I want to thank the initial music venues and events for participating in Hunger Down. Your participation will go a long way towards relieving hunger and improving food security for Rhode Islanders in need.
While we are initially targeting arts and entertainment venues and annual events, any entity may participate. If interested, please email us.
Requirements for participating venues and events are as follows:
- Collect food at all events by placing bins and posters inside the venue and publicizing the fact that you are a “Hunger Down Zone,” inviting people to donate non-perishable food items at events.
- You may also collect monetary contributions through the placement of contribution cans in the venue or passing a bucket through the crowd at events.
- Dropping food off at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank or local food pantry. If you need help transporting food, then it must be stored at the venue and once a month it will be picked up and delivered. Please notify us if delivery assistance is needed.
How should food donations requests by venues be publicized?
Please note that this is a program expected to grow over time as awareness increases about the ongoing food donations at your venue. But it will require some modest, free PR in order to maximize its effectiveness.
In addition to ongoing PR that will be conducted by the Hunger Down project, suggestions for venue based PR include the following (see suggested wording at the end):
- Place a message prominently on the home page of your website and Facebook page (and other social media pages) that your venue or event is a “Hunger Down Zone” and that food donations will be welcome at all events at that venue.
- Place a similar message on any ticket purchase pages, newsletters, and notices to those purchasing tickets.
- Where possible, email all ticket purchasers prior to the show encouraging them to donate non-perishable food items. Notify them at the time of purchase and some time prior to the event.
- Notify artists playing at your venue that your venue is a “Hunger Down Zone” and encourage them to invite attendees to donate food. You can do this at the time of signing and prior to the show.
- Periodically remind people through any social or other media to donate food at all venue events
- Send periodic newsletters to your master list regarding food donations at all venue events.
- Offer incentives for people donating food or money or publicizing their donations via social media, such as tickets for drawings for prizes that come from the venue or business sponsors.
Suggested wording for basic messages (feel free to use the logo and link to this website – http://www.hungerdown.com).
“We (venue name) are proud to be part of the Hunger Down program to reduce hunger and food insecurity in Rhode Island. As a “Hunger Down Zone,” we will be collecting food and monetary collections for hunger relief at all events held at this venue (or every occurrence of this event). If you are attending an event at (venue name), please consider donating whatever non-perishable food items that you can. You may also make a monetary donation at any event. With one out of eight Rhode Islanders going hungry or facing food security issues, your help is very important and we thank you in advance for whatever you can do.”
Suggested message for artists
(Venue name) is proud to be part of Hunger Down, with food donations encouraged at all events held at our venue. Please notify your fans and where possible, ticket purchasers, that they are encouraged to donate food or money at your upcoming event here. As always, with one out of eight Rhode Islanders going hungry or facing food security issues, whatever you can do to encourage food donations at all your events at any events will help with this important cause.