Volunteer at the Food Pantry
We have an incredible volunteer pool with people from all backgrounds, ages, and experience. Volunteers come individually and from local organizations such as the Optimists, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs FFA, various churches, and more. We welcome all to be a part of our fun, hardworking team!
Areas where volunteers can help:
- Help at distributions. This involves helping people pick their food and assisting them to their cars.
- Help with shelving donated or purchased foods, foods from community food drives and rotating inventory.
- Help with the repackaging of items received in bulk such as diapers, wipes, etc.
- Help with shopping for needed items or picking up purchased items.
- Help with mailings or other organizational details.
- And much more!
To sign up or learn more about volunteering, please submit a Contact Us form and request volunteer information. You will automatically receive an email with a link to our SignUpGenius schedule - an online tool we use for people to sign up for tasks, days, times, etc., that work for you. Please review our current schedule and sign up for a time slot that works for you. Not seeing anything that works right now? Check back often! More volunteering activities are added each month.
For all other volunteering inquiries, please feel free to call (608) 571-7737.
Volunteer Tasks at Distributions
First, and foremost, remember patron confidentiality is expected and required at all times.
Please arrive at the Pantry 30 minutes before distribution begins.
A Board Member or an experienced volunteer will be available during each distribution. Feel free to ask questions as you need!
A Food Safety Outline is available. Please familiarize yourself with this policy and follow it. When working with the food items, if you find anything that seems to be damaged, spoiled or not fresh, discard it. When in doubt, toss it out!
We hope volunteering with us is a pleasant and worthwhile experience for you.
Before
- Check shelves to see if foods are properly arranged and accessible. A Board Member or experienced volunteer will help determine if any additional items need to be put on shelves.
- Pull racks out from the walk-in cooler and freezer as directed by the distribution manager.
- READ the notes on the freezer and cooler doors for directions on carts and racks.
- Check the sign for freezer items that can be restocked if needed. If you have questions, please ask the distribution manager.
- Check the availability of plastic and paper bags for patrons' use.
During
- Registration of patrons – the responsible Board Member or Interpreter generally does this for confidentiality issues. All information about patrons is confidential. This is very important!
- After completing registration, volunteers will help patrons through the Pantry and collect their food. The shelves are marked with the number of items that can be taken. There are grocery carts to be used. Assist patrons with bagging their items as they shop.
- When the patron is finished collecting their food, volunteers help carry out their groceries and bring the carts back into the Pantry.
After
- Return any unused food to the freezer or cooler if necessary.
- Restock and straighten shelves ready for next distribution.
- Be sure all freezers, etc., are tightly closed.
- Check the dining room, pick up trash, wipe down tables if needed, and make sure windows and doors are closed and locked. Turn the lights out. Empty the bathroom trash.
- Please make sure the kitchen and dining room doors are closed and locked. Also, turn out the pantry lights and make sure the door is latched and locked when you leave.
To print a copy of our Volunteer Guide and/or our Food Safety Outline, please click on the links below.