Volunteer FAQ

• If space permits, you may park in the front.
• You may be directed to our overflow lot located behind the building.
• For detailed instructions, go to Finding Where to Volunteer?

• If you registered online, please check in with a team member at the Welcome Desk.
• If you did not register online, please sign the waiver at the left of the Welcome Desk.
• You do not need to sign out.

• Please feel free to wander the lobby area. Our lobby has various information about the work Houston Food Bank does as well as things that have shaped us and our community.
• When the shift begins, we will give a brief orientation and transition volunteers to the project areas.

• For the safety of our volunteers, visitors, staff, and neighbors, volunteers are required to meet certain eligibility requirements to attend shifts. Volunteers must be able to say yes to the statements below.
  • I have never had, been a carrier of, or been in close contact recently with someone diagnosed with any of the following conditions: foodborne illness, Typhoid or Paratyphoid, Tuberculosis, or parasitic infections.
  • I am not currently experiencing any of the following symptoms:
    • Diarrhea or vomiting
    • Skin infections or rashes
    • Discharge from the ears, eyes, gums, or mouth
    • Open cuts or wounds on the hands or forearms
    • Fever, chills, or loss of appetite
    • Recent contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19
  • If you answered no to any of the above, we kindly ask that you postpone your visit for at least two weeks after your symptoms have fully resolved.
• Please do not use your cell phone while in the warehouse. It is an active work area with forklifts and other heavy machinery.
• Earbuds are not permitted because we want to ensure you can hear any safety instructions during the shift.
• Jewelry, even small earrings, can be a safety concern as they can fall into food. It is best to leave all jewelry at home, or you may be asked to remove them before starting the volunteer shift.
• Strollers and wagons can be a safety hazard in the work areas. Please leave these in your car or at home.
• Anyone operating a pallet jack must wear steel-toe clips.

• The Houston Food Bank has lockers behind our orange wall.
• Instructions for locking and unlocking are located above the lockers.
• If you forget your locker/code number, please visit our Welcome Desk.

• Food that we sort, bag, and box in our project areas are for our partners and neighbors. Food consumption is only allowed in the lobby area and Community Rooms.
• We have a water and ice tea station with cups available in the lobby. There are water fountains throughout the building.
• We have snacks and hot meals for purchase at the Houston Texans Cafe specially prepared and cooked by our chefs.
• No outside food is permitted. All proceeds from the Houston Texans Cafe and 535 Catering benefit Houston Food Bank.
• Food, drink, and gum is not permitted in project areas.

• Some of our project areas are climate-controlled.
• Volunteers may be in parts of the warehouse that are not climate-controlled. It can be cold or hot depending on the weather outside.

• We ask each volunteer to register online, so we have a smoother check in process and volunteers can track their hours.

• Yes, there is a private lactation room that visitors and volunteers can use to nurse or express milk. It is close to a bathroom, the room has a refrigerator, and a comfortable chair. Please see a team member at the Welcome Desk for access to the room.

• To ensure that our operations run smoothly and that our volunteers are safe, please arrive on time for your scheduled shift and plan to stay for the duration of the shift. If you think you will arrive late or need to leave early, please find a different shift that you can attend.
• Volunteers arriving more than 30 minutes late may be asked to reschedule, as missing safety and project instructions can impact volunteer safety and food quality for our neighbors..
• If you have a last-minute schedule change, please contact us at 832-369-9390.
• Cleanup is part of our volunteer shifts to ensure food safety, and we are prepared for the next shift of volunteers. Your participation in the cleanup is greatly appreciated.

• Pantry Select
  Inspect and sort food and non-food items that come to us from retail partners and individual donations to ensure they meet quality and food safety standards.
• Scan a Can
  Sift through items donated by Kroger stores to determine what we are able to keep to process through the Pantry Select project.
• Backpack Buddy
  Prepare sacks filled with nutritious food for children, identified by their teachers or counselors as chronically hungry, to take home for the weekend.
• Senior Box
  Pack boxes of nutritionally balanced food aimed at helping them stretch their grocery dollars while improving their health, nutrition, and overall well-being.
• Bulk Repack
  Scoop rice, beans, and other pantry staples from large containers into smaller bags for distribution to neighbors.
• Produce Sort
  Sort bulk quantities of produce and pack into bags for distribution to neighbors.

• There may not be a volunteer shift at the time, the shift may be full, or it may be too early for the shift to be published. Our calendar shows shifts three months in advance. If you would like to register for a shift more than three months in advance, please reach out to our Volunteer Engagement team at hfbvolunteer@houstonfoodbank.org.

• Have your proof of participation sheet from your school/job etc. filled out.
• Drop off at the Welcome Desk BEFORE your shift.
• You may request an official embossed HFB Hours Letter* from our Welcome Desk after your shift.
• For hours verification questions or requests, please contact hfbvolunteer@houstonfoodbank.org

* If this is your only proof of volunteer hours, in order to verify those hours at a later date, the original letter may need to be assessed.

• Yes! We highly encourage you to capture your volunteer experience. Feel free to tag us on all social media platforms.
• We recommend taking your large group photos either right before or at the conclusion of your visit.

• Food preparation and packing
  • Wash vegetables
  • Cut, dice and chop vegetables
  • Slice meat
  • Package food for the freezer
  • Occasionally assist the cooks in baking
  • Count out milk cartons and snacks
• Sanitizing
  • Wash coolers and mobile warming units
  • Clean work surfaces to keep the kitchen sanitary
  • Wash dishes
• Tray Line
  • Scoop food into trays
  • Run trays through a plastic sealing machine
  • Inspect meals for quality and stack for transport