Many people familiar with the charity and support fund Lithuania for Animals know that volunteers organize food drives to help Lithuanian animal shelters feed homeless four-legged friends. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, volunteers cannot hold such drives often, though the desire is endless. That’s why we invite everyone to join Lithuania for Animals, become our volunteers, and organize such a drive in your city.
Main steps to make your food drive successful:
1. First and most important – find a shopping center where you will hold the drive. It is very important to strategically choose the right location in advance and consider what kind of people gather there. When you select a shopping center, the exact location within it, and the date, it is essential to coordinate everything with the shopping center administration. Otherwise you will be asked to leave the premises. This step is very important and necessary.
2. Promoting and publicizing the drive. Once you have permission to organize the drive, know the exact location, date, and time, it’s time for promotion. If your budget is very small or nonexistent – that’s not a problem, because social networks are free and they’re the best advertising today. You definitely don’t need professional advertising – use Facebook and Instagram platforms. If you want or need to, use printed advertising. You don’t have to print advertising at a professional print shop – find a creative volunteer and draw and write it yourself. However, note that printed advertising has greater impact in small communities than in large ones.
3. Building a team. Since the location is already known, as well as the date and time – it’s time to build a team. If you lack volunteers, we suggest including a section in your food drive promotion that you’re looking for volunteers. Invite friends, family, relatives. Regarding both the drive promotion and volunteer recruitment, we will gladly share your posts on our Facebook page and help you find both a team and donors.
4. Making flyers. It is important to have flyers during the drive, because people are often in a hurry and don’t have time to stop and listen to information about the organized drive. In many cases, flyers really help reach every passerby’s eyes and ears. A passerby who receives a flyer will always at least glance at what they got in their hands. If your flyer is interesting and eye-catching, there is a high probability that the information will reach the reader and they will donate food for homeless animals.
5. Matching outfits – recommended. Our Lithuania for Animals team’s experience shows that matching outfits attract the attention of passersby and especially small children, because then it’s obvious that an actual event is taking place, which achieves greater visibility. Also, matching outfits symbolize a common goal.
6. Drive stand at the shopping center. It is very important to create an attractive stand that conveys the main idea of your goal, because during the drive you won’t have time to talk to all passersby. The stand must clearly show that you are collecting food for homeless four-legged friends living in Lithuanian shelters, and it must be visible from far enough away so that passersby can more easily notice you and find out what they need to do.
7. Mascot and entertainment for passing children. We highly recommend having a mascot for your volunteer team or having volunteers dress in interesting and playful ways. A team mascot or interesting outfits create a lot of positive emotions, attract people’s attention, especially children’s, and encourage people to be more generous. You can also come up with various games and entertainment. Don’t create a gloomy mood about homeless animals. On the contrary – enjoy the drive, because it feels good to do good.
8. Drinks, snacks, small gifts for donors. This step is not necessary, but recommended. It is very nice to express gratitude for a donation by offering a person in a hurry a drink of water or a candy to eat on the way. You definitely don’t need large or expensive gifts, but even a small thank-you will lift the donor’s heart even higher.
We invite everyone interested in organizing this drive to contact us and our volunteers will help make your drive a reality. Together we can do more, and without you there would be no us. Let’s join forces and create wellbeing for homeless four-legged friends together.
