- A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
-
74 people are interested
Help at All-Volunteer Food Pantry
ORGANIZATION: FIRST PARISH NEWBURY FOOD PANTRY
Please visit the new page to apply.
- A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
-
74 people are interested
Started in 2015 and completely run by volunteers from the communities served, the First Parish Newbury Food Pantry has grown to serve 400+ people each week from the communities of Newbury, Newburyport, West Newbury, Salisbury, Georgetown, Rowley, Ipswich and surrounding towns. All ordering is done online (on Wednesdays and until noon Thursdays). Our volunteers call about 120 people every week who are not comfortable with online ordering. We fill orders on Fridays. Our volunteers shop for the items ordered, bag items, stage bags by delivery location or pickup time and then load cars). We deliver about 60% of our orders. Volunteer drivers use their own cars. Our volunteers also set up the pantry on Friday mornings, unload and stock food delivered to the Pantry, staff times the pantry is open to accept donations and pick up various donations throughout the week.
The pantry is special. We deliver over 110 orders every week. We have a welcoming environment for guests, a supportive crew of people and a terrific selection of foods - from farm fresh eggs, to meals, milk, fresh vegetables and fruits, frozen meat and fish, staples, household cleaning and personal care products and pet food.
If you want to help calling guests on Wednesdays and Thursdays, fill one of the Friday jobs, do some weekend set-up work, unload deliveries on Thursday mornings or help behind the scenes with computer and organizational work, this is the place for you. Help out every week, once a month or on a schedule that best suits you. You'll join a dedicated, friendly team. Try it out. Must be fully vaccinated and have at least 2 boosters.
More opportunities with FIRST PARISH NEWBURY FOOD PANTRY
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About FIRST PARISH NEWBURY FOOD PANTRY
Location:
20 High Road, Newbury, MA 01951, US
Mission Statement
The mission of the First Parish Newbury Food Pantry is to alleviate the impact of hunger on individuals and families in the greater Newbury/Newburyport area and provide opportunities for community residents to help their neighbors. We supply healthy and nutritional food at no cost to anyone struggling to feed themselves or their families. We welcome our neighbors in need with compassion and respect.
Description
The First Parish Newbury Food Pantry is 100% volunteer organized and operated. Our mission is two-fold: 1) to reduce hunger and 2) to provide opportunities for community residents to help their neighbors. With this model we have grown from our start in December 2015 in the library of the First Parish Church Newbury to serving 500+ guests each Friday. The Pantry provides, fresh produce, frozen meats, bread, canned goods, personal care items, household cleaning products and pet food to al in need. Our model of neighbors helping neighbors helps build connections to people in need who are too embarrassed to ask for help.
About half our guests are from Newburyport and another 25% are from Newbury, with the remainder coming from surrounding towns, including Rowley, Ipswich, West Newbury, Georgetown, and Salisbury. Seniors comprise almost half of the guests we serve. Guests place their orders online choosing from among about 250 items each week. We deliver 60% of our orders each week and make weekly calls to take the orders of 120 people who are uncomfortable with technology.
Here is what our guests say about the work of our volunteers:
"What it does for me, I just can’t say enough. It augments my income so I can eat well. Being able to eat well at 76 is a gift. You make it so....I don’t feel guilty. It is hard taking rather than giving. I volunteered for 50 years and I keep having to tell myself, "it is my turn." June 2022
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
20 High RoadNewbury, MA 01951
DATE POSTED
March 21, 2024
SKILLS
- Customer Service
- Food Delivery / Distribution
- Basic Computer Skills
- People Skills
- Relationship Building
GOOD FOR
- Teens
- People 55+
- Group
REQUIREMENTS
- Must be at least 16
- Orientation or Training
- Whatever time you can spare for this important work. Some volunteers work every week. Some work for 2 hours at a time and some work a full day.
- Some jobs require carrying and lifting 20+ pound bags. Others require basic computer skills, phone skill, or driving. Friday Pantry jobs require being on your feet for 3+ hours at a time.