Our Basics for Babies collection drives provide hands-on opportunities for individuals, organizations and agencies to help sustain the Food for Hungry Babies program.
Hosting a Basics for Babies drive is a simple and effective way to help LIFE/Houston. We offer these useful guidelines and tips, including easy promotional ideas for volunteers and organizers to follow. But keep in mind all that it really takes is a box and a stack of flyers and fact sheets. Then, you spread the word and make a difference in a baby's life.
Getting Started
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Determine high traffic areas in your office, church or facility for collection.
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Promote the drive to maximize donations. Saturate high visibility areas with
flyers,
fact sheets, announcements, posters, etc. Do note on promotional materials that cash contributions are welcome and all donations to LIFE/Houston are
tax deductible.
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Supporting supplies such as bottle banks are available. Contact our LIFE/Houston office (713-528-6044) for more information.
Formula, Food and Baby Care Items Needed:
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All types and brands of formula are needed. We distribute regular, soy and lacto-free formulas in all forms; powdered, ready-to-feed and concentrate.
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Special diet formulas for infants are available when they are donated.
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Other food items that can be collected include strained baby food in jars, cereals and baby juice.
While we place emphasis on infant formula, donations of all baby related items such as diapers, new and gently worn baby clothes, bottles and blankets are accepted.
Cash Contributions
For people who want to donate cash in lieu of formula and/or other items, we can provide jumbo bottle banks that create an inviting donation drop-off spot. In addition, checks and online payments are always accepted.
Collection Donations
High traffic areas such as entrances/lobbies, lunchroom and recreation areas are excellent locations for collection bins. It is also helpful to plan for an additional area for storage of donations when barrels become full:
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Large sturdy boxes or barrels make great collection bins.
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Containers decorated with a baby theme with gift-wrapping paper and ribbons are attractive and inspire people to give.
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A baby bassinet or playpen can also serve as a spirited collection bin.
LIFE/Houston can provide posters with our Basics for Babies logo for use on or above any collection bin.
Promoting Your Basics for Babies Drive
Here are a few ways to generate excitement and maximize participation in your group's collection drive:
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Who's Who - Create small posters featuring pictures of different employees' babies. Create a competition around guessing the baby's identity.
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You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby Contest - Ask employees for both a current and baby photo of themselves. Display the photos in a high traffic area. Invite employees to match the current picture with the baby picture. Award a prize to person with the most matches.
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Most Beautiful Baby Contest - Host a baby shower with cake, punch and decorations. Shower gifts will serve as donations to LIFE/Houston. Offer a prize to the participant, department, or floor responsible for the most donations.
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Be an Advocate - Promote the event by sending a news release to the local media (television, radio, newspaper) announcing your drive.
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Corporate Matching - Ask if your company provides matching funds to charities.
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Payroll or PayPal Deduction - Did you know that employees can request a $1.00 per pay check be made to LIFE/Houston? Ask your payroll department. Individuals can also pledge monthly or annually. Also, PayPal features a monthly subscription. Check out our
Fill the Bottles program.
LIFE/Houston is here to assist organizers and volunteers through every step of the Basics for Babies collection drive. Contact us to help launch your collection drive today.
