PACS expands A Simple Gesture pickup program with updated 2026 schedules

PACS has posted a new 2026 pickup calendar for A Simple Gesture, the green-bag neighborhood donation program that supplies nonperishable food directly to the Phoenix-area pantry. The update lists specific collection dates that will shape volunteer routes, driver staffing, and the pantry’s intake and sorting workflow, making it important for donors and volunteer coordinators to confirm which schedule applies in their neighborhood.

A Simple Gesture began in 2011 when Jonathan Trivers in Paradise, California, created a simple, grassroots way for neighbors to donate food. The model has spread to more than 70 chapters nationwide. PACS’s version asks donors to fill a reusable green bag with staple items, leave it at their doorstep on a designated pickup day, and have a volunteer driver collect the filled bag and leave an empty replacement. PACS’s site sums up the program plainly: "It is that simple!"

PACS’s 2026 pickup dates are listed as January 10, March 7, May 2, July 11, September 12, and November 7, framed on the site as occurring "every other month." A separate chapter in Norwell lists a different cadence - "usually the second Saturday every other month" - with its own 2026 dates: February 7, April 11, June 6, August 8, October 3, and December 5. That divergence means donors and volunteers should verify the calendar used by their local PACS affiliate before preparing donations or assigning drivers.

Operational details from a long-running chapter offer practical staffing and recordkeeping guidance that will affect volunteer workloads and pantry operations. Organizers are advised to plan for one driver per 10 donors to keep routes manageable, create separate route lists with addresses, phone numbers, and landmark notes, and encourage drivers to work in their own neighborhoods. Norwell’s experience found that "Our bags averaged 15 pounds consistently so we stopped weighing after a few pickups and just counted bags, extrapolating weight." Sorters at the receiving pantry should expect to check expiration dates; expired items are not accepted.

Timing and communication matter for volunteers and workplace coordination. A recommended timeline begins about four weeks before pickup to organize routes and assign drivers, includes driver reminder calls two to three days before collection, and closes new signups about one week out so routes can be finalized. PACS’s sign-up flow promises delivery of a reusable ASG green bag at the first pickup, though donations may begin in regular grocery bags.

Local coordinators juggling volunteer schedules, vehicle capacity, and pantry sorting shifts should treat the two published schedules as a prompt to confirm local practice. As one chapter puts it, "These are the basics, but you will find your own methods to make this an effective program for your community. Good luck, have fun, and enjoy the experience." For donors and potential volunteers, the next step is to check your local PACS sign-up calendar and confirm the pickup date that applies to your block.