Sample Team Timeline

• Register Your Team

  1. Get information about canstruction

  2. Find partnering firms

  3. Turn in Entry fee and entry form

• Gather Ideas

  1. Hold a team meeting to discuss ideas. Brainstorm as many ideas as possible. Make a large list containing everyone’s ideas.

  2. Condense the list to the top 3 to 5 ideas.

  3. Think about whether or not the ideas are realistic or too complicated.

• Create simple sketches of the 3 to 5 best ideas

  1. Creating sketches makes it easier for people to visualize the design

  2. Sketches help determine which ideas are too complicated

• Decide on the best sketch / design idea

  1. Decide as a team

  2. Open the decision to the company

• Submit Your Design

  1. ​​Information due: Structure idea (See Rules & Regulation page for details. )

• Team Planning

  1. Split up team duties among team members

     1. Design

     2. Can Acquisition / Budget

     3. Fundraising

     4. Build Team

  2. Set up regular team meetings

     1. In-person meetings

     2. Conference call meetings if firms are spread out

  3. Brainstorm ways to get the company and employees involved

• Create a pixilated model of your design idea

  1. Using programs like sketch up or excel really helps to determine how realistic your design is

  2. Determine the number of cans you will need for your structure

  3. Colors the number of colored cans you will need to find at the grocery store

  4. Help to determine a budget

• Create a budget and determine cans

  1. Go to the grocery store and take pictures of cans that match the colors you need in your structure (multiple stores)

  2. Measure the height of cans – all cans are not the same

  3. Keep track of prices of cans

  4. Find filler cans that can be used in the center of the structure that are cheaper to purchase than the outer cans. (optional – saves costs)

  5. Meet as a team to determine which cans to use and to finalize the costs

• Fundraise (if your firm doesn’t fund the entire structure)

  1. Use your budget as a fundraising goal

  2. Use your team sketch to help promote enthusiasm for your team’s design

  3. Solicit clients, consultants, and vendors to donate

  4. Host a fundraising event

  5. Additional money raised beyond the cost of your structure will be donated directly to Second Harvest Food Bank

  6. Secure a discount from a local grocery store to try and get food ‘at-cost’.

  7. Discuss with the grocery store manager that you plan on making an order in bulk and would like to order cases and not empty the shelves of the store. Most stores will prepare a separate pallet just for your team.

• Design Submission Due 

  1. ​​See Design Submission details and requirements on the Rules and Regulations page.

• Design your structure

  1. Think about the details of your design

  2. Think about what items are the challenging items and which are more basic

  3. Think about what building materials you are going to need to facilitate the structure (include this in your budget)

  4. Create a more complex model of your structure (Revit, autoCAD, sketchup, etc. – Optional)

  5. Create plans that can be used as templates for build-day (this is typically done by layer)

• Building Materials

  1. Finalize what building materials you will need for your structure. (pay attention to the allowed and not allowed items in the rules and regulations)

  2. Email the Canstruction Committee about items that are questionable or not on the list in the rules and regulations and wait for approval.

  3. Decide on how you plan on preparing/cutting your leveling devices (such as foam core).

  4. Order building materials

• Signage Submission Due 

  1. ​​See Signage Submission requirements on the Rules and Regulations page.

• Order cans

  1. Finalize can count

  2. Place the order with the grocery store

  3. Determine how your team will get the food order from the grocery store to your pre-build location (see rules and regulations)

• Pre-Build

  1. Arrange a time and location to do a pre-build.

  2. If you have extra space in your office host the pre-build at one of your firm’s offices and leave up for a couple days. (Helps to boost additional last-minute fundraising)

  3. Have at least the build team at the pre-build

  4. Use this time to prepare all building materials (i.e., cutting and coloring foam core, etc.)

  5. Ensure that the proper amount of cans have been ordered and received

• Pack Food for Transporting on the Morning of Build Day 

  1. Get a pallet from the grocery store (typically free) or pack food in boxes.

  2. Mark all of your pallets/boxes with the designated markings to ensure your food stays in your build area at the Event.

  3. Shrink wrap your pallets. (if applicable)

  4. Have volunteers available to help load, transport, and unload the food at the Event location.

• Build-Out 

  1. Arrive at the Event location at your scheduled build time. You may arrive early to load in supplies, etc., but do not start building until your designated time.

  2. Find the Canstruction Committee to determine your build location.

  3. Bring all building materials to your build site including supplies you will need to build your structure. Ladders, carts, tape, etc.

  4. When finished building remove all unused supplies and building material.

• De-Canstruction

  1. Bring at least 5 team members to tear down your structure. (great activity for Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts)

  2. Remove all items that you brought into the Event location with you.

  3. Bring Scissors and box cutters to cut any tape you used on your structure. Do not pull off or damage the labels.