Pantry Distribution at Community Kitchen & Pantry

Project Description:

Food Bank for New York City's Community Pantry distributes nutritious bags of groceries to 3,000 households each month, providing nearly 150,000 meals to the community. Volunteers are needed to help pack and distribute grocery bags with fresh produce and shelf-stable items for community members.

Tasks during the shift may include:

• Packing fresh produce and shelf-stable grocery bags in preparation for distribution to community members.
• Engaging with community members while distributing bags of groceries.
• Assisting with pantry clean-up at end of shift.
• Assisting with other pantry tasks, like sorting donations, as needed.

Things to consider:

• We ask that volunteers are comfortable lifting 30-40 pounds repeatedly.
• If you are bilingual, please let us know onsite!
• We ask that you are flexible as the positions may vary or change based on the demand of distribution for the day.
• Limited onsite storage is available for personal belongings, but we recommend traveling light and leaving valuables at home. Please bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the shift.
• If you are interested in volunteering with a group, please email Volunteer@foodbanknyc.org to coordinate!
• All volunteers must agree to our Volunteer Waiver, Covid-19 Waiver, and Photo Release Waiver in order to participate.
• Please only register for this opportunity if you are sure you can attend for the full shift duration. If anything changes with your availability, please cancel your registration on the Volunteer Portal at least 24 hours in advance.

Shift Schedule:

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9:30am-12:30pm and 12:00pm-4:00pm
• Thursdays 11:30am-3:30pm and 3:00pm-6:00pm

Dress Code:

• Volunteers are expected to present a neat appearance and dress according to the requirements of the volunteer shift.
• We ask that volunteers do not wear revealing attire such as muscle shirts, crop tops, "short shorts" or see-through clothing.
• Sturdy, closed-toe, closed-heel shoes are required for safety. Ballet flats, loafers, sandals, slide shoes, flip flops, Crocs, and high-heels are not allowed.
• Outdoor activity may be required, so please wear weather-appropriate attire.
• During colder months, please be sure to dress in warm layers. Indoor temperatures will vary due to frequent activity in and out of the pantry.
• Our staff reserves the right to turn away or reassign volunteers not dressed appropriately for their shift.

Age Requirements:

• Volunteers must be at least 14 years old to participate.
• All volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian.
• All volunteers under the age of 18 must have our Volunteer Waiver, Covid-19 Waiver and Photo Release Waiver complete by a parent/legal guardian in advance of their volunteer shift.
• All volunteers under the age of 18 should contact volunteer@foodbanknyc.org at least 3 business days in advance of their first shift to confirm they have met our chaperone and waiver requirements.
• Please note that our capacity to accommodate youth volunteers is subject to availability.

Registration:

• All volunteers must register on Food Bank for New York City's Volunteer Portal in order to participate: https://volunteer.foodbanknyc.org/