Food Drives

Food and fund drives enable Operation Food Search to provide high-quality food to children, individuals, and families throughout the bi-state area. Quality “meal-maker” items are sorted and distributed by OFS through our networks of nearly 200 partners. Anyone can organize a food or fund drive. They are a great opportunity to help support people at risk of hunger and bring awareness of food insecurity in our region. They are a vital component of Operation Food Search’s approach to hunger relief.

Food drives help collect high demand shelf-stable “meal makers.”  The timetable for your drive is entirely up to you. Operation Food Search shares all food donations with our partner food agencies at no cost. In return they share them with families in our community for free.

Operation Food Search provides helpful resources to make your food drive a success.

• A digital copy of the OFS logo

• OFS “most needed” and “not accepted” lists of donations.

• OFS food drive poster

• Resource flyers

• Videos you can share that explain OFS’ mission and the need in the bistate region.

Our highest need is shelf-stable protein: cans/pouches of chicken, meat, and fish.  Also “meals in a can” with protein:  soups, stews, chilis.

OFS has large, wheeled food drive barrels available for your use. These hold about 175 pounds each.  These are available for large-scale food drives bringing in more than 800 pounds of donations.  With a 6-barrel minimum, our driver services for both barrels drop off and barrel/donation pick up are currently available.

In addition to providing food for those in need, food drives help spread awareness about hunger and food insecurity here in the St. Louis region. Food drives of all sizes make a difference; even a donation of 8 pounds of nonperishable food will help us feed two people for an entire day!

Fund Drives

Fund drives can be used instead of or in addition to food drives. Because we are able to leverage our partnerships with food suppliers, every dollar donated to help meet the immediate need for food provides $10 in food and services. We can quickly set up a virtual food drive page for you that is completely secure, customized, and easy to use. We can also track donations for you and report ongoing donation totals to motivate participation.

 For school youth programs PLEASE CLICK HERE to learn about Hunger H.A.C.K. The Hunger Action Class for Kids (HACK) is a tool to help kids understand more about the problem of hunger and what to do about it.

For more information and to schedule a food drive, PLEASE CLICK HERE.