City Harvest, one of New York City’s largest food banks, is taking a multifaceted approach to food drives, aiming to engage as many New Yorkers as possible in the fight against hunger. With multiple ways to participate, the organization ensures that everyday citizens can make meaningful contributions to its mission of ending hunger in NYC.

At the heart of City Harvest’s efforts are four major food drives conducted annually. These traditional drives are complemented by collaborations with corporate partners, allowing employees to make cash contributions that are used to purchase food. Additionally, City Harvest offers an innovative platform called #GiveHealthy, which allows participants to donate fresh, healthy produce directly to those in need.

According to Ellen Granger, Senior Manager of Donor Relations and Supply Chain at City Harvest, the organization’s goal is to provide options that cater to various types of donors. “We want to offer all the options,” Granger says. These efforts have enabled City Harvest to collect nearly one million pounds of food each year through its food drives.

As the holiday season approaches, City Harvest is gearing up for its largest annual drive, conducted in partnership with The Daily News, one of New York’s major newspapers. This drive, which takes place during a time when many people look for ways to give back, is a key focus for the food bank. “We devote a lot of resources toward being able to say yes to New Yorkers who are reaching out to us,” Granger explains. City Harvest hires additional staff to manage the high volume of inquiries and pickups during this period, with the threshold for a pickup being a collection of at least 100 pounds of food.

The holiday drive fosters a strong sense of community. The Daily News helps launch the campaign with full-page ads, and organizations such as fire departments, police precincts, and local businesses like Apple Bank serve as drop-off locations for food collection. City Harvest also secures sponsorships from food manufacturers willing to make large donations—sometimes as much as 40,000 pounds of food. Schools play a particularly significant role in the drive, with many having participated for decades. “We love finding ways to engage our young New Yorkers,” Granger says.

In addition to the holiday drive, City Harvest runs other annual food drives. One, called the Feed Our Kids Food Drive, takes place from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day and aims to restock pantry shelves in the summer when children lose access to free school meals. Two other drives, focused on collecting kosher food, are timed to coincide with the Jewish High Holidays in the fall and Passover in the spring.

One of City Harvest’s most innovative tools is the #GiveHealthy platform, which offers an alternative to traditional food drives by focusing on fresh produce and healthy food donations. Unlike conventional food drives where contributions can be unpredictable, #GiveHealthy allows donors to select specific healthy foods—such as a five-pound bag of apples—via an online platform. It operates similarly to a gift registry, ensuring that the food donated meets the needs of the recipient food bank. “It’s nice for people to actually pick specific items and make those decisions and know exactly what they’re contributing,” Granger explains.

City Harvest benefits from this system as well. Donated food is delivered directly to their warehouse free of charge, reducing the logistical challenges that can come with managing large-scale food drives, particularly during the busy holiday season. “It’s as easy as could be for the food bank,” says Granger, adding that the deliveries arrive without the need for further coordination. “The food just shows up. You don’t have to think about it. It’s like magic.”

The platform also allows City Harvest to target specific needs. For example, kosher food donations can be sent directly to kosher agency partners, bypassing the need to route them through the main warehouse. Additionally, #GiveHealthy guarantees that all food is nutritious and of high quality. Granger points out that this platform “brings fresh produce and other healthy items into the food drive landscape, which has typically been focused on canned goods and other non-perishables.” The result is “beautiful, high-quality produce” that benefits recipients in a meaningful way.

Moreover, the platform has proven to be an effective donor engagement tool. Granger notes that a significant number of people who contribute through #GiveHealthy are first-time donors to City Harvest, and their contact information allows the organization to nurture ongoing relationships, encouraging them to explore other ways to give.

While traditional food drives remain popular, City Harvest plans to continue incorporating #GiveHealthy into its annual campaigns. The organization also offers the platform as an option for anyone who wants to organize a drive at any time throughout the year. “It’s great supplemental food,” Granger says, highlighting its nutritious value and ease of distribution. “So why would we say no?”

With its diverse approach to food drives, City Harvest continues to find new ways to engage the community and ensure that nutritious food reaches those who need it most, keeping New Yorkers connected to the fight against hunger all year round.