You are our biggest asset!
Food Outreach would not be able to fulfill its mission without the help of our volunteers. Our generous volunteers, which include individuals, families, corporate supporters, community partners, and students contribute to improving the lives of nearly 2,000 individuals living with HIV and/or cancer in our community. In 2024, 1,321 volunteers donated 17,688 hours. That is the equivalent of 9 full-time employees (Food Outreach currently has only 17 full-time employees)! Whether you like to spend your time in the kitchen or pulling grocery orders, we offer a number of great ways to get involved!
Please check out our new Volunteer Site to find a role that fits your special talents and interests, and to schedule or cancel your shifts. If you have additional questions after reviewing the site, please contact Ellie Martin at 314-652-3663 ext. 1121 or via [email protected].
Click here for a preview and to learn more about Food Outreach.
Some volunteer opportunities to consider:
Nutrition Center Client Grocery Packing: Assist in our Nutrition Center by personally filling our client’s grocery orders (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays).
Saturday Cook and Pack: Help cook, pack, and freeze our scratch-prepared meals for Food Outreach clients on Saturday mornings. They pack about 4,000-6,000 entrees and sides every week!
Client Home Delivery Box Packing: Assist in our Multi-Purpose room and Nutrition Center to assemble and pack boxes that will provide a month’s worth of nutrition to our clients through our Home Delivery Program (Mondays).
Cook with Chef: Assist our Chef in preparing and cooking entrees and sides that will be packed and frozen for Food Outreach clients. *May involve working with meat or seafood* (Wednesdays and Fridays)
Nutrition Center Re-Stocking Shift: Assist our Nutrition Center in preparing and setting up additional supplies/grocery boxes for the week. (Wednesdays and Thursdays)
Special Event Assistance: Food Outreach hosts a few events throughout the year and is always in need of volunteers to help set up, assist with tasks, and clean up. One event is our annual fundraiser, A Tasteful Affair, which occurs every October.
View all detailed descriptions and times on our volunteer website.
Requirements:
- All volunteers must register online and fill out the appropriate waivers to volunteer. Click here to register.
- Age limit: We do not accept volunteers under 16 years old due to our volunteer work involving industrial kitchen equipment, heavy materials, and sharp objects.
If you have any questions, please contact Ellie Martin at 314-652-3663 ext. 1121 or [email protected].
COURT ORDERED COMMUNITY SERVICE GUIDELINES
Food Outreach is committed to partnering with our region’s justice system to provide opportunities for individuals to complete their court-ordered community service hours.
Food Outreach will only provide opportunities to fulfill community service hours for individuals who have incurred infractions or minor misdemeanors, not including theft. Examples may include, but are not limited to:
- Traffic violations such as speeding
- Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) – First and Second Offenses Only
- Public intoxication
- Minor Marijuana possession
- Minor Misdemeanor charges
- Littering
Food Outreach will not accept community service volunteers with violent or FELONY convictions. Examples may include, but are not limited to:
- Assault or hate crime
- Stalking
- Any crime against minors
- Drug offenses – methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, etc.
- Sexual assault
- Theft of any kind
- Federal crimes
Additionally, Food Outreach cannot fulfill court-ordered community service hours for any offense that took place outside of the State of Missouri.
Community Service Volunteer Expectations:
- Our team will do our best to help you achieve your community service hours for any minor offenses. However, we cannot guarantee shift availability, so please plan ample time to achieve your hours over weeks or even months.
- We will not prioritize community service volunteers over previously scheduled volunteers and groups. If a shift is full, you can select to be waitlisted should a spot become available.
- You are expected to arrive on time for your assigned shifts. The agency will provide one courtesy exception for missed shifts. If a shift is missed more than once, you will not be allowed to continue volunteering.
- You are responsible for signing in/out and keeping track of your hours. The sign-in sheet is the record of your hours and the property of Food Outreach. Any falsification of hours will result in immediate termination.
- Please note that a Food Outreach staff member will verify your offense on Missouri Case Net or with a court before permitting you to volunteer at the agency.
- Please wait 5 business days before reaching out to confirm the status of your request to volunteer. Once approved, you will be notified and allowed to sign up for volunteer shifts in our system.
- Any community service volunteer who does not proceed through this vetting process will not have their hours verified for a court or parole officer by Food Outreach.
- Upon completion of your service hours, a Food Outreach representative will write a letter to the court or probation officer if needed. Please make an appointment to have this letter written for you.
To submit a Court Ordered Community Service request, please register HERE. Make sure to select “Yes” on the “Court Ordered Community Service” checkbox when you complete your profile questionnaire.
For additional questions, please contact [email protected].
Food Outreach is proud to partner with AmeriCorps to recognize our most dedicated volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award each year. The award honors volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of the toughest challenges facing our nation. As a volunteer at Food Outreach, your donated time will be automatically tracked on your behalf. If you meet the minimum threshold for an award (100+ hours) by December 31st each calendar year, we will automatically apply for the award on your behalf.
