MOVE FOR HUNGER: HOW TO DONATE FOOD DURING YOUR MOVE

The Move for Hunger program lets you inject a bit of social activism into your move. In many cases, people are so stressed and busy while moving that they end up throwing unwanted food in the garbage. This program helps keep that food out of the landfills and puts it into the stomachs of people in your community. Here’s a closer look.

WHAT IS MOVE FOR HUNGER?

Move for Hunger is a nationwide program where moving companies can sign up to make donations to local food banks on behalf of their clients. You simply set aside nonperishable items as you pack. Then, you give them to the movers, and they donate those items to a local food bank.

WHY ARE PROGRAMS SUCH AS MOVE FOR HUNGER IMPORTANT?

Surprisingly one in seven Americans relies on a food bank to feed themselves or their families. That is 46 million people throughout the country, and it includes 25% of military families. Making a donation through the Move for Hunger program is an effective and easy way to help those people.

WHAT FOODS CAN YOU DONATE TO MOVE THROUGH HUNGER?

When you donate through this program, you can donate any nonperishable items from your pantry. If you want to focus on the healthiest, most versatile foods, consider donating canned beans, fruit, pasta sauce, stews, tuna and tomatoes. However, you don’t just have to donate canned items.

Food pantries can also accept unopened boxes of oatmeal, cereal, pasta and dried fruits as well as foods such as honey, rice and dried beans. Don’t forget the sweet stuff—sugar, cake mixes and even your candy stash are also welcome additions to a box of donations for a food pantry.

HOW SHOULD YOU PACK YOUR DONATIONS?

To prepare your items for donation, you can simply put them in a moving box. Ideally, you should use a new box so that it’s sturdy enough to hold the food—canned items in particular can be heavy.

If you are packing your stuff in used boxes, boxes from bookstores, liquor stores or the produce section of your local grocery store tend to be the strongest. Those boxes are used to holding heavy items.

WHEN SHOULD YOU PACK UP YOUR NONPERISHABLE DONATIONS?

Generally, when packing for a move, it helps to go through your items early in the process to determine what you want to throw out or donate. In this vein, you may want to go through the kitchen several weeks or even a month before your move and clear out the unused items in your cupboards. That includes nonperishable items for the food bank.

That said, the kitchen is the hardest part of your home to pack in advance because most people tend to use their kitchens a lot. To make packing the kitchen easier, you may want to select just a handful of items that you need for the last few weeks in your home. Whether those items are food stuffs, pots and pans or dishes, make sure that they all fit inside one or two moving boxes. You don’t want to get overwhelmed with too much stuff to pack at the last minute.

WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF THE MOVE FOR HUNGER PROGRAM?

In addition to helping people in your community, this program helps you. When your moving company takes care of the donations, you don’t have to worry about finding a food bank, driving there and making your donations. Instead, you can focus on your move and let the moving company handle this part of the process.

At Schultz Bros. Van and Storage, we have partnered with Move for Hunger, and we will donate your old food for you. Contact us to learn more about this program or to set up your move today.