It’s easy! Head over to our Get Involved section. This is where individuals can decide whether they want to Join an Existing #HashtagLunchbag Event, Host their Own #HashtagLunchbag Event or simply Donate.

Companies, please, click on Corporate Opportunity in order to connect.

Head over to Join the Movement to see if there are any upcoming events in your area. Many of our chapters do not post their event on the website until a week or so out, so be sure to continue checking back. You can also search #HashtagLunchbag on Instagram to see if there is a social media account set up for your specific city.

#HashtagLunchbag is a program under Living Through Giving Foundation, which is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in the US. Though we are a global movement, our non-profit status is only recognized by the United States government for now. If you need proof of status for in-kind donation purposes, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]

#HashtagLunchbag is a movement based humanity service, powered solely by volunteers and donations. A #HashtagLunchbag organizer can either pay the grocery and supply costs up front or try to obtain in-kind donations from local stores and businesses to help offset any costs they would not like to incur. Please remember we highly encourage volunteers to donate $10 to help reimburse for the cost of groceries and supplies. This way, everyone involved has the opportunity to contribute and gets to be part of the full A-Z experience.

All of our events are independently operated. In many cases, the amazing organizers who have taken the initiative to bring the #HashtagLunchbag movement to their local community incur the up front costs of setting up an event. Think supplies, groceries, potential venue costs, etc. The $10 is not mandatory but it is highly encouraged to help the #HashtagLunchbag organizer cover these expenses. As the #HashtagLunchbag movement grows, any surplus goes back into the program to support the growth.

This all depends on how big or small you want your event to be. The very first time, we started with 5 people in our apartment. Start with your personal contacts or ask your friends and colleagues if they know of any venues who would be a good fit. Let the potential venues know what you’re up to and see if they’re willing to contribute their space and anything else to house your efforts. Depending on the type of business or venue, hosting a #HashtagLunchbag event can also be great publicity for the venue, indirectly marketing their business. We like to think it can be a mutually beneficial experience for all. 

Love notes are a key component of a #HashtagLunchbag event. These notes acknowledge the humanity of the recipient, that which connects each and every one of us. These notes can be just as powerful for the person creating them as well. You never know what someone is going through and how they got there. Sometimes, a person needs a reminder that they’re not alone and someone is thinking about them. We all do.

Please head over to our Corporate Opportunity section and click on the 'Corporate Contact' button. This will take you to a form that we will ask you to fill out so one of our team members can be in touch. While you await contact from our team, feel free to read through our 'Corporate Event Guide' as well.

Yes! If your organization or company is looking to join an existing chapter at a #HashtagLunchbag event, simply email us at [email protected] and we will put you in touch with that city's organizer. 

Please keep in mind, if your group exceeds 20 individuals, we will likely discuss the option of your organization or company hosting their very own #HashtagLunchbag event. Please head to Corporate Opportunities to start this process.

If you are a company interested in participating in a #HashtagLunchbag event or in a sponsorship opportunity, please head over to our Corporate Opportunity section and hit the 'Corporate Contact' button. This will begin the partnership process. We always are looking to bring meaningful partnerships into fruition to help the #HashtagLunchbag movement continue to keep going & growing. 

Food safety is a primary #HashtagLunchbag concern. Please double check to make sure that perishable items are not expired. In terms of using specific food items, we do make recommendations in our Toolkit. However, we have many #HashtagLunchbag events around the globe with each culture putting their own spin on a #HashtagLunchbag meal by using local fare.

Yes! We so appreciate each one. Please contact your local organizer and give them a heads up on what you’re bringing and the amount so they can plan accordingly. If you are unable to get in touch with the local organizer, feel free to email us at [email protected] so we can help facilitate.

We think it's awesome that you want to apply for a grant on behalf of our organization in order to give back to your community. However, we do require that any and all grant applications come to and through us first for approval. If you or your team is thinking about grant application, please reach out to [email protected] with the details of your event, the grant you're interested in applying for and the actual grant application attached. 

Distribution can be to any community in need within your local area. This can be a condensed population of homeless individuals, or local area shelters. Please read our Toolkit for information on best practices in this regard.

