Food Shelf Volunteers Needed!

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CAPI is an immigrant-led, nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping Minnesota’s newest refugees and immigrants gain access to jobs, housing, food, health education, and youth and senior social services in order to promote economic independence, self-determination and social equality.

CAPI has the first and only Asian-specific food shelf in the state. Since 1982, CAPI’s food shelf has been supporting the cultural and nutritional needs of approximately 2,000 individuals each month with more than 450,000 pounds of food each year. The food shelf continues to serve immigrants, refugees, and individuals of all backgrounds.

We are looking to build our community of volunteers to improve the sustainability of our food shelf to better serve community members who are food insecure and utilize our services. Volunteers are crucial in supporting our community members to achieve our mission of "guiding refugees and immigrants toward self-determination and social equality."

As a food shelf volunteer, you will be involved in multiple aspects of operating CAPI’s food shelf. We recently transitioned from curbside pickup to a client-choice model and are in need of volunteers to assist in the food shelf to stock shelves, pack produce and assist clients. Since March 2020, CAPI USA Food Shelf has operated as curbside pickup. Volunteers and staff packed dry goods and produce into boxes and brought the food to client's cars to keep everyone safe while still providing food for the community. The food shelf team has been hard at work to create a new one-way layout for clients to pick out their food inside the food shelf.

Tasks include:

• Organizing shelves and fridges
• Sorting supplies and goods
• Client shopper: assist clients in shopping/bagging and selecting their food items.
• Maintain basic workplace hygiene and safety protocol
• Bagging bulk rice and produce into smaller quantities
• Other tasks as needed

Available Shifts:

Monday: 10-11:30, 11:30-1, 1-2:30, 2:30-4

Tuesdays: 1-4pm

Wednesdays and Thursdays: 9:00am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm to 4:00pm (1.5 hour shifts)

*Please inquire about volunteer shifts outside these hours.

We are flexible in working with volunteers to tailor a volunteering schedule that fits their schedule. We are ideally looking for volunteers that can commit to volunteering on a weekly or monthly basis but always welcome one-time volunteers as well.

High school/college students, groups, families, and seniors are a great fit for the volunteer position!

Masks and gloves will be provided on-site. Mask usage is required inside CAPI locations, and gloves are required during food shelf item handling.