Breakfast with Champions Food Collection Drive

What is Breakfast with Champions? Breakfast with Champions is a planned nation-wide (and even beyond) food-collection drive that will involve organizations, corporations and individuals throughout the United States in helping to allay food insecurity by collecting canned and non-perishable food items, grooming items and/or supermarket gift cards that will be donated to local food pantries and food banks.

When will it be held? We plan to hold the first event nation-wide on the morning of September 18, 2021, (which is why we are calling it Breakfast with Champions). Each participating organization or individual can determine the exact times and locations the food drives will be held. Participating organizations may choose instead to hold the event on Friday, September 17 or Sunday, September 18. We are asking that organizations pledge to run more than one food collection events per year, as food insecurity does not just go away with one food drive. 

Who is coordinating this event?  This event is being organized by members of Rotary District 7490 in northern NJ, in association with alumni of the White House Champions of Change, a nation-wide affiliation of people who were honored by the White House between 2011-2016. There are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in more than 35,000 Rotary Clubs throughout the world who work together to improve their communities and the world. The non-partisan White House Champions of Change Alumni Association are some of the approximately 1,300 honorees of all ages and from all 50 states who were chosen by the White House between 2011-2016 as Champions of Change for their commitment to making positive changes in their communities. 

 Why Run a Food Collection Drive Now? Even though the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be on the wane, millions of Americans are still out of work. This has caused one of the nation's most urgent problems to worsen: hunger. In communities across the country, the lines at food pantries are still stretching longer and longer, and there is no clear end in sight. Before the pandemic, the number of families experiencing food insecurity — defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life — had been steadily falling. But even though we are now recovering from the pandemic and the economy has recovered somewhat, we still are experiencing some of the worst rates of food insecurity in the United States in years. It's a crisis that's still testing families, communities and the social safety net in ways that may have seemed unthinkable before the pandemic began. Nearly 1 in 4 households have experienced food insecurity this year.

Who should participate? We are hoping to involve United Ways, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Optimists and Soroptimists, Hadassahs, Elks Clubs, Knights of Columbus, schools, colleges, YMCA’s, religious organizations, corporations- any groups throughout the country who want to make a difference in their communities. We are also hoping that major food-producing companies will also donate to this event. Even over-seas organizations can take part. 

What food pantries will this benefit? Each group or individual will choose their own food pantry and arrange delivery of the food collected to that location. To find a food pantry near you, you can go  Select a site and time where you will collect the food to www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank or many other sites

Sounds great!  What steps do I take now to participate? 

1) Register yourself by clicking on the button below or go to: https://tinyurl.com/ChampionsInformation

2) Reach out to any organization or organizations to which you belong and ask them if they will hold a food collection drive that morning. This could be a Rotary Club, a Lions Club (or any service organization), your house of worship, a YMCA or YWCA -- any group or even corporation that might be interested in participating.  Each group should register separately at:https://www.tinyurl.bwcRegistration.  Select a "Champion" in your own organization who will coordinate with other groups in your community to run the food collection drive. 

3) Choose a food pantry or food bank near you that will benefit from your collection(s). Register your food drive with them. When you register, or an organization registers, provide the name and location of the food bank or food pantry.  If you need assistance in finding a local food pantry, go to:  Select a site and time where you will collect the food to: https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank:https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank