Annual Food Drives
Food Drive Ideas
It can be helpful to consider your group, it's makeup and your goals when putting together a food drive. One model for a successful food drive would be to focus on something that is important to the group you are collecting food from.
• One high school class collected all Macaroni & Cheese, a teenage favorite!
• Another group put together Easter baskets each spring.
• Consider holding a Baby Shower where guests bring in baby food, diapers, and other baby items.
• Scavenger Hunt for Echo - divide groups into teams to canvas designated neighborhoods for food donations. Set a time limit and offer prizes for the most food collected or for special predetermined items.
Think about what is important to your group, or something they can relate to and give them the option to focus on this for the food drive.
Churches
Many churches in the Blue Earth County and North Mankato area have collection boxes located in their buildings to collect food for ECHO. If your church doesn't have a collection box, see if you can start one!
Churches with collection boxes:
(if your church has a collection box, let us know and we will include it on this list)
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
632 Broad St. St
Mankato, MN 56001
Saint Peter and Paul's Catholic Church
105 N 5th St
Mankato, MN 56001
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
720 S 2nd St
Mankato, MN 56001
Messiah Lutheran Church
1706 Lee Boulevard
North Mankato MN 56003
Is your garden overflowing with fruits and veggies? If you have a garden, consider donating some of your excess produce to needy households in our community. If you have a recipe or recommendation on how to cook your produce, it would be appreciated.
You can drop off garden produce and other donations
from 1pm - 5pm, Monday through Friday,
ECHO Food Shelf
614 N Second Street
Garden Produce Wanted:
Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Melons, Corn, Potatoes, Eggplant, Squash, Beans, Peas, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Beets, Tomatillos, Garlic, Cabbage, Cucumbers, Turnips, Carrots, Zucchini, Pumpkins, Apples, Plums, and Raspberries
Garden Produce we have difficult time with:
Leafy Greens (Poor Shelf Life), damaged or old produce
Produce Donation Tip:
Bring produce earlier in the week. There is less chance of spoilage if we don't have to store it over the weekend.
