Volunteer Opportunities
The Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry & Clothes Closet depends on committed volunteers from churches in our area and from within our community to meet our mission.
Children age 10-15 may volunteer when accompanied by a parent or supervising adult.
Please volunteer for a specific opportunity by clicking on the corresponding button to the right.
CLIENT SHOPPING SUPPORT (CSS)
FOOD PANTRY FP CSS
Tuesdays: 12:30pm – 3:30pm
Wednesdays: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Thursdays: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Fridays: 9:30am – 12:30pm
Volunteers assist clients making selections, carry-out groceries, and help as needed. For these volunteer shifts it is important to arrive on time to be assigned areas to work and stay the entire shift.
CLOTHES CLOSET CC CSS
Tuesdays: 12:30pm – 3:30pm
Wednesdays: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Thursdays: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Fridays: 9:30am – 12:30pm
Adult volunteers are needed to assist with client shopping. Responsibilities include greeting clients, bagging their items, and tidying as they shop (putting away empty hangers, tidying shelves, etc).
DONATION PROCESSING AND STOCKING (DPS)
FOOD PANTRY FP DPS
Tuesdays: 8:30am – 11:30am
Thursdays: 7:30am – 11:30am
Fridays: 8:30am – 10:00am (driver support position 8:30- 12:00)
On Thursdays, volunteers help unload the pallets of food received from Northern IL Food Bank and stock the shelves. Other times unload a van from donation pick-up, stock shelves, recycle cardboard boxes, sort bakery, vegetables, and fruit. Check expiration dates on donations.
CLOTHES CLOSET CC DPS
Tuesdays: 9:00am – 11:30am
Wednesdays: 9:00am – 11:30am
Thursdays: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Volunteers will inspect, sort, shelve, and hang incoming donations as needed.
GENERAL HELP FOR THE PANTRY
- Working as Food Sorters and Stockers
- Assisting in Food Delivery
- Registering Clients
- Working as Client Choice Assistants
- Helping during our spring and fall Food Drives
- Planting a row (share your extra garden vegetables)
- Earning Service Hours
- Join a Committee
If you have questions not answered feel free to Contact Us .
Guidelines for Volunteers
- Volunteers should park and enter at the back of the building.
- Coats and personal belongings should be hung in the volunteer room or left in the car. There are small lockers with keys available for use. The Food Pantry/Clothes Closet is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
- Volunteers are to wear aprons with a name tag.
- If you are a first time volunteer, please inform Pantry/Closet staff for a short tour and orientation.
- If you need hours to be recorded, please check in with appropriate Pantry/Clothes Closet staff. It is expected that community service workers will stay until the shift ends.
- Volunteers may need to stay beyond the scheduled time to assist clients, straighten up, or stock shelves.
- Volunteers need to notify us if they need to leave early or have any physical restrictions.
- Please do not eat or drink while in the Pantry/Closet shopping spaces. Water bottles are permitted.
- Please do not use cell phones when clients are in the building except in case of emergency. Client families deserve our undivided attention.
- The Pantry/Closet need to be a safe places for everyone. Rude and insubordinate behavior will not be tolerated.
- Any issues or questions that arise should be addressed to the Pantry/Closet Director, or designated Pantry/Closet staff.
- Children/young adults under the age of 16 need to be accompanied by an adult.
- All Client information is to be kept confidential.