Helping Community Food Pantry Needs Volunteers

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We are in need of volunteers that will fill multiple needs.

Our food pantry, Helping Community is in need of volunteers that will assist with various duties every Thursday from 10:00am to 3:30pm. Duties are listed below but you should be able to lift up to 40lbs from a palette to a conveyor belt and organize food on the shelves by date. We utilize rolling carts, but being able to manually lift these weights safely is important to us.

We're looking for individuals who can help in these areas:

Work well with other volunteers

Participate in the registration of clients if needed

Be patient with food pantry clients

Help with the intake of food products from Hunger Task Force every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month- food deliveries may occur between 10:00 and noon.

Assist with keeping the storage and distribution areas clean.

Help with inventory when needed

Help with stocking distribution room

Pack boxes for distribution to clients

Need volunteers to assist/monitor distribution of food to clients:

Distribution includes making sure that clients receive the amount of food consistent with family size. We currently package foods for distribution between 11am and 12:45 pm.

Organize donated clothing, as needed

Volunteers who decide to remain with us are required to attend annual Civil Rights Training classes hosted by Hunger Task Force (HTF). HTF offers classes virtually and in-person.

Volunteers are required to follow HTF guidelines. Information regarding the guidelines will be provided at the pantry.

Other duties we perform:

Most of our clients live a short distance from the pantry and most walk. For the elderly and handicapped and those without a car, we will help them get their carts to level ground (2 steps down).

In a crunch, we may need help with client registration. This task involves logging names, addresses, and recording the number of members in each household. Training will be provided to register clients via paper and online.

All volunteers are required to keep the pantry and adjacent areas clean. We all take a part in keeping the pantry clean and removing garbage from the building. During inclement weather, we monitor access the parking lot. If the snow plow is late, we will shovel and salt a path for the delivery truck.

Volunteers should arrive at the church by 10:00 am on Thursdays and be prepared to serve until 3:30pm. The pantry is open to clients from 1:00 until 3:00pm.

Please know that we understand that every Thursday may not fit into everyone's schedule or you may not be able to dedicate the full 5 hours. Maybe your availability allows only the 2nd and 4th Thursday delivery days, or you can only provide a couple of hours assistance on a Thursday, we'll take it and be thankful!