We have created #HashtagLunchbag Spotify playlists from world renowned DJ’s. Click HERE to stream and enjoy!

If you need our signature #Hashtag heart or our official #HashtagLunchbag logo, please head over to our Media Kit. Please remember, these are trademarked entities and are to be used for promotional purposes ONLY ie fliers, social media, invites, etc. They cannot be used to create t-shirts or merchandise.  

• #HashtagLunchbag
• #HashtagLunchbag + your city (i.e. #HashtagLunchbagNYC = New York City)
• #HashtagLunchbag + your company
• #LivingThroughGiving

The short answer is yes. However, if you are hosting a pop-up event or are not planning on hosting an ongoing #HashtagLunchbag event regularly, we prefer that you simply use our hashtags for the event instead of creating a new account. 

The city specific @HashtagLunchbag social accounts are an amazing glimpse for our volunteers to keep track of efforts in your community. We would like to streamline each account so that every account is consistent from a branding & messaging standpoint. With this in mind, we request that you:

1) Your Instagram name and handle should be @HashtagLunchbag + Your City (ie @HashtagLunchbagChicago)

2) In your profile, set the website on your account to: www.hashtaglunchbag.com

4) Bio: Humanity service movement that Presents the opportunity to Feed local communities, Feel the benefits of giving & share on social media to Inspire all.

5) Logo for avatar attached should be our logo. Email us at hello@hashtaglunchbag for access.

6) Hashtags to use: #HashtagLunchbag --  #HashtagLunchbag + Your City -- #LivingThroughGiving

7) Login info:

- Please provide us with the password for your city's account. We have a database for all HTLB social accounts and will require this information for administrative purposes. Note: We will not be posting on your behalf. 

We are family friendly. #HashtagLunchbag is for all ages! Everyone gets to spread the love!!!

No, though it does help the organizer(s) by giving them an idea of how many people to expect and how many lunches can possibly be made. Just like a party, it can be courteous to RSVP, but we also have friends who don't mind us showing up unannounced. The more, the merrier when it comes to a #HashtagLunchbag event.

Unfortunately, the answer is no. This is for very specific legal reasons and protection of the brand. We do sell merchandise here, however, and encourage people to support in this way. 

It started off as a joke. We like humor around here. In 2012, when 5 friends got together on Christmas day to hand out meals in Los Angeles, we randomly tagged our very first photos posted to social media with #HashtagLunchbag as an ode to hashtags because a lot of people love using a hashtag for EVERYTHING and because it rhymed with lunch bag. After that, we just kept rocking with it. Plus, let's be real, #lunchbag doesn’t look as fun.

In addition to preparing meals to feed the hungry, we are also feeding a deeper hunger inside ourselves. We truly believe that #HashtagLunchbag recipients and volunteers alike benefit. #HashtagLunchbag prides itself on building communities around fun and simple events that are easily accessible so people can experience what it feels like to be #LivingThroughGiving.

The power of social media! For the first time, we all have the power to share, influence, and inspire others with our actions. Whether you have 10 friends & followers or 10 million, each of us has the power to spread the word and get others on board with the #HashtagLunchbag mission.

This is the intention behind what we do and the engine that powers the #HashtagLunchbag movement. This intention is the idea that #HashtagLunchbag provides an experience where people have the opportunity to feel what it truly means to be alive and in touch with humanity through performing acts of kindness, big or small, in daily life. How awesome is that?

Living Through Giving Foundation is also our 501(c)3 non-profit organization that the #HashtagLunchbag program is under.  

This is our purpose. For a more detailed explanation of why we chose this, head over to Our Story to learn more about #HashtagLunchbag's brand, terms and mission.

Our goal is to bring awareness to hunger and so many other issues facing humanity, while building communities of like-minded people who are willing to proactively engage in their local areas. We believe hunger is very stupid. We also recognize that this issue has plagued society for centuries and there is no quick fix. We firmly believe that small ripples become big waves, however. We work hard to inspire and change the way people think about #LivingThroughGiving in their local communities. 

If you have a donor looking to make an in-kind or monetary donation to your efforts, connect them with us directly at [email protected] and we can provide them with a tax letter or receipt upon request.

Please direct any questions not included in this FAQ or the Toolkit to [email protected]