Fundraiser Delivery Day Guide: Smooth, Fast, Stress-Free

Delivery day doesn’t have to be chaos. This fundraiser delivery day guide walks you through smart prep, alphabetized pickup lanes, volunteer roles, pickup windows, cold/frozen handling, and no-show steps—so distribution runs on time and stress-free. If you want extra support, see how Midland handles the heavy lifting in How It Works, and grab the Delivery Day Checklist (PDF) to keep everything on track.
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What you’ll learn:

• Day-before prep that cuts chaos by 80%

• The perfect alphabetized pickup lane setup (A–F, G–L, M–R, S–Z)

• Cold/frozen item handling that protects the cold chain

• Scripts and copy-paste texts/emails for families and no-shows

• A mini lane calculator to size windows + volunteers

• A clean post-pickup audit and wrap-up process
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Download the Delivery Day Checklist (PDF)
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Internal links: How It Works • Start Your Fundraiser
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Day-Before Checklist

Goal: Arrive prepared so staging begins the moment the truck opens.
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• Room & route: Reserve a gym/cafeteria with a one-way path from loading door → staging tables → pickup lanes → cold station → exit.

• Zones: A–F • G–L • M–R • S–Z • Cold/Frozen • Customer Service • Volunteer HQ • Overflow.

• Gear: folding tables, carts/dollies, box cutters, painter’s tape, labels, Sharpies, power strip, extension cord, trash/recycling, gloves, paper towels.

• Tech: charged phones/tablets, Wi-Fi/hotspot, printable master list (sellers + orders).

• Printables: big arrows; Start Here/Check-In; lane headers; Cold/Frozen (Redeem Ticket Last); Exit; Accessible Entrance.

• Logs: Missing/Overage Log, Damages Log (with photos), Cold/Frozen Ticket Tally, No-Show List (Google Sheet works great).

• Family reminder: email + SMS 24–48 hours prior.

• Weather backup: canopy for curbside, mats for wet floors, salt for ice, towels.
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Mini-CTA: Running short on volunteers? We’ll help map your flow—Start Your Fundraiser.
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Floor Plan & Signage

Flow: Loading Door → Staging Tables (A–Z) → Check-In → Lettered Lanes → Cold/Frozen → Exit
Sign text (ready to print):
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• START HERE → CHECK-IN

• PICKUP LANES: A–F | G–L | M–R | S–Z

• COLD/FROZEN PICKUP — Redeem Ticket Last

• CUSTOMER SERVICE — Missing/Damaged

• ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE • VOLUNTEER HQ • EXIT → THANK YOU!
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Pro tip: Hang lane letters high so families can see them from the door.
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Volunteer Shift Plan & Roles Matrix

Recommended staffing (≈150–300 orders):

Shift blocks:

• Setup: −90 minutes

• Peak Pickup: first 90 minutes

• Wrap: last 60 minutes + breakdown
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5-minute huddle: safety rules, how to read labels, where to send issues (Customer Service), cold chain basics.
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Pickup Capacity Calculator

Use this to size windows and lanes (drop right into your page).
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Rules of thumb:

• Walk-in: ~10–12 families per lane per 15 min

• Drive-thru: ~12–16 cars per lane per 15 min

• Start with 4 lanes + overflow during the first window
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Alphabetized Pickup Lanes

Walk-in flow:

1. Check-In confirms family, teacher/coach; hand Cold/Frozen Ticket if applicable.

2. Direct to A–F / G–L / M–R / S–Z lane.

3. Runner pulls boxes; family confirms seller name + item count on label.

4. Redeem cold/frozen last at the cold station.

5. Clear Exit; offer carry-out for larger orders.
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Drive-thru tweaks:

• Cones + arrows, two lines merging into Check-In tent.

• Lane spotters pre-read names for runners.

• Sign: “Please open trunk” near final station.
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Cold/Frozen Handling

• Isolate inventory at a dedicated cold station—never stage at letter tables.

• Ticket system: Check-In writes seller name + order #; Cold Captain collects on release.

• Timing: Encourage cold/frozen families to arrive early in their window; release last.

• Tally: name, order #, time out.

• Storage: keep in insulated boxes/coolers/freezer per school policy.

