VOLUNTEER

Volunteers are essential to the Food Bank. Each month, volunteers contribute more than 5,000 hours combined to support the Food Bank's mission through volunteering in Product Recovery, at special events, teaching classes, as ambassadors, and a variety of other opportunities. Double or triple your impact with corporate matching gifts.

		Sort Donations Sorting donations gives you a "behind-the-scenes" look at how donations from the community get to hungry Central Texans. Volunteers inspect, clean, sort, box and make donations ready for distribution to Partner Agencies and their clients. Volunteer Scheduling Updates: The Thursday evening shift is 6 - 8:30 p.m. This shift is open to volunteers 18 years and older. "Youth and Family Night" is 6 - 8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month: September 7th, and October 5th. Sign up today! Workplace Volunteering Make volunteering a part of your corporate culture. By working together on a project that helps their community, employees can reap the benefits of community involvement, pride and a sense of accomplishment. Your team will gain a sense of cooperation, respect, productivity, dependability, motivation and communication. Some companies match every hour you volunteer with a cash donation. Contact your human resources representative to find out how to turn your volunteer hours into money to feed hungry Central Texans. If your company offers this option, or you need to confirm eligibility for corporate matching, email Emily Babb at ebabb @austinfoodbank.org to get started. To schedule your workplace group volunteer time, contact Rene Carlin, Volunteer Resources Manager at rcarlin@austinfoodbank.org. Court-ordered Community Service Program The court ordered community service program is temporarily on hiatus.		FAQs Q: How do I sign up online to volunteer? A: Please see this page to check availability and sign-up for upcoming volunteer shifts. Please Note: You will need an email address to create your online profile and sign up for shifts. 1. Under the Volunteer description click on the link to “Sign up to volunteer.” If you are a new user, you will need to create a profile by clicking on the “Register” link. Create a username (if you are an individual volunteer please use your first and last name; if you are with a group please use the group’s name) and password. Follow the step by step instructions and submit your user profile. 2. If you are already registered with us, you will need to sign in with your username and password to access your account. 3. Once you have logged in, you will be able to browse availability under the Events tab. Each shift will show how many spaces are available. Pay close attention to the event you are registering for as there are new opportunities for community events and direct service volunteering. These new opportunities are located off-site and each will have a physical address and map attached to it for your convenience. You must register 48 hours in advance for your shift. You will not be able to register for shifts that are Full or Reserved. 4. Please register yourself under the appropriate categories for Sorting Donations at the Food Bank: Individual volunteers should sign in under “Individuals and Families.” If you are volunteering as an adult service group, college group, or youth group, you will need to sign up under “Youth and Community Groups.” If you are volunteering with your company you will need to sign in under “Workplace/Corporate Groups.” If you are interested in registering a group to sort donations at the Food Bank, please note that you will need to contact the Volunteer Resources department to ensure availability and to reserve space for all of your group members. For Workplace/Corporate volunteer opportunities, please contact: Rene Carlin, Volunteer Resources Manager, at rcarlin@austinfoodbank.org. Q: What is Product Recovery? Q: I want to volunteer at a soup kitchen or serve food for the holidays. Where can I go? A: Contact a CAFB Partner Agency to learn about volunteer opportunities. Q: What is Product Recovery? A: Volunteering in Product Recovery gives you an inside look at the Food Bank’s work, as you evaluate donated products to determine what is safe for distribution. "Recovered" items are then sorted, boxed and made available for distribution to Partner Agencies and their clients. Q: What do volunteers do? A: Typically, Food Bank volunteers start out in the Product Recovery area ensuring that donated food is sorted, cleaned, packed and ready for our clients. Q: What are your volunteer hours? A: Our Thursday evening shift is 6-8:30 p.m. This shift is open to volunteers 18 years and older. "Youth and Family Night" is 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. Q: Can children volunteer at the Food Bank? A: Volunteering is a great way to teach children about community service. The Food Bank has projects for children as young as 8 years old. Q: What should I wear? A: Please dress comfortably. Wear sneakers or work boots, long shorts or pants, and a t-shirt. Open-toed shoes are not permitted. Q: Do I need to schedule in advance or can I just show up? A: All projects must be scheduled in advance. Once you are scheduled, you will receive a project confirmation including what you will be doing, directions to the Food Bank and a list of volunteer guidelines. Q: Can I bring a group? A: We welcome service groups, office teams, schools, alumni groups, families and religious organizations. Our volunteer projects can accommodate groups of various sizes and can provide team building opportunities. Groups