Volunteer!

Volunteers are the heart of our operations and we view volunteers as our partners in the fight against hunger. Just one morning or afternoon can make a difference to a family or individual in need. Last year hundreds of volunteers donated over 22,000 hours of their time at Food for Others. When you donate your time to Food for Others, you become a partner in the fight against hunger.

Our volunteers represent a cross-section of our Northern Virginia community: workplace team-building groups; adult service organizations; university students, faculty and staff; retired individuals; individuals with community service requirements; individuals with mental and physical challenges; religious organizations; families and school groups ranging from grade school to high school.

When you are ready to volunteer, please call or visit our volunteer coordinator who can discuss with you the mission of Food for Others, your interests and our projects in depth so that we can make the most of your interests and skills. Volunteers who are bilingual in English and Spanish are especially needed. Our goal is to provide a meaningful volunteer experience in a positive environment.

Office Team

We rely on the generosity of our volunteers to assist with daily office duties. You can help run the reception desk, organize events and ongoing food rescue activities, make phone calls to donors, or assist in sending out mailings. A proficiency in Microsoft Windows Software, including Word and Excel, are helpful in performing some tasks such as typing letters, entering spreadsheet data, updating databases or maintaining the web site. These volunteer opportunities are available during our normal operating hours, Monday through Friday, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm.

Warehouse Team

Help the warehouse staff record incoming and outgoing food, pack emergency food and USDA boxes, sort and shelve products, clean the warehouse and keep things running smoothly. These volunteer opportunities are available during our normal operating hours, Monday through Friday, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm. In addition, the warehouse is open on selected evenings and weekends. For more information, please contact our volunteer coordinator at 703-207-9173.

Some Warehouse Guidelines:

• You must be 16 or older to volunteer at Food for Others without adult supervision. Children ages 12-15 must be adequately supervised by parents or guardians.
• No open toe shoes in the warehouse. No sandals.
• Appropriate dress is required at all times. Please dress in clothes that you would use to work in the yard or do chores. No miniskirts please.
• Please be aware that much of the work involves bending and lifting. Please let us know so if you have physical limitations so that we can construct an appropriate volunteer assignment.
• Our warehouse is larger than 10,000 square feet and temperatures can vary from one part of the warehouse to another. In addition, temperatures vary from season to season. It is hot in summer and cold in winter. Please keep this in mind and dress in layers as appropriate.
• If you have special interests and special skills, please let us know.

Food Rescue Team

Volunteers help pick up overstocked goods and other donations from area grocers, rescuing food which would otherwise go to waste. This activity normally takes about two hours and must be done in the morning hours – between 8:00 am and noon. You will pack and load food into your own vehicle and deliver it to Food for Others. Team members need to be able to lift 30 to 40 pounds.

Food Distribution Team

Each evening, groups of volunteers distribute food at some of our fifteen sites in Fairfax and Arlington Counties. Food is picked up at our warehouse, loaded into your vehicle and delivered and handed out directly to those in need between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. For a list of sites, please click here.

Glean fresh produce from the Falls Church Farmers' Market

Food for Others is looking for volunteers to “glean” from the Falls Church Farmers’ Market for fresh produce to be distributed to families in need in our community.  The market is located in front of Falls Church City Hall, 300 Park Avenue in Falls Church.  It generally runs from the first Saturday in May through December.  The peak gleaning months are July through September.  Volunteers need to arrive at around 11:30, in order to pass out rubber bins to the various vendors that have produce to donate.  A minimum of two volunteers is needed, but even more make the task go more quickly.  The produce is then loaded up and brought back to the Food for Others warehouse.

This fresh produce is extremely valuable to our families in need in Northern Virginia.  Last year alone 13,065 pounds of food was gathered and distributed.  This food may otherwise go to waste.  We are looking for a volunteer team to take over this valuable opportunity this year.  This activity is ideal for a Church that would like an ongoing opportunity to provide food to low income families in their neighborhood.

Please visit our website at www.foodforothers.org to learn more about our organization.  For further information on this volunteer activity please call Liz or Roxanne at 703-207-9173.

Distribute Food at the Gunston Site

For the past 11 years, Food for Others has distributed free food at locations in Northern Virginia.  We are presently looking for volunteers for one site in South Arlington at the Gunston Community Center on Tuesdays and Friday evenings.  Around 30 families line up at 6 p.m. on these evenings for free food with the volunteers asking only one question of them: “How many people are in your family?”  Many Food for Others volunteers have been distributing for years at our “street corner sites” demonstrating their deeply held belief in the need for this service in our community.  

We are looking for volunteers willing to commit to this regularly scheduled activity either for one or both of these days, or even once a week or a month. 

This activity is ideal for a group (e.g. church, civic, etc.) that would like an ongoing opportunity to provide direct service to low-income families in need.   Individuals are welcome too.

Using their own vehicles, volunteers come to the Food for Others warehouse located in the Merrifield section of Fairfax County to pick up the food and take it to the Gunston site for the 6 p.m. delivery.

Special Events/Fundraising Team

You don't have to make a long commitment to become a volunteer. Join our special events/fundraising team! Food for Others has many events that run through the year and we need your help to make them successful. For more information, please see our Special Events page.

Run Your Own Food Drive

Run your own food drive, whether in your neighborhood, school, apartment building, or office! We provide support and encouragement; you provide the food. For more information and a planning kit, click here, or call 703-207-9173.

Harvest for the Hungry

Help us harvest what USDA grows! Pick produce for those in need in our area. We are looking for groups interested in working at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, MD (right off of Beltway Exit 25-A) for a few hours. Harvesting activities will begin in mid July, with our normal schedule Monday and Thursday mornings from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. There are also a few Sunday harvests available this summer. For more information, click here. You may also contact Pam Koch at pamkoch@cox.net. Please note, all participants must download and sign a waiver form.