• No unattended frozen items—always supervised.
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Communication Templates

48–24 Hours Before (Email)
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Subject: Your Fundraiser Pickup Details — [Group Name]
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Hi [Name],
Our fundraiser orders arrive [Day, Date]. Please pick up between [Time–Time] at [Location].
• Lines are alphabetized by last name
• Cold/frozen items are handed out last at a separate station (bring a cooler if you’d like)
• Volunteers can help carry to your car
Thanks for supporting [Group Name]!
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Day-Of Reminder (Text)
Today’s the day! Pick up your [Group Name] fundraiser order [Time–Time] at [Location]. Alphabetized lanes. Cold/frozen at a separate station. Thank you!
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Missed Pickup (Text)
We missed you. We’ll hold your order and offer a short pickup window tomorrow [Time] at [Location]. Reply with questions.
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Voicemail (Missed Pickup)
“Hi, this is [Name] with [Group]. Your fundraiser order is ready. We’ll hold it and offer a short pickup tomorrow at [Time] in [Location]. Questions? Call/text [Phone]. Thank you!”
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Parking, Traffic & Accessibility

• Traffic loop: single direction, no cross-traffic; cones + arrows.

• Accessible entrance clearly signed; offer a priority queue if needed.

• Weather plan: canopy at check-in; floor mats; salt/ice melt ready.

• Safety: wide walkways; no stacks above shoulder height; gloves for runners.
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Troubleshooting (Day-Of)

• Pallet arrives mixed? Start staging to lettered tables immediately—don’t pre-open every box.

• Label missing or smudged? Match by seller + teacher, write a temp label, log in Issues.

• Freezer space tight? Release cold/frozen first; shrink window to 45 min; ticket priority.

• Line backup? Open a runner-only overflow lane; assign floater as a second Check-In.

• Parents at wrong time? Place them in line; keep flow moving—don’t debate times at the table.
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No-Show Protocol

1. Text before close (15 minutes out).

2. Hold cold/frozen up to 24 hours (per school rules); dry goods 3–5 school days.

3. Offer a next-day mini-window (15–30 minutes) at main office or concession stand.

4. Log attempts (name, teacher, items, contacts).

5. Follow group policy for final disposition (return/donation/credit).
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Post-Pickup Audit & Reconciliation

• Count leftovers per lane; compare to master list.

• Reconcile cold tickets vs. remaining cold inventory.

• Log damages/missing with photos.

• Carrier notes: arrival time, pallet condition, exceptions.

• KPI snapshot: avg. wait (peak), % day-of pickups, issues per 100 orders, volunteer hours used.
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Safety, Loss Prevention & Damages

• Two-person release for large or fragile orders.

• Customer Service is the only table that approves swaps/notes issues.

• Keep original packaging intact unless inspecting damages; photograph everything.

• Prefer cashless day-of to speed lines and reduce risk.
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Feedback, Wrap-Up & Next Steps

• 48-hour micro-survey (3 questions): Was pickup easy? Any suggestions? Would you volunteer next time?

• Volunteer thank-you recap with photos and shout-outs.

• Document Top 3 Wins + Top 3 Tweaks for next time.

• Keep momentum: How It Works • Start Your Fundraiser
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Delivery Day Checklist (PDF Content – use for your download)

Before Truck Arrives
Room reserved • Zones labeled • Signs up • Gear staged • Family reminders sent • Roles assigned
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During Distribution
Check-In open • Lanes staffed • Runners pulling/confirming • Cold tickets in use • Customer Service logging • Exit path clear
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Closeout
Leftovers counted • Cold tickets reconciled • No-shows texted • Damages photographed • Thank-yous sent • 48-hour survey scheduled
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FAQs

How long does pickup take?
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With alphabetized lanes and runners, most families finish in 10–15 minutes, even during peak windows.
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Can someone else pick up for me?
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Yes—ask them to bring your seller name and teacher/coach.
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How are cold and frozen items handled?
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They’re staged separately and released last using a ticket system to keep temperatures safe.
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What if I miss my pickup time?
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We’ll hold your order and offer a short next-day window; we’ll text details.
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What if something is missing or damaged?
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Visit Customer Service at pickup. We’ll log the issue, photograph damages, and resolve it quickly.
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Do volunteers need training?
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A 5-minute huddle covers roles, safety, cold chain rules, and where to escalate issues.
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Is drive-thru pickup faster than walk-in?
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For tight parking or bad weather, drive-thru is often faster. Indoors, walk-in works great in a large room.
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How many pickup lanes do we need?
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Use the calculator above. Most groups run four lanes—A–F, G–L, M–R, S–Z—plus an overflow option.
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