While no two projects will be the same, successful projects will share a few common practices. We encourage you to incorporate the following elements into your service project:
- Create a team with your friends and neighbors to share the effort;
- Set outcome-based goals and track your progress to those goals;
- Celebrate your successes together.
The Challenge: Many community-based organizations do not have enough capacity to manage a large number of volunteers, so they need you to organize yourself in coordination with them. This tool kit is designed to either help you organize a group and be a positive addition to a community-based organization, or, if such an organization does not exist, to be a well-organized independently-run group that fills a needed gap in the community.
A step by step guide to getting started and executing service activities follows. Please let us know how your project goes and what you learn by telling your story at VolunteerToServe.Org.
Step One: Identify Local Partners
Check out the organizations already doing good work in your area. Many existing service groups have identified community needs and built the expertise to provide solutions.
- Search for local opportunities to serve food pantries and soup kitchens.
- Contact a local faith-based or community center, senior center, or community-based organization and ask if there is currently a food service program that needs support.
- If no local organization needs support, run a virtual food drive to stretch your dollar!
- Get a guide to finding local partners.
Step Two: Build a Team
Teams can help share the work, motivate members and hold each other accountable. Teams build community. Ask your family, friends, colleagues, faith group members to serve with you.
- Host a house meeting or pot luck to choose a project, set goals, recruit volunteers and plan next steps.
- Get a guide for hosting a house meeting.
- Post your activity and recruit volunteers on VolunteerToServe.org
Step Three: Set a Goal
Set a service goal and hold yourself accountable. Commit as individuals and as a team to help feed America's hungry. Set your goals high to stretch yourself. Then keep track of how you are doing and designate someone to be responsible for updating the group on how you are progressing toward your goals. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do when you commit, focus, and follow through.
Step Four: Serve Your Community
The key to effective service is planning. Organize your materials, make confirmation calls and, if you have time, read supplemental materials before you volunteer.
- How to run a food drive – the basics
- Feeding America links a network of over 63,000 agencies and over 200 food banks. The website provides information on volunteer opportunities and contact information for local food banks.
- Get a tip sheet for your service activity.
Step Five: Report and Celebrate Successes
Your team members, the community, and VolunteerToServe.Org want to know about your successes and hear your stories. Share your accomplishments by reporting your results. We will highlight the best stories throughout the year. Tell us about your successes and what you have learned, or just tell your story of service at VolunteerToServe.org.