An effective food drive should have at least one head coordinator and many others to help that person. The head coordinator should be the top official, but other managers such as a volunteer coordinator and a publicity coordinator are helpful positions. If students are old enough, encourage them to take these leadership roles. The head coordinator will be the contact person for all groups involved in the effort. The volunteer coordinator will gather assistance from those who can help collect goods and deliver them. The publicity coordinator will make the event known within the school and contact the media for positive publicity.
Before beginning the food drive in your school, contact a few local food banks to determine where your supplies will go. Attempt to find food banks that are low on stock and help members of the local community. Ask what types of foods they will take and whether they need other items such as hygiene supplies or bedding and clothing. Discuss whether the timing is right for your food drive and whether someone is available to pick up the items or whether they need to be delivered. Make sure a food bank employee has the contact information for your food drive coordinator.
It is important to set a time line for your food drive that will make the event successful. Consider the school's calendar and choose a time period that does not have many other events happening at the same time that will overshadow the food drive. Set the length of food collection so it is long enough to generate publicity and goods, but not so long that people lose interest. The holiday seasons such as Thanksgiving and Christmas are times when food pantries are generally already well stocked.
Setting a goal for what you want the drive to raise is helpful in motivating others and gaining the drive publicity. Consider creating an ambitious goal such as filling an entire school bus or a set number of items to be raised per classroom. Motivate the school by having a celebration for reaching the goal. This celebration could be a schoolwide "pie in the principal's eye" (hitting the principal with a pie), or a classroom reward such as a breakfast for the group that raises the most.
Once you have the event organized, begin publicizing your food drive. Ideally, it is a wise practice to announce the upcoming food drive about two weeks before it begins, then begin motivating others by putting up posters and banners in public places approximately one week before the event. Make regular schoolwide announcements and emphasize the goal and reward the planning committee is offering. Be sure to announce where the food will go and whom it will benefit.