Donate Time
Volunteer
Every weekday, kind and compassionate people come through our doors to help our community. From preparing and packaging food in our Bayard Community Kitchen or delivering our Meals on Wheels, there is something for everyone at Feed More.
Watch this quick video to learn more about our volunteer programs!
If you are not sure where you want to volunteer, sign up for a screening call and one of our volunteer experts will find the right spot for you.
Check Out Our Volunteer Opportunities & FAQ's:
Bayard Community Kitchen Volunteering
The Bayard Community Kitchen prepares and cooks meals for thousands of neighbors across Central Virginia. Feed More’s Bayard Community Kitchen has three volunteer opportunities: Meal Preparation, Meal Packaging, and Box Packaging. Labeler opportunity is available only for pre-trained volunteers. Volunteers must be able to stand for the duration of the shift and be able to lift up to 25 pounds.
- Meal Preparation
- Volunteers will play the role of sous chef. Tasks include slicing, dicing, washing, peeling, and measuring various ingredients.
- Volunteers do not actually do the cooking.
- Volunteers need to be comfortable working with all food products, including raw meat.
- Minimum Age: 18
- Meal Packaging
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Volunteers will portion and package prepared food product for distribution to Meals on Wheels and other clients. Tasks may include portioning prepared food, as well as sealing and labeling food trays.
- Minimum Age: 16
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- Box Packaging
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Volunteers will package prepared food product for distribution to Meals on Wheels and other clients. Tasks may include portioning items such as bread and juice, packing meals into boxes, and labeling boxes to prepare them for distribution.
- Minimum Age: 16
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While we do have a program that allows volunteers to fulfill court mandated hours, we work primarily with minor traffic violations and do not accept any charges stemming from drugs, assault, theft, weapons or dishonesty. Individuals needing court-mandated or pre-court volunteer hours must complete the appropriate application and include their caseworker/lawyer’s contact information for verification. If you need to fulfill court mandated hours please sign up at this link or in the Court-Mandated/Pre-Trial Community Service section, not the button below.
Meals on Wheels
Our Meals on Wheels program serving homebound seniors and disabled neighbors and our Children’s programs rely on our dedicated volunteer drivers who take individually prepared, labeled box meals, BackPacks and snacks directly to our neighbors in need. Watch this short video to learn more!
- Volunteer Driver
- Volunteers utilize personal vehicle to help Feed More deliver meals to homebound individuals and children-serving agencies throughout greater Richmond metro region.
- Minimum Age: 18
- Packers & Loaders
- Volunteers will assist packing coolers with pre-packaged Meals on Wheels meals and loading volunteers’ cars.
Court-Mandated/Pre-Trial Community Service
While we do have a program that allows volunteers to fulfill court mandated hours, we work primarily with minor traffic violations and do not accept any charges stemming from drugs, assault, theft, weapons or dishonesty. Individuals needing court-mandated or pre-court volunteer hours must complete the appropriate application and include their caseworker/lawyer’s contact information for verification.
Hotline Support
- Hunger Hotline Support: Volunteers work directly with our network of partnering food pantries. The Hunger Hotline connects people in need of food assistance to a food pantry in their area. The program receives around 300 calls per month.
- Minimum Age: 18
- Client Services Hotline Support: Volunteers provide customer service to clients, agency partners and volunteers.
Children's Programs
Feed More’s Children’s Programs provide youth with the nutritional building blocks they need to learn and grow all year long. There are multiple Children’s Programs volunteer opportunities including delivery drivers, warehouse packers, and dispatch volunteers to help distribute snacks and backpacks to designated schools.
- Delivery Driver
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Using their personal vehicle, volunteers will pick up care packages at Feed More anytime during the designated time slot and deliver them to their designated site.
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All sites are within a 30-minute drive of Feed More and the duration of the total shift is around 1 hour.
- Minimum Age: 18
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- Warehouse Packers
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Volunteers will work in an assembly line or individually to create non-perishable food care packages for distribution to youth in need.
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Tuesday- Backpack/ Student Food Bag Packing- Assembly Line
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Wednesday- Snack/ Breakfast Packing- Individual Box Packing
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Minimum Age: 16
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- Mobile Pantry Support – Feed More Bus
- Main responsibilities for this role will be to track the number of individuals who go through the bus and hand out bags at the entrance of the bus.
