Only through your efforts can we achieve our mission of targeting hunger to serve and educate through community partnerships. We need volunteers every day to help sort and pack food donations, distribute meals for hungry children, as well as assist with special events and administrative support. When you donate your time to Second Harvest Food Bank of Champaign, Clark, and Logan Counties (CCL), you become a partner in the fight against hunger in Southwest Ohio.

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Second Harvest Food Bank CCL will begin accepting a limited number of volunteers in critical areas.

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For our available volunteer hours or to receive email updates about upcoming volunteer opportunities, please contact Melena at (937) 325-8715 ext. 101 or email: volunteer@theshfb.org.

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Have questions about volunteering? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

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COVID-19 MESSAGE

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Second Harvest Food Bank CCL is closely monitoring COVID-19 developments. The safety of our staff and volunteers is very important to us. We are taking additional steps for extra sanitation to keep our facility, food, and people as safe as possible during this potential threat.

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Please read our COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions.

Please fill out our Volunteer Application first and the Volunteer Specialist will be in touch about next steps. 

Minimum Age Requirement for all volunteer opportunities (except Home Delivery assistant) is 10 years old. If you are under the age of 15 then you must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during your service.

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Essential Reminders:

• Please wear gloves before touching anything in the Warehouse. This will prevent injuries and food particles from touching your skin.

• Must wear close-toed shoes.

• NO food or drink allowed in the Warehouse.

• Please no running in the Warehouse.

• If you are under 15 years of age, then you must be accompanied by a guardian.
   

Safety Protocols & Procedures:

• Bend at the knees when lifting boxes.  If something is too heavy, notify the SHFB staff member that is in charge for that task.  Proper body mechanics is important to avoid injury.

• Always wash your hands before and after working on tasks

• Any injuries must be reported immediately to a Second Harvest manager

• Never cross-contaminate.  For example:  touching meat and then fruits or vegetables

• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough.  Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away.  If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow.  NOT YOUR HANDS.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth or face. 

• Stay home when you are sick.  When you are sick or have flu symptoms:  stay home, get plenty of rest, check with a health care provider.  Remember to keep your distance from other people to protect them from getting sick.  Common symptoms of the flu include:

     *Fever (usually high)

     *Headache

     *Extreme tiredness

     *Cough

     *Sore throat

     *Runny or stuffy nose

     *Muscle aches

     *Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

Support of Agency Mission and Operations:

• Attends meetings, presentations, and trainings as required.

Commitment to Service:

• Ability to work well with other staff in a collaborative effort to improve services, extend courtesy, friendliness, and overall respect to meet the needs of the organization.

• Personal integrity and awareness of ethical principles.

• Sensitivity to needs of neighbors and families served.

Work Environment: Typical warehouse environment, with regular exposure to excessive noise, adverse environmental issues, and cooler/freezer temperatures.

Sorting Room

The sorting room is the warehouse’s designated area for newly donated food, packed items, and dry products. As a volunteer, you will sort items and place them in the correct bins and/or pallets.

Order Ahead

The Order Ahead program is an efficient way for our neighbors to conveniently pick from a variety of food items virtually using a click-and-collect grocery ordering system. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for fulfilling and bagging neighbors’ orders.

Packing

Our senior and children food boxes assist neighbors who are disabled, medically fragile, lack transportation, or over 60. As a volunteer, you will assist in packing items into boxes that will be distributed.

Alley Walk-Up

Alley Walk-Up is open during certain hours for neighbors to come up to the door and be served. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for greeting and checking neighbors in when they ring the doorbell, bagging/packing items, and restocking the shelves.

Mobile and Alley Distributions

The Mobile and Alley Distributions allow neighbors to choose which foods they would like to receive. As you volunteer, you are responsible for assisting neighbors, give and grab carts, and restock the tables when items are low.

Home Delivery
As a volunteer, in assistance with the Delivery Driver, you will be responsible for loading and unloading the van, packing bags, and carrying boxes to the front door of the assigned stop.

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Essential Reminders:

• You must be 18 years of age to be a home delivery assistant.

• Please wear gloves before touching anything in the Warehouse. This will prevent injuries and food particles from touching your skin.

• Must wear close-toed shoes.

• Arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
   

Primary Job Functions:

• Dress for the weather.

• Please wear your seatbelt.

• There is NO SMOKING in the organization trucks.

• Do NOT accept items of any kind from neighbors.

• At each stop, get out of the truck with the driver and assist in taking boxes/items to their front door.

• When you return to site, be sure to check for your belongings before exiting the truck.

• Do not forget to sign in & out before leaving the food bank site.

What will I be doing?

To feed at-risk children, families, and seniors, we primarily need your help sorting, packing, and distributing food. By sorting, packing, and distributing, you help provide thousands of meals each month to our hungry neighbors in Southwest Ohio. Projects vary and may include:

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• Evaluate, sort, and pack food.

• Bag bulk produce into family-sized portions.

• Pack food bags for children or boxes for senior citizens.

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Other volunteer opportunities include supporting our administrative staff, delivering food to seniors, distributing food at a distribution site, or assisting with fundraising events.

How do I sign up to volunteer and when can I volunteer?

All volunteer shifts must be scheduled in advance. Walk-ins are not accepted. Schedules are based on the agency’s current needs and times available. We try to schedule volunteers for 2-4 hour time slots.

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For our available volunteer hours or to receive email updates about upcoming volunteer opportunities, please contact Melena at (937) 325-8715 ext. 101 or email: volunteer@theshfb.org.

Can I bring a group of volunteers?

Yes, we rely heavily on our volunteer groups from companies, churches, and other community organizations.

Is there an age requirement to volunteer?

