As Pandemic Continues, Feed More Needs Volunteers

06/27/2022

Amid the growing need for food assistance throughout Central Virginia, our community can help feed hungry children, families, and seniors by volunteering with Feed More in 2022.

The economic uncertainty spurred by the pandemic is still here, and many in our region continue to struggle with hunger: nearly 11% of our Central Virginia community experiences food insecurity. That’s more than 165,000 neighbors who do not know where their next meal will come from – and as inflation and supply chain disruptions continue to pose challenges, we expect that the road toward recovery for those facing food insecurity will continue for many months to come.

Feed More volunteers play a vital role in nourishing our neighbors who face hunger. From preparing ingredients and packaging meals in our Bayard Community Kitchen to delivering after-school snacks for area kids or Meals on Wheels to our homebound community members, there is something for just about everyone – and our volunteers enjoy a flexible schedule that can fit their lifestyle!

At Feed More, we always make volunteer safety a priority. When the pandemic began, we made extensive adjustments to meal prep, packaging, and meal pickup to allow for physical distance and minimize person-to-person contact, and we continue to track COVID trends and vaccination rates to ensure the wellbeing of our volunteers and clients.

As Feed More continues to leverage the most recent CDC and state guidance, we aim to return to five-day Meals on Wheels deliveries Monday through Friday later this year. Right now, we’re looking for volunteers to fill delivery routes throughout the greater Richmond metro area. We expect that we’ll need close to 1,000 volunteers as we scale back up to five delivery days.

Delivering Meals on Wheels is as easy as spending a few hours of your time each month delivering food to homebound community members, but it can make a huge difference in the lives of your neighbors in need!

We’re looking for volunteers in the following areas:

  • Meals on Wheels: Deliver diet-specific meals to homebound neighbors in our area to help them remain independent while still enjoying nutritious food. As a delivery driver, you’ll offer a friendly smile and an important safety check for our clients, making the program extend far beyond the meal. (Must be 18 years or older)
  • Children’s programs: Deliver snacks for after-school programs or Weekend BackPacks filled with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food items for kids who don’t have enough to eat at home during the weekends. (Must be 18 years or older)
  • Community Kitchen:
    • Ingredient preparation: Washing, peeling, measuring ingredients to prepare for our cooks. (Must be 18 years or older)
    • Meal packaging: Portioning prepared meals into trays. (Must be 16 years or older)
    • Box packaging: Boxing up prepared meals for delivery to Meals on Wheels clients. (Must be 16 years or older)

Make your new year’s resolution to help hungry neighbors! Morning and afternoon volunteer opportunities are available Monday through Friday.

Register through our online volunteer portal at: feedmore.org/volunteer.

About Feed More

Feed More collects, prepares and distributes food to neighbors in need throughout Central Virginia. With a service area that stretches across 34 counties and cities, Feed More’s comprehensive programs and network of nearly 300 agencies helps ensure our communities have access to healthy meals year round. Feed More is a proud member of Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America. For additional information, please visit feedmore.org, find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.