Volunteering
Who volunteers at Loaves & Fishes?
Our volunteers include retired people, whole families, professionals, students, church and community groups, anyone willing to lend a hand and become part of a vibrant and generous community. Any needed training is provided.
There are presently over 100 volunteers scheduled in the Loaves & Fishes kitchen during the week. Many of these have been working the same 3 hour shift each week for 5, 10 or more years, and they form a core group of dedicated workers. There are many volunteer openings during the year, but the kitchen shifts, especially for the evening meals, fill up quickly at the beginning of each semester.
We currently have a couple of special volunteer slots for which we can use some help - Monday mornings from about 9:30 to 11:30 to help with our major food delivery, and Sunday afternoons for about an hour to help with gleaning from the Farmers Market (we can figure out more details if you are available). Let us know if you can help!
Currently we have openings for volunteers on:
Wednesdayrom 11:30am -2:30pm for serving and cleanup
Tuesday 3-6pm food prep and 5:30-8:30pm serving and cleanup
Thursday 3-6pm food prep and 5:30-8:30pm serving and cleanup
If scheduling a volunteer activity is difficult, or if we don’t have open shifts that work for you, our doors are open to all for meals, and we encourage you to join us for some good food and to visit with our guests during any mealtime:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday noon to 1 pm
Tuesday and Thursday 6 pm to 7 pm
How do I get involved with Loaves & Fishes as a Volunteer?
To schedule any volunteer activity (listed below) or to suggest or offer other volunteer services, please contact:
Maggie Whitehead, volunteer coordinator
loaves@loaves.org (preferred)
(607)272-5457.
Office hours are part time on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am to 2pm. Please allow a couple of days for return correspondence.
Our next event is our annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, scheduled for November 1, 2008. We will need help with preparing and serving a meal. If you are available and would like to help out preparing or serving, please contact us. Also, we serve the meal in bowls donated by local potters, which patrons then take home to keep. If you would like to donate bowls, please contact us.
Can I do community service hours at Loaves & Fishes?
If you are looking to complete school credit or court-ordered community service hours, please refer to the Community Service page.
What do volunteers do?
• Work in the kitchen
• Visit with guests during mealtimes
• Help provide craft projects during mealtimes
• Provide music
• Help with errands or maintenance
• Participate on a board committee such as fundraising/PR or Education and Advocacy
• Bring/read books with children
• Collect and bring book donations for our “little red bookcase”
• Gardening activities (seasonal)
• Assist with special projects and events - Ithaca Festival in the summer and Empty Bowls in late fall.
When are the kitchen shifts and which ones have openings?
Currently we have openings for volunteers on:
Wednesday from 11:30am -2:30pm for serving and cleanup
Tuesday 3-6pm food prep and 5:30-8:30pm serving and cleanup
Thursday 3-6pm food prep and 5:30-8:30pm serving and cleanup
• If you are available to staff our noon meals, between the hours of 9 am and 3 pm, we may have hours available now or in the near future.
• If these hours don’t work for you, please consider the other options and projects mentioned above, and please check back in the future, as we will update this information as the situation changes.
• If you are available during academic breaks, we can use help in the kitchen during those times, as many of our student volunteers leave the area during breaks. The breaks for the fall semester are:
Cornell:
October 11 - October 15 (especially Tuesday, October 14)
Between semesters: December 2008 and January 2009
Ithaca College:
October 15 - October 19 (especially Thursday, October 16)
Between semesters: December 2008 and January 2009
What can large groups (including groups of young kids) do, and how do they get scheduled?
Because we have to maintain a regular, reliable crew of volunteers to staff the kitchen, we cannot easily schedule large groups (5 or more) to do regular volunteer work here. However, we can use help for certain projects such as preparing for our Empty Bowls fundraiser in the fall, other events, and special cleaning projects. Please contact the volunteer coordinator.
• Bake desserts or cookies, then join us for a meal and serve your goodies.
• Join us for a meal and provide us with songs and music. YAY!
• Make center pieces for 10 tables for a holiday.
• Make packets of candy for 120 guests.
• Collect canned food items, then join us for a meal.
• Assist with special projects and events - Ithaca Festival in the summer and Empty Bowls in late fall.
We do not have meals or office operations on weekends, so we do not typically have volunteer opportunities on weekends.
What do I need for my first volunteer shift/activity?
If you have been scheduled for volunteer activities, please complete our Volunteer Information Form and bring it with you to your first shift. Also please read the Volunteer Guidelines.
If you are scheduled to work in the kitchen, please wear a hat and, if possible, bring an apron.
There is no parking in the lot at Loaves and Fishes. There is meterless parking about a block away.
Thanks for your interest!
Volunteers make the work of Loaves & Fishes happen, and we are grateful for the work you do!