VFD MVPs: How Your Virtual Food Drives Help Feed Marylanders
Virtual Food Drives (VFDs) are an excellent way to support the Maryland Food Bank, both every day, and to help us be ready in times of unexpected need, when the food assistance safety net gets severely strained.
VFDs remove the hurdles associated with traditional food drives and allow us to use our wholesale purchasing power to have a greater impact on the lives of hungry Marylanders. Each dollar raised through VFDs helps supply enough food to account for three meals.
VFDs also allow you to express your own reasons for wanting to help feed your neighbors in need.
COVID-19 has certainly changed daily life for all of us, but it has not changed the incredible passion, dedication, and compassion people are showing for their neighbors in need throughout this crisis. We’ve seen people start some really moving, creative, and inspirational VFDs just in the last few weeks, at a time when our donated food is down significantly due to increased demand at grocery stores and other retailers.
We would like to thank everyone who has participated in VFDs, and want to share a few of the more unique ones we’ve seen recently:
Erika Hornstein’s 29th Birthday Virtual Food Drive
A local woman decided that the best way to celebrate turning 29 was to raise funds for the Maryland Food Bank. See how Erika exceeded her goal through her VFD!
Food Security During COVID Crisis
Marla started her VFD to try and help people feel better in these stressful times. She hopes you’ll join her efforts so others who lack the access and income receive the gift of food and hope.
The Eikenberg’s Virtual Food Drive
This Maryland family was concerned about how food-insecure children & families would get through this difficult time and decided to turn that concern in to action – see how much they’ve raised!
Servary Family Virtual Food Drive
After seeing videos of cars lined up for miles to receive food, The Servarys decided this was an excellent time to teach their kids about empathy and math. Their kids started their VFD with money from their piggy banks!
If you’ve been looking for a way to help during the COVID-19 crisis, give Virtual Food Drives a try! Our simple-to-use “Fenly” platform will allow you to express your particular passion for feeding your hungry neighbors in just a few steps.
Create Your Own Virtual Food Drive by Following These Simple Steps:
Register
Register as a User on our Fenly website at mdfoodbank.fenly.org/register. Then, select “Virtual Food Drive” on the far right side of the page to start the process. Fenly will guide you through a series of simple questions (see Step 2) to help bring your vision to life.
Customize Your Virtual Food Drive
Give it a name, an avatar/logo, and description that reflect your passion – honor a loved one, celebrate a milestone such as an anniversary or birthday, or satisfy the fan in you by paying tribute to your favorite sports team and compete against your rivals – VFD themes are only limited by your imagination!
Set a Goal
We’ve found that Virtual Food Drives that have a numerical goal do much better than those with no “finish line.” Try to find a balance between what is doable, and a number that is challenging. Remember that you DO NOT have to hit your goal – all funds raised will go to the Maryland Food Bank.
Share Your Virtual Food Drive
Using your social media feeds are the best way to engage with your friends, family, and followers. Let them know that we continue to feed hungry Marylanders safely through COVID-19 and they can help; share that the Maryland Food Bank is making Grab & Go meals for schoolchildren; tell them that with their help we can make sure that all Marylanders have enough to eat.
