The Sharing Place is looking to add to its “incredible” volunteer team amid gaps and growing demand for the food bank’s services.
With winter vacations, growing community need, and expanded services, executive director Chris Peacock said the food bank is looking to bring on around 20 new volunteers.
“We have grown quickly, and we've got a lot of food coming in, and a lot of members accessing our services that have put our current incredible volunteer team to their limits,” Peacock told OrilliaMatters.
Primarily, the Sharing Place is looking for volunteers to work as stockers in its warehouse, but a variety of positions and shifts are available, Peacock said.
“The big thing available right now that we're looking for – it's the hardest group of volunteers to be able to recruit – are our volunteers in our warehouse,” he said. “People that lift can lift up to 50 pounds, be able to sort food, get into the fridges in the freezers and be able to receive food and then bring it up into distribution.”
The following volunteer shifts and positions are available:
- Three stockers on Mondays, with shifts at 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- One stocker on Wednesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- One maintenance person and receiver on Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Two stockers on Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- One driver/driver’s helper on Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Saturday driving team volunteer, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Food sorters from Monday to Friday, at 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m
- On-call drivers and distribution volunteers
Whether prospective volunteers can commit to one day per week or three days per work, Peacock said the Sharing Place is looking for consistency.
“If they have … vacation time coming up, that's completely fine, but it's just a matter of if they're willing to put us into their weekly routine,” he said. “Ninety per cent of our volunteers are here at least once a week; they come in for that weekly routine, and some are here five days a week, three days a week, two days a week, one day a week.”
Those who regularly volunteer develop strong friendships and benefit from the team environment, Peacock said.
“There's a team atmosphere. It's just a wonderful place for people to hang out and work hard, but also have a good time,” he said. “It's a very positive experience, and we just need more individuals to kind of join that positive experience.
Lynn Eaton, who has volunteered for the past nine years, agrees.
“It’s a good environment. The people are really friendly,” she told OrilliaMatters. “The members (clients) are wonderful. It’s a great place to be.”
Peacock said the Sharing Place is averaging more than 2,000 visitors per month, setting a new record of 2,500 visitors in November 2023. Previously, that figure was closer to 1,700 visitors per month.
As a result, the food bank is bringing in and sorting far more food than it did before, Peacock said.
“We are very busy and we have our core volunteer team, but we just need more people to help us,” he said.
Those interested in volunteering can find out more on the Sharing Place website.
