The Food Bank of Lincoln holds a number of annual events to help raise food, money and awareness in our mission to serve hungry people in southeast Nebraska.  Some of these events are listed below.  Many special events present opportunities for you to volunteer or participate.  Contact us if you'd like to help.

“Kids CAN Help” Food Drive:  March 2 - 13, 2009    or

the Fall "Kids CAN Help Food Drive: November 2 - 13, 2009

The “Kids CAN Help” Drive started in 1991 at the Food Bank. This drive involves the Lincoln Public Schools, many of Lincoln’s private schools, and several schools in our neighboring communities. Since its inception, the drive has raised over 100 tons of food for the Food Bank of Lincoln. The 2007 drive raised over 48,000 pounds of food as 36 schools participated.


Rocky Manginelli Swap Meet:  Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Car Council has sponsored this event for the Food Bank of Lincoln since 1992. Vendors set up areas inside of State Fair Park. The public can come in and purchase or swap car parts and accessories. Admission is a non-perishable food item and/or a free will cash donation.

Check Out Hunger November 1 thru December 31, 2009

Check Out Hunger began in 1993, and is sponsored by the Lincoln Journal Star and KOLN/KGIN Television. This program operates in April, May and June, and features coupon pads at the checkout stands in over 30 area grocery stores. These pads contain coupons in $1, $5, and $10 denominations. Shoppers tear off a coupon and hand it to the cashier. The cashier then swipes the coupon that has a barcode, and adds the corresponding amount to the shoppers’ grocery bill. The Food Bank accumulates an account in each partnering store, and then purchases our most needed items at that store. It is a win-win-win promotion. The shopper can easily and painlessly make a donation to help feed hungry neighbors, the stores make sales, and the Food Bank is able to gather its most needed items for distribution to its agencies. Check Out Hunger raises around $27,000 worth of food each winter for the Food Bank.


Postal Drive:  May 9, 2009

The Postal Drive is sponsored by the United States Postal Service, The National Association of Letter Carriers, the Rural Carrier Association, United Way and the AFL-CIO. This drive traditionally takes place on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. Letter Carriers pick up thousands of pounds of food on their postal routes, and take the food back to their postal stations. Food Bank staff and volunteers gather all the food and get it back to the warehouse. In 2009 the Postal Drive raised over 92,000 pounds of food.

Empty Bowls Luncheon:  May 26, 2009

Our Empty Bowls Luncheon is the Food Bank’s annual signature event. Embassy Suites hosts this luncheon, that is made possible by the generosity of Kathleen Grossman, of Down Under Pottery. We invite a dozen of Lincoln’s finest restaurants to provide soup, breads, and desserts. Everyone who attends receives a hand-crafted bowl of their choice. Tickets for the Empty Bowls Luncheon are $25 and are available at the Food Bank, or from Food Bank Board members or you can purchase tickets on the website. The Luncheon is designed to raise funds for the Food Bank, and to call attention to National Hunger Awareness Day.

The Campaign Against Hunger:  July 13 - 24, 2009

The Campaign Against Hunger is the Food Bank’s largest Food Drive. Since its humble first year in 1986 when we raised 9,187 pounds, the Campaign Against Hunger has raised 1,845,719 pounds of food, and $410,289. In 2006 this drive involved 111 corporations, 21 law firms, 42 medical offices, and the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County, and the State of Nebraska. Our drive last summer was the largest in the history of the Food Bank as our community raised 100 tons of food, and over $40,000.

Dine Out to Help Out:  September 09, 2009

Dine Out to Help Out takes place on the second Wednesday of every September. This effort was originated by KFOR Radio in 1989, and is sponsored by the Lincoln Journal Star, KFOR, KFRX, ESPN 1480, and 95Rock. We have over 100 restaurants in Lincoln and surrounding communities that donated 10% of the days receipts to the Food Bank of Lincoln. Over the years, Dine Out to Help Out has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to support the Food Bank’s annual budget.

Holiday Food Drive:  November 16 - December 23, 2009

The Holiday Food Drive runs from Thanksgiving until Christmas. On Monday, November 20th, our sponsor, the Lincoln Journal Star will deliver along with the paper, 65,000 bags with the slogan: “Think of this bag as an empty cupboard. Help us fill it.” Friends of the Food Bank will fill those bags at their favorite grocery store and will drop them off in Food Bank barrels at over 30 stores in Lincoln and surrounding communities. The 2008 Holiday Food Drive was sponsored by Cook's Ham Inc., Meadow Gold,  and the Lincoln Journal Star. Since the drive began, the Holiday Food Drive has brought in over 1.9 million pounds of food.

How to Hold a Food Drive
 

Most needed items list

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