How It Works

A Simple System for A Complex Problem

The Neighborhood Food Project model is designed around two key volunteer roles: Food Donors and Neighborhood Coordinators. Food Donors don’t have to go out of their way to donate food on a regular schedule, and Neighborhood Coordinators ensure those contributions are organized and consistently delivered to local pantries. Together, these two roles create a simple, reliable system that makes ongoing community support easy and impactful

1. Sign Up

Neighborhood Coordinators sign up friends and neighbors to be regular Food Donors. Every Food Donor gets our resuable green bag.

2. Shop for a Little Extra

Each week when Food Donors go food shopping, they buy an extra nonperishable item (or two) for hungry neighbors, take it home and store it in the bag.

3. Leave the Bag

Every two months—on the third Saturday of every odd month—Food Donors put their green bags outside their front doors.

4. Deliver the Food

Neighborhood Coordinators pick up all the full green bags in their neighborhoods and leave the empty ones for next time. They take the bags to the local food bank (or other designated location) where volunteers are waiting to unload their cars, empty the bags, and sort all the food.

Everyone Wins

By the end of the day, all the food is ready to distribute to our neighbors in need. We share the good news about how much food we’ve collected. Then we do it again!