must schedule one month in advance. Q: Do adults need to accompany children/youth? A: One adult chaperone (over the age of 21) is required for every five children under the age of 18. Q: Can I complete court-assigned community service hours? A: Yes. You must attend a Thursday-evening required orientation prior to volunteering. Q: Can I come for just an hour or two? A: Our projects are designed for specific time periods, so we ask that volunteers commit to the entire shift. For that reason, it’s also very important you arrive on time. Q: Is the Food Bank able to accommodate the special needs of disabled volunteers? A: We work on a situation-by-situation basis. Please call our Volunteer Services Coordinator at 512-282-2111 to inquire about your needs. Q: Where are you located? A: 8201 South Congress, between William Cannon Drive and Slaughter Lane. Click here for directions/map. Q: Is there parking? A: Yes, there is plenty of parking, but we also encourage you to carpool when possible. Volunteer Quotes “Thank you for letting us help you sort frozen corn. We appreciate all you do to help the hungry!” - St. Catherine’s Summer Challenge, 6th Grade “Thank you so much for letting us have the privilege of helping all the families who needed help. We shared our time and energy to provide help to people who needed it. Please keep doing this affective carity.” - St. Catherine’s Summer Challenge, 5th Grade “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work and contribute to the Food Bank. I greatly admire the mission being done there to feed the hungry and disadvantaged and I feel that the Executives, Staff and Volunteer Leaders are doing a fantastic job at making it a welcoming place to volunteer. Thanks again for your friendship and for making me a Volunteer Leader.” - Alex Kalk, Former Volunteer Leader
		Administrative Help The Food Bank has a variety of administrative opportunities such as stuffing envelopes, data entry and web-based projects. Contact us to learn more.
		Distribute Food to Clients CAFB Partner Agencies distribute food and grocery products through soup kitchens, children's programs, homebound delivery, food pantries and much more. CAFB Wheels of Sharing Mobile Pantry Volunteer (multiple locations) Location: Distributions occur in multiple locations throughout our 21-county service area including: Austin, Lexington, Bartlett, Lott, Cedar Park , Mustang Ridge, Fredericksburg , San Saba, Johnson City, Uhland and Kosse Key Responsibilities: • Arrive at the site 30 minutes prior to the distribution time to set-up. • Unload food, tables and chairs from the truck. • Package and distribute food to clients, following safe food handling guidelines. • Help with break-down and clean-up. • Assist clients with carrying food to their vehicles. The successful Wheels of Sharing Mobile Food Pantry volunteer is: • Committed to volunteering at the specified Wheels of Sharing Mobile Food Pantry site once each month, for three hours at a time. Some sites require volunteers twice each month, for three hours at a time. • Able to lift 30 pounds or more. • Able to accept / give constructive criticism. • Able to work with clients of various backgrounds, ages and abilities. • Willing to cooperate with CAFB staff and other volunteers at the distribution. Reports to: 1) Mobile Food Pantry Coordinator (contact rotates at each distribution) 2) Programs Director, Sherry LeBlanc, sleblanc@austinfoodbank.org, (512) 684-2501 Length of Appointment: The Wheels of Sharing Mobile Food Pantry volunteer will serve at the Mobile Food Pantry site until January 1, 2010. The volunteer is eligible to continue in 2010 after discussion with the Programs Director. Time Commitment: The Wheels of Sharing Mobile Food Pantry volunteer position requires a minimum commitment of three hours for each distribution, and no more than six hours per month. Qualifications: Eligible candidates for the Wheels of Sharing Mobile Food Pantry volunteer position are adults over 18 years of age and minors age 8 and up who are accompanied by an adult (21 years and older). Support Provided: Training for the volunteer position is provided at the beginning of each distribution. In addition, the Mobile Food Pantry Coordinator or Programs Director is available on an ongoing basis to answer questions by phone or e-mail and provide other assistance as needed. Dress Code: Dress comfortably and for the weather. Please wear sneakers, tennis shoes, or work boots. For safety purposes, sandals, flip-flops and other shoes with open toes or heels are not permitted. Hats, sun block, sunglasses and loose clothing are recommended during summer months. The distributions occur outside and will continue in inclement weather, unless doing so would present a danger to volunteers and clients. CAFB East Austin Service Center (Northeast Austin) The Capital Area Food Bank's East Austin Service Center needs volunteers to help organize food, assist with food distribution and other general pantry operations. Location: 4700 Loyola, Suite 112, Austin, TX 78723 Description: Volunteer Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. - Receiving food delivery and stocking shelves in preparation for Wednesday distribution. Distributions take place on Wednesdays, 7:30 – 11:30 a.m. Volunteers assist clients with shopping for groceries. EASC uses the free service VolunteerSpot to manage volunteer shifts. Trinity Center Location: 304 E. 7th Street, Austin TX, 78701 Contact: Sara Alvarado (512) 610-3567 Description: Volunteer Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Shop-for, pick-up and delivery of food