A donor arrives with three bags of gifts. The volunteer accepts them, but the bags have no labels. Later, your team has to work out which gifts belong to which recipient.
Clear labeling instructions can prevent that investigation from becoming part of every drop-off.
Before donors shop, tell them exactly what to attach to each bag or package:
1. The family or recipient ID your organization uses. Choose an identifier donors can recognize without exposing private family information.
2. The item inside. For example, “winter coat.” Add the size when it helps your team check the donation.
3. The package count. If one donation spans two bags, mark them “1 of 2” and “2 of 2.”
For example:
Recipient 024
Winter coat, youth size 10–12
Package 1 of 2
If you need a donor reference for check-in, explain how to provide it according to your organization’s process.
Include the labeling instructions alongside the drop-off address, hours, and deadline. Make your wrapping policy clear too, so volunteers know whether they will be able to inspect the contents.
Use the same identifier on your donor instructions, labels, and tracking records. Labels are most useful when volunteers can match them to the current list.
Try this before collection day: Hand a labeled sample bag to someone who did not prepare it. Can they identify the recipient, confirm the item, and tell whether another package is expected?