Updates+Mike+Garner+092010

First, to those schools who were here at the kickoff event, thank you for bringing a wonderful group of students who ate, danced, cheered and left energized to meet the 2010 goal of 75,000 pounds. As Josh Stack stated, if we hit this loft goal, the impact of the Student Food Drive is magnified, as Tyson Foods will provide a truckload of their product. This will help us **//**//immensely//**//** in our partnership to eliminate hunger in Western N.C.!
 * **Re: 2010 goal** **

I will leave it up to the individual schools to brainstorm how to basically double the collections that they received last year. Some ideas that have been presented from advisors and other sources include:
 * Quickly engaging institutions of higher learning (state universities, private universities, colleges, community colleges) for them to assist;
 * Utilizing the virtual food drive component as described on MANNA FoodBank’s website;
 * Engaging corporate sponsors to either access the virtual food drive site OR to provide sponsorship dollars that can then be turned into purchases of food
 * **Re: Promotional items** **
 * **For those of you who were NOT present** ** at the kickoff, or did not receive your promotional items (Student Food Drive T-shirts, button pins) and the DVD that was shown at kickoff— ****please contact me this week to obtain these items!!!**** I want to insure that all schools receive the same items quickly!

There is a monetary payoff to the schools in each division that collect the most food! Also, there is a monetary reward to the one school that has the most creative event. Creative events should be conceived and carried out by your students under your guidance; engaging media outlets to document the event, or videotaping the event will provide the information needed to substantiate your entry!
 * **Re: Recognition and Awards** **

Remember, the kickoff was a great party, but I am still available to you for presentations at your schools, to discuss any concerns any advisors have, etc.


 * **Re: Referencing the drive** **
 * **Regarding references to the food drive, please note that the proper name is MANNA////fest//// Student Food Drive** ** . Please use this specific term, written as noted, on any materials being sent out as this is one of our four MANNA////fest//// Food Drives that we have “branded”.

If you are contacting any media outlets or if they contact you, we have appropriate logos that we can send to the media, dependent upon their specific needs. Please do not respond to the media outlet (e.g., television stations, newspapers) directly for logos or general MANNA FoodBank or MANNA////fest//// Student Food Drive information beyond what your local school is doing, but please refer them to me or Josh Stack at MANNA FoodBank so that we can provide appropriate facts and logos as needed and assist you with that interface to the media. It is important to maintain a consistent image and message and we appreciate your help in this!
 * **Re: Media** **