Houston Food Bank Volunteer Hours

Volunteer Opportunities In Houston

Houston Food Bank in Need of Volunteers

There are many local organizations that would love to increase their number of volunteers. But often it’s hard for folks to find them in a city the size of Houston. Especially if you want to bring children and volunteer as a family.

Luckily, there’s plenty of volunteer opportunities in Houston that you can get started with many of which encourage you to bring the family! Feel good about giving back to the community by donating your time and enthusiasm. Here are 8 of the best places to volunteer in Houston.

Other Ways Your Organization Can Become Involved With Wesley

Virtual volunteers are always welcome! Often groups coordinate drives to provide needed items for our clients. Drives can include:

Canned food drive for our food pantry
Toiletry kits for our seniors
Diapers and wipes for our Early Childhood Center
New unopened socks for our Youth and Seniors
School Supplies

Q: I Need Proof Or Verification Of My Hours At The End Of My Shift Will I Receive A Verification Letter

A: For shifts completed at the Food Bank, we are happy to sign your paperwork if you have your own, or we have blank hours logs available. If you volunteer at a Mobile Pantry, you must bring your own form and get your paperwork signed while you are present at the shift. We are not always able to confirm service hours completed at a mobile pantry after the fact.

Additionally, you can access an official report on any warehouse, garden, or kitchen hours through your volunteer account. In the drop-down menu of your account, select view hours. On that page select the orange view hour history button, select the date range youd like to see and select update to see a printable report of your hours. If you are seeking proof of your hours for court-mandated community service restitution, please see our guidelines for community service here.

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Houston Food Bank App

Houston Food Bank East Branch535 Portwall St.

Houston Food Bank North Branch146 Knobcrest Dr.

501The Houston Food Bank is registered as a 501 non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law, tax identification number 74-2181456.

PRIVACY STATEMENTView the Houston Food Banks Web Privacy Policy and Donor Privacy Code.

ETHICS AND COMPLIANCEThe Houston Food Bank believes in conducting business with the utmost honesty and integrity. Lighthouse Services assists the Houston Food Bank to identify any potential improper activity. Lighthouse is committed to protecting the identity of community members, including Food Bank staff, to submit confidential reports, suggestions, or complaints to a third party who helps the Houston Food Bank administration resolve issues while maintaining professional standards.

If You Are Already A Volunteer With The Houston Food Bank Click Here To Log In If You Would Like To Create A New Profile* Click Here

Please help us plan the safest volunteer experience possible by registering in advance online.All available volunteer shifts for the next 3 months are listed on the calendar below.

Register to Volunteer:

To register as an individual, or a group with fewer than 30 volunteers, please see our registration instructions.
To register a Group of 30 or more volunteers, please contact:
SCHOOL/YOUTH Groups:
**We are unable to accommodate volunteers under the age of 6**

Please Note: In order for the Houston Food Bank to verify student hours for schools or online verification sites, a student must either:

Create a Volunteer Profile in our system, register in advance and SCAN-IN with the Confirmation Email QR code. For multiple shifts on the same day, scanning-in is required for EACH SHIFT. By using this method, volunteer hours reports are always available for you to print directly from your Volunteer Profile.
Request an official Hours Verification Letter at the end of your shift, available at our Welcome Desk. If this option is chosen, we will NOT be able to verify those hours without assessing the original documents.
For all hours verification questions or requests, please contact

Frequently asked questions about volunteering:

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Q: Im Allergic To Certain Foods Will That Impact My Volunteer Duties

A: If you have food allergies, please communicate that with our staff before your shift date so that we may discuss what accommodations may be possible. If you have severe or life-threatening food allergies, we cannot guarantee or prevent exposure and encourage you to reconsider joining any volunteer shift with us.

Want To Volunteer At A Food Bank

Food banks, food pantries, and meal programs in the Feeding America network are continuing to do what they do best – provide meals to our communities. Volunteers are critical to providing food to everyone during this difficult time.

Pledge to volunteer with your local food bank and find a volunteer opportunity near you.

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Q: I Would Like To Donate Food Before My Volunteer Shift How Do I Do That

A: We accept contactless food donations during our regular business hours, Monday Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. All food donations are received in the back of our building . Please plan to drop off donations in that location before or after your shift, as it is not accessible once you are in the building.