The minimum age for volunteers is 10 years old (anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult). Our projects take place in an industrial warehouse with dangerous operating equipment and safety is a major concern, particularly for young children.

Are there physical requirements to volunteer?

Volunteers must be able to sit, stand, walk, stoop, and communicate verbally by phone or in person. Volunteers must also be able to lift up to 30 pounds unassisted.

Is there a dress code?

The dress code for warehouse volunteers is casual and comfortable. All warehouse volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes. No high heels. Volunteers wearing sandals or flip-flops will not be allowed to volunteer.

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Warehouse temperature changes with the weather outside. Clothing cannot be torn, grayed, dirty, or reveal any part of the cleavage, midriff, or buttocks. No spandex, no tank tops, no spaghetti strap tops, no hats or bandanas, no offensive pictures or slogans on shirts. Skirts or shorts must not be shorter than two (2) inches above the knee.

Gloves will be provided if they are necessary for the task.

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Volunteers may be asked to follow a different dress code for special events and volunteer opportunities outside the warehouse.

What do I need to bring with me when I volunteer?

Volunteers do not need to bring anything with them unless they are required to have community service documentation for school or court. Volunteers may bring a refillable plastic water.

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Bags and purses are not allowed in the warehouse. Lockers and a coat rack are provided for storing any items you do not want to keep in your car. Keep personal and valuable items to a minimum (i.e. electronics, jewelry, etc.), as Second Harvest Food Bank CCL is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

Do I need to attend training to become a volunteer?

All volunteer opportunities require basic to intermediate training on safety and food handling. Advanced training may be required for specialized administrative or volunteer leader opportunities.

What do I need to know to stay safe in a warehouse?

Second Harvest Food Bank CCL is always concerned with the safety of all volunteers, employees, and guests. Volunteers work in a warehouse environment around hazardous equipment and chemicals. We want our volunteers to have a fun and rewarding experience while also abiding by our safety standards.

Read our hazardous material volunteer training.

Do I need to be there for the entire shift?

Yes. Each shift includes a welcome, training, time to work on the project, and a wrap-up that includes a report on how much was accomplished. When volunteers arrive late or leave early, they are unable to enjoy the full volunteer experience. If you cannot stay for the entire shift, please sign up to volunteer at another time.

What if I need to cancel my shift, or change my reservation?

To cancel your volunteer shift, please contact us at (937) 325-8715 ext. 101 or email: volunteer@theshfb.org.

Am I able to complete mandated community service hours for social service agencies or court?

Schools and/or corporations may require community service hours throughout the year.

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Court Appointed Community Service hours will not be credited to volunteers working at any other time, or for any other volunteer opportunity. Volunteers with the following charges (past or present) are not eligible to complete their hours at Second Harvest Food Bank CCL: drugs or drug trafficking, violent crime, breaking and entering, theft, sexual abuse or assault.

Where are you located and where should I park?

Parking is available in the fenced-in parking lot located off of Columbia Street or Murray Street at the West end of the warehouse building.

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The Second Harvest Food Bank CCL in Springfield is located East of downtown. The address is 20 North Murray Street, Springfield, OH 45503.

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If you are volunteering for an off-site event, we will send you the address when you sign up for the volunteer project.

Where do I go and who is my contact when I arrive at Second Harvest?

Volunteers are to enter the glass doors. Sign in at the window. The Volunteer Specialist will greet you and provide  you with an ID Badge.

What if I still have questions about volunteering?

We are happy to help! For our available volunteer hours or to receive email updates about upcoming volunteer opportunities, please contact us at (937) 325-8715 ext. 101, email: volunteer@theshfb.org .

We are taking many additional steps to keep our facility, food, volunteers, and staff as safe as possible during this potential threat.

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VOLUNTEERING

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The safety of our staff and volunteers is very important to us. We have always had strict guidelines to keep our warehouse clean and safe, and we’re implementing additional best practices continually as we get new information from the World Health Organization, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and state and local government agencies and officials.

What are you doing to keep volunteer areas sanitized?

Our team is regularly sanitizing volunteer work areas and equipment including high touch surfaces, door handles, worktables, tape guns, markers, and pallet jack handles.

What are volunteers doing to help keep the facility, food, and other people safe?

Volunteers are required to wash their hands when entering the facility. Volunteers are always required to wear a face covering and nitrile gloves (non-latex). These items will be provided to all volunteers upon arrival.

Who should not volunteer?

If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness, have been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or have recently traveled to an area impacted by COVID-19, we ask that you don’t volunteer at this time. Please review our health checklist before arriving for your shift. If you answer YES to any of these questions, please join us as a volunteer when you are symptom-free for 24 hours.

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By entering a Second Harvest Food Bank CCL facility, you indicate that you are fever-free and NOT experiencing any of the following symptoms:

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• Subjective fever (feeling feverish/chills)

• New or worsening cough

• Shortness of breath

• Sore throat

• Diarrhea

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Do you need volunteers?

Yes! We are conducting more neighborhood drive-thru distributions and building emergency food boxes for community members dealing with the impacts of COVID-19. We will continue to use volunteers to support all of our food distribution programs.

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Can I bring a volunteer group?

We rely heavily on our volunteer groups from companies, churches, and other community organizations. We are now accepting groups of 10 to assist with Drive-thru Distributions. 

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Which volunteer opportunities are temporarily suspended?

• On-site Pantry Support

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We are opening as many volunteer shifts as we can safely. Please note that project needs can change quickly depending on the changing needs in our community. Please visit our website and social media channels to stay informed of the latest volunteer opportunities.

What if I still have questions about volunteering?

We are happy to help! For our available volunteer hours or to receive email updates about upcoming volunteer opportunities, please contact us at (937) 325-8715 ext. 101, email: volunteer@theshfb.org.

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