Volunteer
We need your help!
Sign ups are open! We need volunteers for all roles, especially heavy lifters for the Greater Chicago Food Depository receiving crew. New volunteers are always welcome, as well as volunteers who need to complete service hours.
Become a Volunteer and Make an Impact in Our Community!
Volunteering at the Westchester Food Pantry can be a very rewarding experience. You will make new friends, be part of a team, and improve your community by assisting your neighbors in need.
There is an assortment of volunteering positions at the Pantry, which can be explored further below. It is essential that volunteers possess the ability to work amiably with a diverse clientele in a non-judgmental and compassionate manner. Any personal information of the clients is kept confidential, and every individual at the Pantry is treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
Please contact the Westchester Food Pantry, if you have any questions.
Seasonal Volunteer Opportunity
Yard Sale Extravaganza 2024
It’s time for the Westchester Food Pantry’s fifth annual Yard Sale Extravaganza! This profitable event has many volunteer opportunities setting up the sale, working at the sale and cleaning up when it’s all done.
The Yard Sale Extravaganza is one of our biggest fundraisers, and over 150 volunteers are needed to make it happen. Can you help? There are lots of days and times available.
Seasonal Volunteer Opportunity
Thanksgiving Fundraising at the Westchester Jewel Nov 1-17
Each year, volunteers raise thousands of dollars for our Thanksgiving baskets by soliciting donations at the Westchester Jewel-Osco. This year, we will fundraise November 1-17. Weeknight shifts are two hours long, and weekend shifts are three hours long. This is a great opportunity for families with kids age 5 and older.
Seasonal Volunteer Opportunity
Souper Bowl '24 Event Assistance- Feb 3
On Saturday, February 3, 2024, the Westchester Food Pantry will host its fourth annual “Souper Bowl” fundraiser. This delicious tasting event will feature 16 local chefs and their best soups, along with desserts, beverages, raffles and entertainment. This family-friendly event has become a signature fundraiser for the Westchester Food Pantry, and we need a bunch of volunteers!
Because many of these volunteer roles will include handling money and food, we need adults to fill them. Roles that can be filled by teenagers are noted- unfortunately, we can’t accommodate any volunteers under the age of 14 at this event. Thank you so much for understanding!
PLEASE NOTE: Volunteers can buy half-price tickets if you’d like to stay for the event. Tickets can be purchased through the Westchester Food Pantry website or during the Pantry’s open hours. Please email with any questions.
Year-Round Volunteer Opportunities
For many of the below volunteering opportunities, the Pantry is using Sign Up Genius.
Receiving Crew
The 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month, typically between 8am – 10am. This crew receives our orders from the GCFD. It involves taking heavy boxes of cans, meat and produce from GCFD pallets into the pantry. These volunteers must have the ability to lift and move heavy items. Please provide your phone number if you are signing up for this slot, as sometimes the truck may be early or delayed. And, we will let you know when it arrives.
Food Sorting, Shelving & Setup
Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon from 11:30-2pm. This crew receives food reclamation, sorts, puts everything away, packs bags of food for client services, restocks shelves, and sets up and organizes client choice items. A few folks who can do heavy lifting are needed for this shift, but otherwise all ability levels are fine.
Client Services
Every Wednesday from 4-7:30pm and every Saturday from 8:30am-12 noon. This crew helps the clients “shop” for a variety of items; this is called “client choice”. Some of their packaged & canned groceries have previously been bagged, and just need to be loaded into shopping carts. Once the client is ready, this crew brings their groceries outside in the shopping carts and loads them into client vehicles. A few folks who can do heavy lifting are needed for this shift. Otherwise, all ability levels are fine.
Registration
Parking Lot Attendants
Every Wednesday from 3:00-6:00pm and every Saturday from 8:00-11:00am. Our Pantry continues to get busier and busier each week and two adult volunteers are needed to help manage the parking lot and direct the flow of traffic.
Wet Nose Pantry
Food Reclamation
Fundraisers
Outreach
Everyone we meet is a potential client, volunteer or donor which is why outreach events are so important! We want to meet everyone, because everyone has a place at the Pantry. We need volunteers who are confident talking about the Pantry – how to get food, how to volunteer and how everyone can get involved. The Pantry participates in numerous outreach events throughout the year.
