Ambassador Briefing: Service Drives

1 · Why drives

Small drives decide whether a student keeps going.

Students rarely drop out over one big thing. It's usually the small things that pile up: no deodorant before an interview, nothing to eat in the dorm on a Sunday, no Scantron on exam day, sheets that haven't been washed in months. EFF Service Drives answer those needs directly, on your campus, through the offices that already serve students.

They also do something else: they make EFF visible where you are. Every bin, flyer and table tells students that someone is looking out for them.

2 · The four drives

Pick the one that fits your campus.

There's no sign-up window. Start a drive whenever your schedule allows, and run more than one if you like. The hours shown are the hours EFF suggests for planning, marketing, running and delivering the drive.

Fresh Start Hygiene DriveToothpaste, body wash, lotion, deodorant, menstrual products and hair care, for the women's center or student pantry. 4 hours

Dorm-Friendly Grocery DriveRamen, Easy Mac, granola bars, peanut butter and fruit cups in EFF Weekend Bags, for the pantry or a freshman-dorm RA. 3 hours

Midterm Must-Haves DriveHighlighters, index cards, sticky notes and unused Scantrons as Study Kits, in a free basket at the library front desk. 3 hours

Suds & Quarters Laundry DriveLaundry detergent, for a resident director or the campus basic needs office. 3.5 hours

3 · The rules

Three rules every drive follows.

Unopened items only. Everything you collect is new and sealed. It goes to students, so it has to be something you'd be glad to receive.

Never collect cash. No money of any kind, not even quarters. Only the items listed for your drive. If someone wants to give money, point them to EFF's website.

Use EFF's graphics. EFF designs every story, post, flyer and bin sign. You add your name, campus, drop-off spot and dates. Please don't design your own: it keeps EFF's name and look consistent on every campus.

4 · Running it

Be seen, be kind, be clear.

Collect first, then give. Before you can give out anything, you must collect it. A drive gathers donations first; only what you've collected gets bundled and delivered. Don't buy items to hand out or promise things you haven't collected yet.

Wear purple or EFF gear if you can. A purple shirt tells students who's collecting and who you're with. Every EFF graphic says "Look for our volunteer in purple."
Deliver to the office named in your drive. The women's center, the pantry, an RA, the library front desk, a resident director or the basic needs office. They get it to the students who need it.
Post the story, print the flyer, tape the sign to your bin. The QR code on each one lets other students volunteer too.

Good tip · collaboratePartner with your university and other campus organizations on your EFF service project. The women's center, the pantry, residence life, the library, student government, Greek organizations and clubs can share your flyer, host a bin, co-sponsor the table and help you collect more. Keep it an EFF drive: use EFF's graphics and name EFF as the organizer.

Good practiceAsk the office or building staff before you place a bin, and tell the receiving office when you're coming. It makes the hand-off smooth and the selfie easy.

Good practice · dignityYour photos show the bin, the items and the hand-off with staff. Never photograph a student receiving something, and never post who took what. Help should never cost a student their privacy.

5 · Proof and your letter

Three photos, then EFF National verifies.

Each drive tells you exactly which three photos to take. For most drives they look like this:

Your bin, table or flyer where it ran

What you collected, laid out

A selfie handing it to campus staff

Upload them at represent.estherfundsfoundation.org/service with where the drive ran, the dates and who received it, then submit. EFF National reviews every drive. If something's missing, it comes back to you with a note saying what to fix. Once it's verified, your Community Service Verification Letter is emailed to you: your name, school, the drive, the dates and your hours, with a link anyone can use to confirm it's real. Every drive earns its own letter.

Hours are verified by EFF National, not by you. That's what makes the letter mean something.

6 · Ambassador, not member

Two different things. Both welcome.

Being an EFF Ambassador and being an EFF member are separate. Ambassadors sign in to drives with the email they applied with and a 6-digit code: no MyEFF account needed, and running drives never signs you up as a member. If you're already an EFF member, your MyEFF login works too, and your verified hours also go on your member record. Please don't create a MyEFF account just for drives.

Scenario check

Five situations. What do you do?

Pick an answer. If it's not the best one, you'll see why and can try again.

Module 16 complete

You're ready to run a drive.

Pick your drive, grab EFF's graphics and wear purple. Your campus is waiting.

Start a drive →