Food Pantry Volunteers and Language Interpreters Needed!

The Lake Merritt United Methodist Church (LMUMC) Food Pantry has been serving the Oakland community and the Alameda County for over 35 years by providing free food to individuals and families. The Food Pantry distributes fresh produce and nutritious shelf stable food (such as tofu, canned chicken, dried beans, rice and hot cereal). We are continuing the work of the food pantry with modifications to our typical procedures to ensure safety for volunteers and community members seeking food.

Volunteer Shifts:

Distribution Set Up: Friday before distribution at 10:00 -11:00 am.

A small team of volunteers is needed to assist in setting up stations for food distribution the next day. The workspace allows for good distancing and frequent hand washing.

Food Distribution: 4th Saturday of the month - 8:00-10:30 am

On Saturdays, volunteers staff stations assisting with client check-in and registration, set up, food distribution, line support, and clean up. Additional projects such as preparing hygiene kits and preparing food for Lake Lunches may also take place. The workspace allows for good physical distancing in most spaces and frequent hand washing.

Language Interpreters: Language interpreters are needed in the primary languages of the food pantry visitors including Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.

Please indicate if you are volunteering with a group or if you are able to serve as a language interpreter. Email lmumcfoodministries@googlegroups.com for more information about groups and language interpreters.

Needs and volunteer requirements are subject to change.

We serve a vulnerable population where most of our visitors are senior citizens. To ensure all stay in good health, hand washing or sanitizing before, during, and after volunteering is required. Masking is optional.

Why and Impact

Hunger is a serious problem in Alameda County. 1 in 5 families in the county relies on ACCFB Network Agencies for food. The Food Pantry fills an important need in the Lake Merritt and downtown area. Nearly 400 households come for food each time. Last year, we distributed 127,910 pounds of food to these families, including 55,775 pounds of fresh produce. The ACCFB helps ensure we have fresh produce and healthy shelf-stable food. We are staffed completely by community volunteers: students of all ages from Oakland youth organizations and schools around the East Bay.

How can you help:

• Visit Lake Merritt Church Service Page for more information
• Bring goods for the ongoing Hygiene Kit Supply Drive
• Check out https://www.instagram.com/_lakelunches/

Why and Impact

Hunger is a serious problem in Alameda County. 1 in 5 families in the county rely on ACCFB Agencies for food. Our Food Pantry fills an important need in the Lake Merritt area. An average of 430 families come for food each time, with an aggregate total for the year of almost 10,000 families. Last year, we distributed 127,910 pounds of food to these families, including 55,775 pounds of fresh produce. The ACCFB supplies the fresh produce free of charge and subsidizes the cost of the shelf stable food. We are staffed completely by volunteers from the church and community; students from several Oakland youth organizations volunteer regularly, as do a number of the food recipients.