For more information or for service verification requests, contact Food Bank’s Volunteer Engagement Team at volunteer@foodbanknyc.org.
Volunteer
Volunteers play a central role in powering Food Bank’s mission. Whether filing tax returns for low-income New Yorkers, distributing groceries to our pantry clients, or advocating through social media, you can make an impact in many ways with Food Bank For New York City!
To view a schedule of current volunteer opportunities and create your account, please visit our Volunteer Portal.
Pantry Distribution
Food Bank’s Pantry Distribution shifts take place on weekdays and Saturdays at our Community Kitchen and Pantry in West Harlem. Volunteers will help pack and distribute grocery bags with fresh produce and shelf-stable goods for community members. We rely on volunteers to help us serve hundreds of community members each month!
Volunteers must also register on the Food Bank Volunteer Portal in advance – walk-in volunteers will not be accepted. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old to participate and all volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. Small groups of up to 10 6 volunteers (18+) are welcome. Please contact volunteer@foodbanknyc.org for more information on youth or group volunteering.
Become A Social Media Ambassador
Food Bank’s Social Media Ambassador Program is a way for volunteers to amplify resources for New Yorkers facing food insecurity, boost Food Bank’s mission on social media, and advocate by using their voices creatively and intentionally online – all while earning volunteer service hours.
Volunteers choose actions to complete (which range from sharing our Food Finder Map, to posting a selfie in orange for Hunger Awareness, to simply commenting on a Food Bank post), tag #FoodBankAmbassador, and document with screenshots to earn service hours for posting.
BE A VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARER
BE A VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARER
Food Bank’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program has put more than $1 billion back into the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, and we rely on over 300 dedicated volunteers each tax season to support this impactful anti-poverty work.
This Tax Season, Food Bank will be offering three models of tax filing services: In-Person VITA Тax Preparer (working alongside Food Bank tax staff at various community-based locations across NYC to assist tax clients on-site), Virtual VITA Back End Tax Preparer (working alongside tax staff at Food Bank’s Back End tax preparation centers to complete returns submitted electronically from our network of Intake Sites across NYC), Remote VITA Tax Preparer (volunteers use a computer with internet access to prepare returns remotely and securely from home/work supported by Food Bank tax staff to help individuals file returns virtually.
JOIN A VIRTUAL SERVICE EVENT
Food Bank hosts largescale Virtual Service Hours on Zoom, bringing together volunteers from across the country to join in impactful virtual service activities. These events pair virtual service with educational panel conversations on food insecurity topics with guest speakers.
Recent virtual events have included our Virtual Day of Service for MLK Day with guest speaker Reverend Rasheed Baird, and People Get Periods: A Virtual Service Hour and Conversation on Period Poverty with US Congresswoman Grace Meng.
Stay tuned for upcoming virtual events!
Pantry Distribution
Food Bank’s Pantry Distribution shifts take place on weekdays and Saturdays at our Community Kitchen and Pantry in West Harlem. Volunteers will help pack and distribute grocery bags with fresh produce and shelf-stable goods for community members. We rely on volunteers to help us serve hundreds of community members each month!
Volunteers must also register on the Food Bank Volunteer Portal in advance – walk-in volunteers will not be accepted. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old to participate and all volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. Small groups of up to 6 volunteers (18+) are welcome. Please contact volunteer@foodbanknyc.org for more information on youth or group volunteering.
Pantry Support
Volunteers are needed at our Community Kitchen & Pantry on Mondays and Fridays to help prepare for our weekly distributions, load in deliveries, and assist in general pantry upkeep. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to participate in this activity. Volunteers must also register on the Food Bank Volunteer Portal in advance — walk-in volunteers will not be accepted.
Warehouse Repack
Food Bank’s Warehouse and Food Distribution Center in The Bronx distributes food to member charity agencies throughout the five boroughs, supplying over 70 million meals per year to New Yorkers in need! Volunteers at our warehouse help our staff with our highest-impact initiative by sorting and repacking bulk shipped food and goods for redistribution around the city.
Repack shifts are available for groups of 10-20 volunteers (18 years or older) on weekday mornings and afternoons. Please email volunteer@foodbanknyc.org for more information. For corporate groups, we recommend a sponsorship of $2,000.
VITA
Food Bank’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program has put more than $1 billion back into the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, and we rely on over 300 dedicated volunteers each tax season to support this impactful anti-poverty work.
This Tax Season, Food Bank will be offering three models of tax filing services: In-Person VITA Тax Preparer (working alongside Food Bank tax staff at various community-based locations across NYC to assist tax clients on-site), Virtual VITA Back End Tax Preparer (working alongside tax staff at Food Bank’s Back End tax preparation centers to complete returns submitted electronically from our network of Intake Sites across NYC), Remote VITA Tax Preparer (volunteers use a computer with internet access to prepare returns remotely and securely from home/work supported by Food Bank tax staff to help individuals file returns virtually.
CUSTOMIZE A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Organizations can partner with Food Bank to build a unique team volunteer experience. Food Bank has designed and delivered custom opportunities to groups in corporate offices, schools, community organizations, and many other locations. Through the pandemic, Food Bank has also developed engaging virtual events for groups to serve together from home. Programs are fully customizable to any group’s needs: large or small groups, family-friendly events, or corporate team-building retreats.
Customized projects include a sponsorship fee. To learn more, please contact volunteer@foodbanknyc.org. Interested organizations with limited budgets are encouraged to check out public volunteer opportunities and events.
BUILD EMPATHY THROUGH A FACE HUNGER™ SIMULATION
Gather a team of 10-25 people to share in the Face Hunger™ Simulation – a highly interactive experience which raises awareness and understanding of hunger and its many causes.
In this virtual or in-person workshop, participants receive a profile packet with information about the identity, income, and available resources of a person at risk of hunger. Each participant embodies a person experiencing hunger through a series of exercises, facing the challenge to provide nutritious meals for their family. Face Hunger™ participants also debrief with a group discussion on their experience to walk away with a new understanding of hunger in New York City.
Each simulation for up to 25 participants asks for a sponsorship fee of $2,500.
Warehouse Repack
Food Bank’s Warehouse and Food Distribution Center in The Bronx distributes food to member charity agencies throughout the five boroughs, supplying over 100 million meals per year to New Yorkers in need! Volunteers at our warehouse help our staff with our highest-impact initiative by sorting and repacking bulk shipped food and goods for redistribution around the city.
Repack shifts are available for groups of 10-20 volunteers (18 years or older) on weekday mornings and afternoons. For corporate groups, we recommend a sponsorship of $2,000.
Pantry Distribution
Food Bank’s Pantry Distribution shifts take place on weekdays and Saturdays at our Community Kitchen and Pantry in West Harlem. Volunteers will help pack and distribute grocery bags with fresh produce and shelf-stable goods for community members. We rely on volunteers to help us serve hundreds of community members each month! Small groups of up to 6 volunteers (18+) are welcome. For corporate groups, we recommend a sponsorship of $1,000.
SUBSCRIBE TO FUELING GOOD, FOOD BANK’S VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Food Bank’s volunteer newsletter, Fueling Good, celebrates the central role of volunteers in powering our mission. Each monthly edition spotlights one of our volunteers and their service story, showcases recent service events, and highlights upcoming volunteer opportunities.
