Volunteering
Volunteer Opportunities
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People helping people.
We simply couldn’t do what we do without the great volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to meet the needs of our community. The hours are flexible to fit your schedule. Any time you can dedicate is very much appreciated. Check out our list of opportunities you may be interested in below.
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Individual Volunteer opportunities
Check out the volunteer opportunities below. If you decide to choose more than one role, you need only click on ANY one of volunteer form buttons below to take you to the online page where you can check off multiple roles. Choose as many roles as you are interested in.
Client Servicing
Volunteers on our client servicing team assist in directly supporting those accessing our services. Client servicing shifts are available Monday through Friday from 8:45 am to 12 pm.
Warehouse
Volunteers on our warehouse team assist in day-to-day operations relating to the warehouse including: receiving food, sorting food, boxing and staging food, preparing hampers, stocking shelves, building agency orders, rotation of stock, product breakdown, and whatever else needs to be done! Warehouse shifts are available Monday through Friday in two different shifts: mornings from 8:45 am to 12 pm, and afternoons from 1 pm to 4 pm.
Food Sorting
As part of our warehouse team, those interested in supporting our organization who are looking for something less physically demanding are welcome to help us sort incoming food donations. Food Sorting shifts are available Monday through Friday in two different shifts: mornings from 8:45 am to 12 pm, and afternoons from 1 pm to 4 pm.
Driving
Volunteer drivers are an integral part of our operation responsible for picking up food donations around the city and delivering orders to agencies. These volunteers also serve as a representation of our organization in the public as they are routinely in contact with our donors and partners. Those interested in a role with our driving team must be 25 years or older with a valid G license and clean driving record.
Morning shifts are Monday through Friday from 8 am to 12pm (flexible - these shifts are typically 1-2 hrs, during food drives may be longer).
Afternoon shifts are Monday through Friday from 1 pm to 4 pm (flexible - these shifts are typically 1.5-2 hrs, depending on # of deliveries/pick ups).
Special Events
Those interested in supporting us during special events are encouraged to check this option off on their volunteer forms. Our team will reach out to you for event support when planning out special events such as fundraisers, food drives, etc. These events can occur on evenings, weekends, or during the week depending on the nature of the event. You can either fill out the form below or email us directly at
Gift Wrapping
Each year for the month of December leading up to Christmas, Guelph Food Bank has a gift-wrapping booth set up at Stone Road Mall where our volunteers wrap gifts for patrons by donation. Shifts are available all hours that the mall is open from December 1st to December 24th each year. Those interested who have marked this option down on their volunteer forms will receive a call prior to December 1st for scheduling.
A special volunteer form is coming! If you are interested in the meantime and would like more information, please email volunteers@guelphfoodbank.ca
Fundraising
Our team is always looking for individuals interested and/or experienced with fundraising to help with various initiatives around increasing awareness, soliciting monetary donations, and coordinating food donations. Let us know what your level of interest in this category so that we can set up a chat with you. Want more information about running your own fundraiser and what's involved? Email communications@guelphfoodbank.ca for more info.
Create your own fundraiser with CanadaHelps.org
Team Building / Group Volunteering
Volunteering as a group is an amazing way for your teams - whether from work, sports, school, or otherwise - to bond and develop comradery in a low-stress, high-energy environment. Guelph Food Bank can accommodate groups of up to 16 individuals in our warehouse in the afternoons (shifts can be any duration between 1pm and 5pm, typically a 2-3 hr shift is ideal). Contact us for larger groups or special events to chat about how we can work together.
Student Volunteers
We welcome high school and post-secondary students alike who are interested in working with our team, whether for required hour completions or general interest.
Students / youth interested in volunteering with us are eligible to do so as early as the summer preceding their grade 9 year.
Note:
If completing hours that require sign-offs, you will need to keep track of your hours and submit an ‘hour request sign-off’ form at least 24 hours in advance when ready to have your hours confirmed. Once informed that your hours are ready to be signed, you will need to bring in the form given to you by your school. These forms can often be found on your school boards website.
Work Placements
High school students completing a co-op program through their schools are welcome to do so with us. We offer flexible placement times in a safe, positive environment that fosters the growth and development of important life skills such as time management, teamwork, communication, and confidence.
To date we have welcomed students from:
Post-secondary students looking to do placements in a meaningful environment are welcome to apply with us. We work with numerous colleges and universities to ensure your time spent in placement is a rewarding one that will help you grow as an individual ready to embark on your personal journey into the work force.
Students from a variety of backgrounds have completed their placements with us including; social work, specialized care programs, policing and other emergency service geared programs, business placements, etc.
To date we have welcomed students from:
