Frequently Asked Questions

When is the campaign?

This year, City Harvest’s Share Lunch Fight Hunger will run from May 8 to June 8. However, our website for teams to sign up is already open! Teams do not have to wait to start their fundraising!

Do I have to fundraise every day from May 8-June 8?

You can choose to fundraise for the length of time that works for you! You do not need to fundraise for the entire campaign. You can also set up a team page before May 8 to get a head start.

What is the competition aspect of this campaign?

In order to create a little friendly fundraising competition, the top 5 fundraising teams will be featured on a City Harvest food rescue truck (which receives an estimated 170 million impressions per year!) and the top 25 teams will be recognized in a full page Thank You ad (previous ads have been featured in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times!)

We also have two awards honoring participating teams: the Newcomer Award and the Team Spirit Award. Teams participating for the first time (or the first time within the past three years) are eligible for the Newcomer Award. Teams with the most creative ideas to incentivize participation are eligible for the Team Spirit Award. Winning team logos will be included on the City Harvest food rescue truck and in the full-page Thank You ad. 

Please note that all gifts need to be reported to City Harvest by Thursday, June 8 at 5pm EST in order to count towards the competition. City Harvest closes the competition promptly at 5pm EST on June 8. We will still accept donations after June 8, but they will not count towards the competition.

I want to start a team but I’ve never led a fundraising team before. How do I start?

We have put together a handy guide to running a Share Lunch Fight Hunger team! Find out more about the easy steps you can take to bring the campaign to your office or group, and learn tips and tricks from our Share Lunch Fight Hunger experts! Want to talk things through with us over the phone? Just reach out to us at 646.277.7804 or sharelunchfighthunger@cityharvest.org to receive personalized support.

Do you accept matching gifts?

Yes! Find out if your company or organization has a matching gift program—these types of gifts motivate donors and are a great way to double your impact! Your team page automatically includes a reminder to your supporters to see if their gift can be matched by their company. Still not sure if your company has a matching program? Your HR department may be able to tell you. 

I want to be involved in Share Lunch Fight Hunger without being part of a team. What do I do?

Lots of individual New Yorkers get involved with Share Lunch Fight Hunger every year! You can create a personal team page and ask friends and family to share their lunch by making a donation. You can also make a personal gift without starting a team by making a general donation.

How do I change my team goal or why isn't my team goal showing up? Why can't I see team donations? 

The reason that you cannot see your team goal or team donations is usually because you are on a sub-team page. To change your team goal or view your team donations, make sure to 1. Log in to your page, and click into the Participant Center, and 2. click the Progress tab, and 3.) click to the ‘Team’ view on the right side of the screen (screenshot below). Still having trouble? Reach out to us at 646.277.7804 or sharelunchfighthunger@cityharvest.org.

How do I create a sub-team?

On your team’s homepage, there is an option to create a sub-team, perfect for instilling a bit of friendly competition among your organization. Simply click and follow the instructions to create a sub-team within your page. Want to create more than five sub-teams? Contact us at sharelunchfighthunger@cityharvest.org and we can assist in speeding up the process.

How do I hide my name as a captain?

On the homepage of the Participant Center, you will see an option for “Manage Your Display Name.” You may select “Keep User Anonymous” to prevent your name from appearing, or choose “Use a Screen Name or Nickname” to have a custom page name for a department/floor, etc. 

What do I do if a gift was made to the wrong team or sub-team?

If a gift was made to the wrong team or incorrect sub-team, or to the general donations page, please contact sharelunchfighthunger@cityharvest.org and our team can correct that for you! If you made your gift via text message, unfortunately we are unable to change your gift to a specific team or sub-team.

Can I send personalized emails through the website?

You can! Once you log in, click into the Participant Center, and then click into the Email tab. You will see email templates available to personalize and send. You can add your contacts or send a thank-you email to people who have already donated. Select "Include personalized greeting" to add the first name of your contacts in your thank you emails (screenshot below).

Didn’t this campaign used to be called Skip Lunch Fight Hunger?

In 2021, our campaign name evolved to Share Lunch Fight Hunger! This new name captures the campaign’s spirit and alludes to the ethos of “neighbors helping neighbors” that has been at the heart of City Harvest’s work since our founding in 1982. Share Lunch Fight Hunger is also a testament to the giving spirit New York City has always shown, especially in times of crisis.