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.
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, volunteer event descriptions, regulations, and other critical details of volunteer work.
- Click on the event you would like to participate in from the calendar below. First-time volunteers will be prompted to create a profile and take the “New Volunteer” survey (these are necessary to complete sign up)
- If you need to unregister from an event, simply update your registration on the event details page or use the “unregister” option provided in your GivePulse confirmation or reminder email. (Please be mindful that no shows and last-minute cancellations can cause delays and loss of resources for those who depend on us!)
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at: VolunteerDepartment@FoodBankNEGA.org
GROUP VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES
To register your group for any available event, please review the details and volunteer capacity for each event on our volunteer calendar. After finding an event that fits best for your group, please provide the following information to RHenry@FoodBankNEGA.org:
- Event name, date, and time.
- The number of volunteers you would like to bring.
- The name of the group or organization volunteering.
- The group leader’s full name, phone number, and email address.
All training, necessary equipment, and sanitation items will be provided at each public and private volunteer event and within the times listed. As parking is limited, volunteer groups should have volunteers carpool when possible. All volunteers will be required to wear close-toed shoes at all events for safety purposes.
Please note most events are not flexible in timeframe but may have the flexibility to include up to 5 more volunteers than listed for each event. All volunteers must be 16 or older to attend.
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. Upon arrival at the Food Bank, volunteers can now leave donations in our Donation Drop Box by our orange Volunteer Center door 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. If donations are excessive and you may need help in unloading donations, please ring the door at the Volunteer Center and staff will be available to assist. Volunteers may be able to earn volunteer hours for hosting a food drive upon request. If you would like a list of suggested donations, questions about the donation process, or would like to collect volunteer hours for your food drive, please contact us at: rdillon@foodbanknega.org.
From a $1 donation, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia can purchase 3 substantial meals for the neighbors we serve across our 14 counties. These meals serve any client in-need, from child to senior. For that reason, we greatly encourage donors to donate online here.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Our current hours of operation for our Volunteer Center at the Athens facility are the following:
Monday: 8:30AM-12:00PM, 1:00PM-3:30PM
Tuesday: 8:30AM-12:00PM, 1:00PM-3:30PM
Wednesday: 8:30AM-12:00PM, 1:00PM-3:30PM
Thursday: 8:30AM-12:00PM, 1:00PM-3:30PM
Friday: 8:30AM-12:00PM, 1:00PM-3:30PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Please note our department may be closed for holidays, private events, and staff meetings. Any schedule changes will be listed on our calendar of events.
COVID-19 REGULATIONS
We follow CDC guidelines to protect our clients, volunteers, and staff at events. For a list of current regulations please visit the CDC website here Your Health | COVID-19 | CDC
