get a volunteer to bundle them up and send them to an overseas base.

I think you'll find that others will be so excited about the savings that you'll have plenty of helpers to cut out/sort/shop, etc. You can be the Cruise Director!

Please let us know how it goes.
Allison

[clovis]

From a PM that I received, and posted with permission:

We run a pantry on Saturday mornings 10 - 12 am at our church, we usually average 10 families a week....there are others who come to the church during the week whose needs are met as well

I can send you a spreadsheet we've been keeping up with on Saturday mornings. It does not reflect everything we're donating because often as soon as my husband puts something out somebody will take it....but it does reflect what is left at the end of the day. *Tip....make sure you mark through the UPC because some people like to resell the items....

We sell donated items on ebay to help fund some of our purchases. Otherwise between 6 families and an ocassional church drive the pantry is kept full. That means we use tons of coupons. My 2 binders weigh 5 pounds each!! Very few at the church donate their cpns....we just can't get them to "remember"

Whatever you do will be a blessing to your community. You'll do fine.

[geanienut]

I was reading this post and thought, you know if you brought in receipts with a breakdown of the total cost, Coupon savings, and OOP cost, she could actually see how much savings this could add up to be and that they will literally get at least 3 times the amount than they are getting now..I love to SEE the results, and that just may well get her in line with your idea.
Maybe have her break down the NEEDS, and give you a budget they are willing to spend and work within those pirameters. Ask her for volunteers and give you 6 months and see if it works. If not, scrap the idea.. Not ventured, nothing gained... Thanks for your hard work and service to the community..
Geanienut