Volunteer

“The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others”

~DeAnn Hollis

Volunteers are vital to our organization, without them we would never be able to reach the 400,000 people we serve each year.  Volunteerism here at Second Harvest comes in many forms, including our program volunteers, our volunteer drivers, those who run our agencies, and our volunteer group who assists in our warehouse and at special events.  

The hearts of our volunteers here at Second Harvest Food Bank are deeply committed to making a difference and we are so grateful for them each day. Thank you to each of you who gives the gift of your time to make a difference in the lives of others.

Because of our volunteers we were able to distribute 1.3 million pounds of produce to those in need last year. Our volunteers are vital in the sorting and distributing of all our fresh produce!

Volunteer Groups are scheduled at a separate time from our regular volunteer hours.  If you have a group that would like to volunteer, please contact our volunteer coordinator at (209) 239-2091 or by email.

Below you find answers to some frequently asked questions.  If you have any other questions, just give us a call at (209) 239-2091.

How do I sign up?

It’s easy to get started!  Just contact us and let us know when you would like to start!  Your first time here we will have you fill out a short volunteer information form and show you where to sign in.  Then we will introduce you to our volunteer group and they will show you what to do!

Are these the only hours I can volunteer?  Are you open on weekends?

• Right now these are the times we have set for our volunteers to complete the projects we put together.  Having these specific times allows us to have the projects set up and ready to go for our volunteers.
• Our warehouse does not operate on the weekends.  Occasionally we have weekend volunteer projects or special events, if you are available on the weekends and would like to put your name on our Volunteer Interest List please email your contact information here, including your name, phone number and when you are available and we will contact you when these opportunities are available.

 
How old do you need to be to volunteer?

• Because our volunteers work in the warehouse and there is heavy machinery being used, you must be 18 years or older to volunteer. If you are under 18 or have children who would like to volunteer, please place your information on our Volunteer Interest List and when we have weekend opportunities and special events we will contact you.

What will I be doing?

Our volunteer projects will usually involve the following…

• Sorting and Bagging fresh produce donations
• Boxing or Bagging food for our programs
• Repackaging bulk food items
• Sorting food donations for damaged or unusable product
• Labeling cans

What do I need to wear?

You will be volunteering in the warehouse and it can be cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Please dress accordingly. Volunteers are required to wear closed-toe shoes. Please no tank tops.

We advise that you DO NOT bring personal items with you. There is not a secure place to keep your personal items while you work and we are not responsible for lost or stolen items.