- This volunteer has the choice to meet the Children’s program team at the volunteer center and ride on the Mobile Pantry Bus to the location of distribution or to meet the team at the distribution location.
- Minimum Age: 18
- Dispatch Support & Dispatch Lead
- Volunteers will lead the Children’s Program food package and backpack pick-up. They will ensure that the correct items are distributed to the drivers and assist in loading boxes and bags into the vehicles.
- Volunteers will also troubleshoot any dispatch errors and sign in delivery driver volunteers.
- This position includes lifting up to 40 lbs and bending.
- Minimum Age: 18
SNAP Community Benefits Volunteer
- SNAP Volunteer
- Volunteers will support the community in the enrollment process for SNAP as well as data entry and outreach surrounding the program.
Warehouse
- Bakery Sorting
- Volunteers will assist in sorting and organizing bakery items.
- Minimum Age: 16
- Warehouse Packers
- Volunteers will work in an assembly line to create non-perishable care packages for general distribution.
- Minimum Age: 16
- Warehouse Food Sorting
- Volunteers will sort and organize food donations.
- Minimum Age: 16
Can my company or organization get involved in volunteering?
Yes! We have plenty of group volunteering opportunities that give a hands-on teambuilding experience while you are giving back. If you have a group larger than ten please reach out the Kourtney Boughey at kboughey@FeedMore.org.
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- Warehouse opportunities are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m.-noon.
- Bayard Community Kitchen opportunities are available on Monday-Friday with various shifts from 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.
- Children’s program opportunities are available on select Tuesdays from 9 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and Wednesdays 1 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.
- Packing and loading opportunities are Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m.- 11 a.m.
Volunteering FAQs
- What is the minimum age requirement for volunteers?
- Due to safety restrictions in our warehouse and Bayard Community Kitchen, all volunteers working on our campus during normal operating hours must be 16 years or older.
- Are there evening or weekend volunteer opportunities?
- All volunteer opportunities are during Feed More’s regular business hours of Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
- Does Feed More accept court-mandated community service?
- While we do have a program that allows volunteers to fulfill court mandated hours, we work primarily with minor traffic violations and do not accept any charges stemming from drugs, assault, theft, weapons or dishonesty. Individuals needing court-mandated or pre-court volunteer hours must complete the appropriate application and include their caseworker/lawyer’s contact information for verification.
- To sign-up for court related or pre-trial community service, please click here!
- Does Feed More accept school-required community service?
- Feed More does permit students in need of school-required community service to volunteer, but all opportunities are during regular business hours.
- Am I able to schedule my own volunteer hours?
- Shifts are scheduled based on operational needs. You must be able to commit to the duration of the shift and times are not able to be adjusted.
- Can I volunteer with a friend or family member?
- If you wish to volunteer with a particular person you will both need to submit an application and register for the same shift.
- Are background checks required?
- All volunteers who are driving for either Meals on Wheels or Children’s Program must pass a general background check. There is no cost for the background check.
- What if I am late to my shift?
- If you arrive more than 15 minutes late to your scheduled shift time, then you may not be accommodated.
- Will I be able to cook the food?
- Volunteers are able to assist as sous chefs helping prepare the ingredients used by Feed More cooks, but our volunteers do not cook.
- Does Feed More provide vehicles for Meals on Wheels drivers?
- Volunteers use their personal vehicles to deliver meals to our Meals on Wheels clients.
- Does Feed More provide mileage reimbursement for drivers?
- Feed More is not able to provide reimbursement for volunteers who drive to deliver for Meals on Wheels and/or Children’s Programs.
- What is your COVID-19 Policy?
- Feed More takes its commitment to responsible volunteerism seriously. Currently Feed more does not require proof of COVID-19 Vaccination but will follow the guidance of the CDC should a spike occur in the future.
- Please follow the guidelines below when volunteering:
- Do not volunteer if you are sick or feeling unwell.
- Do not volunteer if you have been near someone who is sick.
- Practice physical distancing during your shift.
- Masks are optional while on our campus.