Q: I Need To Arrive Late Or Leave Early Is That A Problem

Houston Food Bank

A: If you think you may need to arrive late or leave early, please find a different shift that you can fully attend. It is more important than ever that you stay for your entire shift. When volunteers arrive late, exit early, or do not attend, we are left struggling to feed hungry people.

You should arrive 5-10 minutes before your scheduled shift time to check-in and be ready to participate in important training. Volunteers who arrive after their scheduled shift start time may not be permitted to join the volunteer shift. Specifically, warehouse volunteers who arrive more than 30 minutes after the shift begins will have missed important training and will be asked to come back another day.

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Interfaith Ministries For Greater Houston

Since 1969, this organization has been instrumental in bringing people together of different faiths to serve the community. It provides 1.5 million meals to Houston-area seniors and helps resettle thousands of refugees.

Volunteer opportunity: Variety of options include delivering meals to hungry seniors, packaging pet food for their dogs and cats and pet food delivery, Chore Corps . Volunteer orientation is required.

Age: Family-friendly . Other individual volunteer age is 6 or higher for other needs.

When: aniMeals on Wheels pet food delivery Meals on Wheels Warehouse Crew

Where: 3202 San Jacinto , 3303 Main Street is the office

More info: To volunteer, check out the individual volunteer opportunities or contact .

Q: What Safety And Eligibility Requirements Are In Place For Volunteers

As a food handling organization, we have always been keenly focused on health and safety. As of June 1, 2022, we are following Austin Public Health and Center for Disease Control guidelines and are no longer requiring masks or social distancing in the building for employees, volunteers, or visitors. Of course, if you would prefer to wear a mask while volunteering, you are certainly welcome to do so.

We do require that volunteers must meet certain eligibility requirements to sign up and participate in shifts. Volunteers, including those who are partially or fully vaccinated, must be able to say YES to all of the following statements when they come in to volunteer:

I do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 or any other communicable illness
In the past 5 days, I have not been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, and I have not been in close contact with someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 or who is quarantining for COVID-19 exposure

If you have had COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19, you can return to volunteering if:

It has been 5 days since your symptoms resolved
If you did not have symptoms, it has been 10 days since your positive test

Thank you for carefully self-screening according to these eligibility requirements before coming in to volunteer. Your support as a volunteer makes our mission possible, and your safety as a volunteer, as well as the safety of our staff and clients, is very important to us.

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Q: Is The Warehouse Climate

A: Part of our warehouse is climate controlled. However, some of our volunteers in every shift will be working in an area of the warehouse that is not climate controlled, and in the summer it can get quite warm. So please come dressed for your comfort with breathable clothing.

Kitchen shifts may take place in a cooler/freezer area. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own warm jackets. Garden and Mobile Food Pantry shifts take place outdoors, so please come prepared with the appropriate attire for the weather and plenty of water.

Q: Whats The Age Requirement To Volunteer

A: You must be 8 years or older to volunteer in the warehouse and 15 years or older to volunteer in the kitchen, garden, or Mobile Pantry.

All volunteers under 18 years of age require an adult chaperone who is over 21 years or older from the same household, and the minor and guardian must each create an account and register for their own volunteer spot. Youth under age 8 are unable to volunteer with us and/or enter our volunteer workspaces for safety reasons. We do not offer childcare services during volunteer shifts.

Starting June 1, 2022, we will be able to host groups of youth volunteers, and chaperones will not have to be from the same household as their minor. We require a ratio of no more than 5 minors per 1 adult age 21+, and we will be able to book groups of up to 25 youth at a time. Please note that we may revise this policy if Travis County’s COVID-19 Community Level changes from ‘low’ to ‘medium’ or ‘high’.

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Need Help Registering To Volunteerlet Us Assist You

For questions regarding volunteering, please contact:

Volunteer Services Hotline

Houston Food Bank East Branch535 Portwall St.

Houston Food Bank North Branch146 Knobcrest Dr.

501The Houston Food Bank is registered as a 501 non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law, tax identification number 74-2181456.

PRIVACY STATEMENTView the Houston Food Banks Web Privacy Policy and Donor Privacy Code.