bank goods for day-resource center located in downtown Austin. Two persons needed to coordinate weekly. Need to be able to lift 25 lbs or more. Adult volunteers only. Family Eldercare Location: Family Eldercare offices at 2210 Hancock Drive, Austin or at the client's residential location. Contact: Pat Anthony 512-483-3569 Description: After training, volunteers assist case managers by working one-on-one with clients as advocates, assisting with budgeting and bill paying and socialization activities. These services are provided to help prevent abuse and/or exploitation of adults who may be elderly and/or disabled. Adult volunteers only. Heart House Location: 815 W Slaughter Lane (Trails at the Park Apartments) Austin, TX 78748 or7224 Northeast Dr (Trails at Vintage Creek Apartments) Austin, 78723 Contact: Shelly-Marie Rios (512) 929-8187 Homework Time Volunteer/General Program Support 3 - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday Homework volunteers act as mentors by helping elementary school students complete homework, regular reading assignments and other projects. This kind of volunteer support is crucial to our program! Activity Time Volunteer 4:30 - 5:30 p.m., Monday - Friday Do you own a silly hat and tennis shoes? Great! Well, put them on and get ready for activity time at Heart House. Children sit in desks at school up to 9 hours a day. Activity time allows them to move their bodies, encouraging kinetic and social intelligence, muscle coordination and, well, just plain old fun! Activities can range from soccer outside to yoga inside. We bet you have exciting ideas for activities you can implement. Glad Tidings Assembly Location: 829 Hwy 171 Mexia, TX 2 Blocks north off Hwy 14,on left, with red digital sign. Contact: David or Pat Bolden (254) 562-6125 Description: Glad Tidings Assembly distributes food on the First Tuesday and Third Monday of each month. Food is delivered and stocked from 8 - 11 a.m. Clients are served from 2 - 6 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help clients shop for food, assist with taking food to the cars and help re-stock shelves. Spanish speakers are especially needed. Catholic Charities of Central Texas Location: 1817 East 6th Street Austin, TX 78702 Contact: Meg Kee (512) 651-6128 Description: Volunteers are needed to work in our Angels of Hope Food Pantrystocking our shelves on Thursdays from 10-noon assisting with our food pantry distribution on Fridays from 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. (opportunities include checking clients in, interviewing clients, and bagging food orders), replenishing our shelves on Fridays from 2-4 p.m. Data entry & filing - anytime Monday through Thursday, 8:30-5pm, approx. 2 hours per week Organize a food drive for the Angels of Hope Food Pantry (staff will provide you with a list of needed items) The Storehouse Location: 1202 FM 685, Ste. C5 POP Plaza Pflugerville, TX 78660 Contact: Jami Cochrun (512) 989-9989, ext. 10 Description: Volunteers are needed to assist with food distribution, intake/prayer Council, and administrative support. Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Patriot Kids Camp Location: Peaceable Kingdom Retreat for Children. 19051 F.M. 2484 Killeen, TX 76542-5068 Contact: Jon Tidball (254) 220-3957 Description: Two to three volunteers are needed to help cook and provide general assistantance for Kids Camps (50 Kids each camp) for military children. There are 10 camps over the summer. 9 a.m. - Noon, Friday - Saturday.
		Community Events There are no community event volunteer opportunities at this time.
		Educate the Community Teaching Garden Volunteer Help support the CAFB Teaching Garden by teaching the community to grow their own food, or by maintaing the garden. We’re preparing for our spring planting season, and need assistance in watering, weeding and feeding our 19 vegetable garden beds. There are also opportunities for you to develop your own creative projects to engage the community with the CAFB Teaching Garden. Novice and expert gardeners are welcome. You can sign up for a garden shift online or contact us to learn more. CHOICES Assistant Help individuals and families make smart choices at mealtime! Our nutrition education program provides free classes to qualified individuals. The program provides classes throughout Travis County and the surrounding counties on several topics including: Basic Nutrition Nutrition and Health Planning Healthy Thrifty Meals Cooking for your Life Eat Smart, Live Strong Power of Choice Kids in the Kitchen Each series runs 4-6 weeks, meets once a week, and may be offered during weekday business hours, in the evening, or on the weekend. As an assistant, we are looking for nutrition students, culinary students, or anyone interested in nutrition and/or cooking. As an assistant you will support the dietitian or nutrition educators as they prepare materials and food samples before class and with various activities during class. Food Bank Ambassador Help the Food Bank connect and provide information to our community at informational fairs, speaking engagements, festivals, concerts, Food and Fund Drive events, and various other activities that take place during regular business hours, at night or on the weekends. Support Provided: Training and resources Quarterly Talking Points about the Food Bank Personal and professional development Event materials Membership in a selected close-knit community of volunteers Contact us to learn more.

VOLUNTEER

Sort Donations

Administrative Help

Distribute Food to Clients

Community Events

Educate the Community