Welcome, Volunteers!
Volunteers are vital in our mission of fighting food insecurity in our communities. By volunteering even for a few hours, you are part of our effort to ensure that food is distributed to every community member in need. Our programs continue to grow each year, reaching more individuals within our 14-county service area struggling with food insecurity and we could not address these needs without the help of our volunteers. Our clients’ experiences depend on the quality of work done in the Volunteer Department. Likewise, we want our volunteers to experience a quality and meaningful experience volunteering with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Whether you provide administrative support, deliver groceries to Seniors, or sort food in our warehouse, volunteers are vital and deeply appreciated and help us ensure no neighbor experiences hunger.
Before committing to a volunteer opportunity at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, we encourage you to read through our Volunteer Handbook. This booklet contains details of types of volunteer work you might experience at the Food Bank, our rules and regulations for volunteers, dress code, and other critical details of volunteer work at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
Currently, all volunteers must be 16 or older. We do not offer court-ordered community service hours for volunteer work.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested in volunteer opportunities at our Mountain Distribution branch in Clayton, GA, please contact us at: (706) 782-0780. Volunteer opportunities provided below are for our Athens location only.
How To Get Started:
- Review our Volunteer Handbook for dress code and to read about volunteer events.
- Review our Covid-19 regulations below.
- Please see our calendar of events below. First-time volunteers will need to create a profile before applying to events.
- After creating a profile, please take our one-time “New Volunteer” survey.
- For first-time and non-vaccinated volunteers, please make sure to take a picture or have your documentation available for verification before attending your volunteer event.
- Please review our GivePulse Guide for FAQs and assistance with our volunteer software.
COVID-19 Regulations
OUR COVID-19 REGULATIONS ARE APT TO CHANGE PERIODICALLY. ALL COVID-19 REGULATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS WILL BE UPDATED AND REFLECTED HERE:
The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is committed to keeping our staff, clients, and volunteers safe during this pandemic. We are monitoring CDC guidelines and recommendations regarding masks for our region. We reserve the right to adjust our policies at any time and will continue to follow updates provided by the CDC.
Masks are now optional for volunteers that provide one-time proof of vaccination status. Vaccinated volunteers may either provide a valid vaccination record or photo of their card.
Masks are also optional for non-vaccinated volunteers who provide proof of negative test results within 48 hours of each volunteer event. Non-vaccinated volunteers that are unable to provide proof of a negative test results will be required to wear a mask while on the premises.
Gloves, face masks, and hand sanitizer will be available for all staff and volunteers for all Food Bank events. All volunteers will be required to scan and record their temperature upon arrival. If you are sick or experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, please unregister from your volunteer shift (or please contact our department if you are having issues unregistering: Volunteers@FoodBankNEGA.org). Any volunteer that is showing signs of illness will be required to leave the event and return volunteering with the Food Bank after fully recovering.
We currently require all volunteers to be 16 or older.
GROUPS LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER
Groups and organizations looking to have a day of service or multiple volunteer events with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia will need to contact the Bill Taylor at our Athens location or Melissa Johnson at our Mountain Branch location to determine availability for volunteer dates. As signups for events are competitive, we greatly encourage groups to contact us no later than 2 weeks before the intended volunteer date.
Noah Cooke, Volunteer Supervisor (Athens Branch): NCooke@FoodBankNEGA.org
Melissa Johnson, Community Outreach Coordinator (Mountain Branch, Clayton): MJohnson@FoodBankNEGA.org
Due to our Covid-19 safety regulations, groups will be limited to 20 volunteers at a time within the facility. At this time, our availability for scheduling events at our Athens facility is limited from 9:00AM to 5:00PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Times and days may vary depending on Mobile Pantry distribution events. For groups of 10 or less volunteers, please review our GivePulse Guide (insert link) and follow the instructions for registering a group. For groups larger than 10 volunteers requesting a private service event, please provide two dates and times within our group availability two weeks in advance with a projected number of attendants. Once a date has been confirmed, please submit a list of full names, Email addresses, and phone numbers for each participating volunteer for record verification purposes. To schedule group volunteer events, please email us at: NCooke@FoodBankNEGA.org
We currently have a need for regular volunteer assistance at one of our monthly Mobile Pantry Distribution events. If your organization would like to make a regular commitment to directly distributing food to those in-need, please contact us using the email above.
FOOD DRIVES AND DONATIONS
The donations we receive from food drives are essential for maintaining the variety needed for those we serve. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia accepts all donations from our donors. Upon arrival at the Food Bank, volunteers can now leave donations in our Donation Drop Box and take a receipt as a record for your donation. For those looking to collect a detailed record, donate as part of a food drive, or to report to an organization or job, weight receipts can be recorded and provided upon request.
For those looking to collect volunteer service hours, hosting a food drive is a simple and effective way of gaining volunteer hours for you and/or your organization members. Our need for specific donations changes monthly and in relation to the current seasonal drives. To request a list of currently needed donations, please contact Faye Joiner using the contact information below.
According to Feeding America, every dollar donated to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia generates four nutritious meals for our clients. For that reason, we greatly encourage donors to donate online here or create a team and receive your own personalized link by calling us at the number below.
Faye Joiner: Fjoiner@FoodBankNEGA.org Phone: (706) 354-8191 EXT 100
HOW TO BECOME AN INTERN
Internships with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia provide excellent experience and opportunities to serve members of our local community struggling with food insecurity. An internship provides first-hand knowledge and experience working alongside professionals specializing in nutrition, leadership, social work, and warehouse operations and distribution within our facility. Expectations for interns vary depending on circumstances and the department applied for. However, these positions often involve assisting a department and typically require some skills related to Microsoft applications, data entry, and time management.
All internships with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia are unpaid and will typically take place on-site at one of our two Food Bank warehouses. Interns must be available to work 2-3 days a week during our open hours for a minimum of 8 hours a week for 3 or more months. All interns must be fully vaccinated before being instated at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia; all interns will need to provide a picture of their Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card or provide proof in-person for verification.
To apply for an internship with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens, please email a cover letter, a resumé, your availability, and a photo of your Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card to:
For those looking for an opportunity to intern at the Food Bank’s Mountain Branch in Rabun County, please email a cover letter, a resumé, your availability, and a photo of your Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card to:
If you have further questions about an internship opportunity, please email Sherry@FoodBankNEGA.org or call us at: (706) 354-8191, extension 101.
LOCATION AND HOURS OF OPERATION
Our hours of operation for both facilities are Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but we sometimes host scheduled volunteer programs outside of normal hours. The Athens Branch and main warehouse of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is located at 861 Newton Bridge Road, Athens, GA. The Mountain Distribution Branch in Rabun County is located at 46 Plaza Way, Clayton, GA.