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Q: Where Can I Put My Personal Belongings While I Volunteer

A: Each program area has a designated space for you to store your personal belongings for your shift. Please remember, the Food Bank is not responsible for lost or stolen items while you are serving with us. Volunteers do not need to bring any tools or personal items. Please make sure you wear closed-toe shoes and appropriate clothing for your shift. If you need a water bottle, please bring your own.

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Houston Food Bank & Partners Distribute Meals to 5,000 Families

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Examples Of Past Scout Projects

Eagle: Ransom H. hosted a free food and personal protective equipment distribution event in partnership with the City of Missouri City & the Houston Food Bank.

Held a low-carb food drive for Food Bank clients with diabetes.

Eagle: Neel P. assembled two ventilated, lockable security racks for winter jackets to be used by volunteers in the freezer section, stocked these racks with winter jackets, and assembled more than over 2000 toothbrush and toothpaste sets for the Backpack Buddy Program.

Many scout troops help with the annual Souper Bowl of Caring .

Q: I Want To Volunteer How Do I Begin

A: All volunteers are required to create an account and sign up for their spot online before arriving onsite. This includes children, guardians, or each member of a group that has a reservation. With social distancing requirements, only a limited number of volunteers can participate in each shift. If you show up to a volunteer shift without first creating an account and signing up for a spot, it is unlikely that you will be able to volunteer.

You will be able to see up to one month at a time of volunteer opportunities available for signups. Individuals can self-schedule into any shift where there are available spots. If youre interested in coming as a group, were currently taking group requests of up to 30 for our Warehouse – Food Sorting shifts.

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What It’s Like To Volunteer At A Food Bank

Every volunteer experience is a little different. Here are some things you might do as a volunteer:

Sort and pack food: You can keep the shelves stocked by assembling food boxes for distribution.
Assist at mobile pantries, drive-thru pantries, and no-contact distributions: Help your neighbors feed their families.
Deliver meals: With many communities sheltering in place, you can help ensure our most vulnerable neighbors have the food they need while staying safe.
Glean and garden: Volunteers collect food left in the fields after harvest or help tend the food bank or food pantry’s community garden.
Volunteer from home: Some food banks have moved their volunteer shifts online and are asking volunteers to help fundraise or spread awareness.

Your safety is a top priority. The Feeding America network follows all Center for Disease Control and local guidelines for sanitation, hygiene, and social distancing to ensure staff and volunteers are safe. This may include masks, additional handwashing stations, gloves, reduced group sizes, and other safety precautions.

We Love Our Volunteers Wesley Welcomes Corporate Church Social Groups And Civic Organizations To Join Us In Our Mission

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We are using Volunteer Houston to help schedule volunteers for the Food Pantry during this busy time.

We can accommodate groups of up to 12 volunteers for daily, ongoing activities such as Food Pantry and visiting with seniors.

Food PantryVolunteers are needed to assist with daily activities such as sorting, moving, organizing and assisting clients with food choices. We organize Community Food Fairs in neighborhood parks on the third and fourth Saturdays of the month from 9:00am-noon This is a great opportunity for groups or families. Children ages ten and older are welcome with a parent/adult supervision. Volunteers over the age of 16 can volunteer without a parent with a parental waiver.

GardenDo you have a green thumb? Does burying your hands in the dirt sound therapeutic to you? If so, we need you! Volunteers are needed to maintain our Community Garden. Duties may include watering, weeding, planting, soil preparation, pruning, harvesting etc. Garden hours are Tuesday Saturday 9:00am 3:00pm.

SeniorsCome bring the gift of friendship and fellowship to a senior! Come host a bingo party, sponsor a field trip, assist with arts and crafts, help serve meals, or just come by to chat. The Senior Program runs Monday through Friday 8:30am 12:30pm. Times may differ for special events and field trips.

Youth**Volunteers are needed during after-school hours and summer camp to help arrange group activities and engage with groups of school age children.

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Q: How Do I Register My Child To Come Volunteer With Me My Children Do Not Have Their Own Phone Number And/or Email Address Can They Use Mine As Their Adult Chaperone

A: Each person that comes to volunteer has to create an account and register for a volunteer spot under their own name, including minors. To create your childs account, sign out of your own first. If your child does not have his/her own phone number and/or email address, adult chaperones/parents/guardians may use their own contact information to create an account for each child. Once the account is created, you can sign them up for the shift.

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