Feds Feed Families

Feds Feeds Families is an annual government-wide campaign which encourages employees from all federal departments and agencies to give in-kind contributions – food, services, and time – to food banks and pantries. This year’s food drive highlights a summer of giving in June, July, and August along with seasonal reminders to donate throughout the year.

Goals

• Help food pantries and food banks stay stocked during the summer months when they traditionally see a decrease in donations and an increase in need through donations of food to food pantries and food banks.
• Bring awareness to issues of hunger.
• Balance volunteerism with work.
• Come together as a federal community to realize these goals and have fun while doing it.

Stakeholders

All employees of the federal government are invited to participate in Feds Feed Families. Participation is purely voluntary. Monetary or time off awards are not granted in recognition of participation in Feds Feed Families. CFC is the Federal government’s sole charitable cash donation program and is guided by regulation 5 CFR 950.102 (b). This regulation allows federal employees to be solicited for in-kind donations but prohibits cash donation efforts and assigning a monetary value to in-kind donations.

Employees may give their personal time to participate in activities outside the office, such as harvesting or gleaning on farms or gardens, volunteering at a food bank, or serving at a feeding program. Employees may take annual leave, with supervisory approval, to volunteer. Additionally, these activities may be done outside normal work hours with family, friends and other federal employees.

History/Timeline

The drive began in response to the 2009 United We Serve Initiative, which called on Americans to contribute to the nation’s economic recovery by serving in their communities. USDA has been the lead agency for coordinating the federal government’s annual Feds Feed Families food drive. As the Department which supports nutrition assistance for those in need, USDA seeks to connect federal employees across the entire federal government with our mission, and to come together to make a difference.

External links

https://fedsfeedfamilies.ocio.usda.gov