Warehouse and Distribution Center Volunteer Intern

Do you have a burgeoning passion to help others or is it fully fledged? At The Thurston County Food Bank’s Warehouse and Distribution Center we strive to provide volunteer opportunities for all those who are itching to help others. Do you enjoy working as a team to accomplish large tasks or a more meditative solitude? Do you like being active lifting moderately heavy boxes, or would you prefer to sit down? Then you are cordially invited to join our organization as a volunteer at The Thurston County Food Bank's Warehouse and Distribution Center.

SUMMARY JOB DESCRIPTION:

This unpaid internship opportunity will support our work to eliminate hunger in our local community in an atmosphere of neighbor helping neighbor. Our organization provides food programs and services to more than 71,000 residents of Thurston County.

This position focuses on procuring food, repackaging and processing orders and supporting all aspects of receiving and delivering food to those we collaborate with. Our partners include organizations, nonprofits and groups that focus on food security for families, children, seniors and individuals who are housed and unhoused. Forty nine percent of those we serve are children under the age of 18. This position will provide support to all aspects of our operations. They are supported by staff and volunteers with opportunities to learn about food insecurity in Thurston County and how our collective community efforts work to reduce barriers to accessing food for marginalized, underserved and underrepresented members of our community.

If one is not already set up, the Food Bank would love to work with your school to create an internship/work study opportunity in partnership to support our community.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Receive, inspect and process shipments/orders including Federal foods, regionally and locally sourced donations
• Product control to include supporting inventory, rotation and ordering systems
• Use of equipment such as pallet jacks and fork lift, walkie stacker and cardboard baler
• Experience with loading dock procedures including use of a lift gate
• Maintain receiving area and other work areas to acceptable operating standards
• Sort, pack, restock and distribute food to clients
• Work in cooperation with Food Bank staff and volunteers in groups and independently
• Possible off-site work supporting deliveries, pickups, distribution of food

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Able bodied enough to lift 50-pound boxes using team and tool support when needed.
• Valid WA State driver’s license
• Current CPR & First Aid Certificates or be willing to obtain
• Must have or obtain a valid Washington State Food Workers Card.
• Willingness to be flexible with types of tasks given.
• A team player, but also capable of working independently.

To begin volunteering, please fill out an application online: https://thurston-county-food-bank.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/ . At the top of the page, click "Apply now". There you can fill out a volunteer application. Please be mindful of the fields with asterisks and certain tiny check boxes as they are required. Beyond that, the more information you care to share, the better we can tailor your volunteer opportunity to you. After you fill out your application, you may visit the same link to sign up for shifts which come twice a day, Tuesday through Thursday, from 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact Michael Dennis at michaeld@tcfb.org or via phone 360-352-8597 Extension 252.