Volunteer at the Regional Food Bank
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Food Bank a handicap friendly facility?
How do I become a team leader?
Are there other volunteer opportunities?
Who can volunteer?
- Church or civic groups
- Clubs
- Corporations or businesses
- Individuals
- Schools
Can children volunteer?
- Volunteers must be at least 8 years old. *See Supervision Standards.
- Volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. *See Supervision Standards.
- Volunteers under 18 must also have a signed Parent/Guardian Permission Form.
Supervision Standards:
- 8 to 12 year olds: At least 1 adult for 7 volunteers
- 13 to 16 year olds: At least 1 adult for 10 volunteers
Is the Food Bank a handicap friendly facility?
Yes.
What kind of volunteer work will I do?
The work available for volunteers depends on the donations received. There is no guarantee that groups will work on a certain task or Food Bank program. Here some examples of the type of tasks assigned:
- Bagging and boxing products, like frozen meat, bread or canned goods
- Stuffing acknowledgements and bulk mailings
- Helping with food drives
- Working outdoors with
- Sorting, weighing and boxing salvage
- Tagging bags
- Cleaning
I have never volunteered. Will I be trained?
Volunteers will receive training and safety procedures for the specific tasks at hand.
When can I volunteer?
You can volunteer by appointment, or come in for open volunteering.
Volunteer by Appointment
- Weekday mornings 9:00 a.m. until noon
- Weekday afternoons 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings (groups only)
- Saturday mornings 9:00 a.m. until 12noon
- Saturday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m
*The Food Bank is closed on holiday weekends and Sundays.
Open Volunteering (no appointment for individuals)
- Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until noon each weekend
* The Food Bank is closed on holiday weekends and Sundays.
How do I sign up?
Volunteer hours fill up quickly, especially on Saturdays. If you would like to volunteer, e-mail volunteer@regionalfoodbank.org or contact Jamie Treadaway at 405-600-3154.
What should I wear?
- Athletic Clothing
- Tennis shoes or boots (no open-toes shoes allowed)
- T-shirt
- Jeans or shorts
Prohibited volunteer attire includes:
- Clothing or jewelry that interferes with work especially long necklaces, rings, and loose bracelets
- Flip-flops, sandals and open-toe shoes
- Overly revealing, offensive or otherwise inappropriate clothing
- Spaghetti strap tank tops
Urban Harvest Volunteers
Dress appropriately for sun and heat in the summer, and cold weather in the winter. Bring insect repellant and sunblock!
What is a team leader?
On Saturday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Volunteer Team Leaders help lead groups of Food Bank volunteers. Responsibilities include:
- Volunteering at least one Saturday each month
- Instructing and leading volunteer groups with a variety of tasks
- Greeting groups as they arrive
How do I become a Team Leader?
E-mail volunteer@regionalfoodbank.org or contact Jamie Treadaway at 405-600-3154.
Are there other volunteer opportunities?
Senior Feeding
The Regional Food Bank needs volunteers to help at Senior Feeding sites. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is committed to identifying and assisting our senior citizens who are at the highest risk of going hungry. The organization needs help distributing food to seniors the third Wednesday and Thursday, and the fourth Friday of each month. Volunteers will need to be available from 9 to 11 a.m. and/or 1:30 to 2 p.m. For more information, please contact Jamie Treadaway at jtreadaway@regionalfoodbank.org or 405-600-3154.
Special Events
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma needs your help staffing Chefs' Feast, a food and wine tasting event, on March 4, 2010 and the Feeding Hope and Letter Carries Food Drive on May 8, 2010. Last year, over 400 volunteers helped sort donations for the Feeding Hope food drive and nearly 100 volunteers helped at Chefs' Feast. To volunteer at these events, please contact Jamie Treadaway at jtreadaway@regionalfoodbank.org or 405-600-3154.
Urban Harvest Volunteers
Urban Harvest is designed to make fresh fruits and vegetables more readily available to hungry Oklahomans and increasing food security through the core components of the program. Volunteers for Urban Harvest should dress appropriately for sun and heat in the summer and cold weather in the winter. Bring insect repellant, sun block, hats, and sunglasses. To volunteer, contact Jamie Treadaway at 405-600-3154 or at jtreadaway@regionalfoodbank.org.
