Volunteer Position Title: Food Bank Volunteer

Location: CFOC– Doors of Compassion (CFOC-DOC), Ajax HUB
Reports To: Food Bank Coordinator
Time Commitment: Flexible – Minimum 4/8 hours weekly/biweekly preferred
Position Summary:
The Food Bank Volunteer plays a key role in supporting CFOC-DOC’s efforts to provide nutritious food and essential groceries to individuals and families facing food insecurity. This position involves assisting with sorting, organizing, and distributing food items to ensure that clients have access to the resources they need. Volunteers will also help maintain the food bank space to ensure it is clean, organized, and welcoming for all.

Key Responsibilities:

• Receiving and Sorting Food Donations: Help receive, sort, and categorize incoming food donations (e.g., non-perishable items, fresh produce, dairy, etc.), ensuring that they meet health and safety standards.
• Inventory Management: Track food inventory levels, helping to maintain accurate records and ensuring that food items are used in a timely manner before expiration.
• Organizing the Food Bank: Keep the food bank area tidy and well-organized, ensuring that food items are displayed clearly by category (e.g., canned goods, dry goods, produce) and are easily accessible for clients.
• Food Package Preparation: Assist with the preparation of food packages for clients, ensuring that each package includes a variety of nutritious and appropriate items based on client needs.
• Client Assistance: Greet clients with respect and dignity, helping them select food items and providing support as needed while maintaining confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach.
• Health & Safety Compliance: Ensure all food handling and storage procedures comply with health and safety standards, including checking for expired items, proper refrigeration of perishables, and cleanliness of the food bank area.
• Food Drive Support: Assist with the organization and promotion of food drives, including sorting and packaging donated items and coordinating with other volunteers during special events.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with other volunteers and staff to ensure that food distribution runs smoothly and clients receive the support they need.
• Documentation and Reporting: Help track food donations and distributions, maintaining records as needed for inventory purposes or reporting to donors and partners.

General volunteers do a variety of tasks including food service * dispensing pantry goods * monitoring washrooms * coat check * and various other odd jobs.

·       Interacting with the public while providing great customer service. Merchandising and staging of furniture donations.

·       eCommerce: product research for price and key selling points, measure dimensions, photography, and minor touch up of items to support our new online platform.

·       Tasks may include customer service, product display, pricing, assembly, and repair

• Due to the physical nature of some of the tasks required, ReStore volunteers may be asked to lift heavy objects (bathroom fixtures, windows, doors, etc.)
• Assembling furniture and some restoration of various donations.
• Able to lift 10-20 pounds and be on your feet for several hours at a time.
• Volunteers are required to wear CSA approved green label safety shoes, some at store to borrow for volunteer shift

·       Come with a willingness to learn from experienced volunteers and staff and to work as part of a team. A positive attitude, enthusiasm, flexibility, and a sense of humour is always key! Tasks are not always glamorous, so be prepared to do a variety of things.