Nonprofit Food Bank Business Plan

Helping Hand will focus on establishing an effective collection network with local growers, retailers, wholesalers, and processors.  Another primary goal will be the creation of a youth farm that will employ “at risk” youth.  The program will also start a fundraising campaign with area retail markets, banks and credit unions in order to raise an additional $100,000.

Helping Hand will advertise its services to the target populations groups through the agencies that serve these groups on a daily basis.

5.1 Marketing Strategy

Helping Hand’s marketing program will focus on increasing its visibility in the community. Participating food retail stores will carry information about Helping Hand and how stores like this one are helping the community.  Award plaques will be distributed to stores each year and the program will find additional methods to raise the profile of stores that assist the program. 

Program brochures will be distributed by local social service programs and agencies that serve the target population groups.  In addition, these programs and agencies will serve as advocates of using Helping Hand in response to the need for emergency food. 

5.2 Fundraising Strategy

Helping Hand will immediately start a Fall Fundraising campaign that will focus on using the local banks and credit unions to collect donations to fight hunger. Typically, food drives are started in October and November. Helping Hand will place donation bins in participating banks and credit union. In addition, customers in local retail food stores can donate money to Helping Hand at the checkout stand.

5.2.1 Funding Forecast

Helping Hand’s monthly revenues for the 2002-2003 calendar year will fluctuate based on the seasons.  During Fall the program will have its major fundraiser.  The summer months are anticipated to be weak food collection months.

The following are Helping Hand’s fundraising and food collection programs:

Food Collection (FC)
Participating retailers, wholesalers, and processors will donate food stuffs. These contributors will contribute donations of a monthly basis.

Fill the Bucket (FtB)
Each Fall, Helping Hand will run a fundraiser through local banks and credit union.  Small containers that will look like the larger Helping Hand food bins will sit at the counter of each teller.

Food Rescue Express (FRE)
Helping Hand will collect donated food from local restaurants to be immediately distributed to programs in the area that will in turn distribute the food to their clients.

Gleaning
Harvest leftovers and unsold produce from farmers’ fields will be collected by Helping Hand.  Every year thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables are left to rot or get tilled under the field.  Gleaning reduces waste while feeding people.  Helping Hand actually recruits gleaning crews from the local support program.

Youth Farm (YF)
The youth farm utilizes kids in diversion program or local program serving “at risk” kids to provide a learning environment that turn these kids life around.  The produce is sold by the youth farm crew members at a on-site produce stand.  All proceeds are used to support Helping Hand programs.

Editor’s Note: To maximize the chart size for the Funding Monthly and Funding By Year charts below the fundraising categories above have been abbreviated within the Funding Forecast table. Charitable/Corporate Program Funding will use C/CPF as an acronym in the table and charts.