Help Us Reduce Hunger & Food Waste by Transporting Food Donations

WHAT:

We’re looking for volunteers (must be 18+) to help us end food waste in the Santa Monica area by delivering extra food from grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, and more to soup kitchens and food pantries! We do all the prep work to help you be successful; we just need people like YOU to pick the food up and drop it off!

ABOUT FOODCYCLE:

FoodCycle is committed to sourcing food supplies for local food banks and coordinating donations from grocery stores, restaurants, warehouses, and other businesses to be distributed to our partner non-profits, who in turn get that food into the hands of those most in need.

We’ve partnered with #CAClimateActionCorps and #CaliforniaVolunteers to help the state meet its goals of reducing food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Together, we’re building a more sustainable and compassionate Los Angeles, and you can help too!

VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES:

After signing up, you will input your location and availability in an app called Careit (this is where you’ll take a short food safety quiz to help keep everyone safe). Careit will help you find food runs with delivery times that work for you. Food donations typically total no more than 50 pounds, but some deliveries can range from 100 to 300 pounds (when signing up, you can select the type of vehicle that you have and the amount that you would be able to transport).

IMPACT:

Food insecurity is still a serious issue across the state, with 1 in 5 people not having enough to eat. Cuts to programs like SNAP (CalFresh) have put even more families at risk of going hungry.

By volunteering, you’ll help make sure good food goes to our neighbors instead of landfills, reducing hunger and cutting down on methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. YOU can make a difference in both your community and our planet’s future!

REQUIREMENTS:

Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and have a reliable car with a valid driver’s license and auto insurance. Should be able to lift and carry boxes of food, with the heaviest boxes generally weighing 30 to 40 pounds.

SAFETY GUIDELINES:

Your safety and the safety of the community are our top priorities. Please:

• Do not volunteer if you’re feeling sick or have recently been exposed to illness
• Wash or sanitize your hands before and after each food run
• Follow all food safety and handling procedures
• Masks are optional but encouraged around vulnerable individuals or in crowded spaces

ACCESSIBILITY:

FoodCycle firmly believes that we strengthen the social fabric of our community by involving everyone in service. If you need accommodations to participate in this project, please email our team at admin@foodcyclela.org.

QUESTIONS?

Contact us through the "I Want to Help" button.

WANT TO SIGN UP?

Click the "I Want to Help" button above!

Watch our video to learn more: FoodCycle