Express New Volunteer Orientation and Project: American Red Cross Food Pantry

PLEASE NOTE: This opportunity is for NEW VOLUNTEERS ONLY (those who have NOT previously attended an Orientation). If you are already an active volunteer and would like to volunteer at the American Red Cross, please click https://www.bostoncares.org/HOC__Volunteer_Opportunity_Details_Page?id=a0CA000000kMzgGMAS

Boston Cares is a flexible volunteer agency that connects individuals with volunteer opportunities throughout Greater Boston. To become a Boston Cares member and begin signing up for projects online, you must attend a brief, one-time New Volunteer Orientation.

By signing up for this Express Orientation, you will be able to attend an accelerated orientation immediately followed by a volunteer project. This gives you the opportunity to learn about Boston Cares, meet fellow volunteers, and start volunteering right away! The accelerated orientation will cover important information about Boston Cares, our community partners and walk you through how to sign up for volunteer projects on our Calendar.

We love to offer Express Orientations to our volunteers so they can start right away with their service, but it also means that our organizations rely on these volunteer slots to be filled.If for any reason you are no longer able to attend the Orientation, please log in to your Boston Cares account (www.bostoncares.org) and remove yourself from the opportunity so that other new volunteers can sign up.
 

About the American Red Cross Food Pantry:

The American Red Cross works to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The Boston Food Pantry provides a week's worth of emergency food to 4,500 low-income clients per month.

Volunteers will prepare bags of non-perishable goods (dry foods and cans) to be distributed the next morning to clients. All volunteers are REQUIRED to wear sturdy shoes or sneakers. For safety reasons, no open-toed shoes or sandals will be allowed in the warehouse. During the cooler months, please bring warm clothing and a pair of gloves, as it can get cold in the warehouse while handling frozen food packages. Please do not bring any valuables (i.e. smartphones, iPods, jewelry, etc.) to this project. If this is not possible, please keep all valuable items with you at all times. The Red Cross Food Pantry is not responsible for any lost items.

Please note that Boston Cares collects a one-time registration fee from all new members. The registration fee is used to cover the costs associated with managing volunteer projects. The fee will be collected at your New Volunteer Orientation session, and can be paid using cash, check or a credit card. The registration fee structure is:

- $25 for individual members (exact change ONLY)

-$40 for families

-$15 for students, seniors and unemployed

-Fee waived for active AmeriCorps volunteers and Middle, & High Schoolers.

Youth Friendly, 15+. All volunteers under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult over 18 years old. All volunteers under 18 years old must bring a permission form signed by a parent or guardian to give to the Project Leader. Please email youth@bostoncares.org or call 617-422-0910 x208 if you would like to bring youth to this project. 

T-Accessible: Red Line (Andrew)


What people have to say about volunteering at the Red Cross Food Pantry:
"This was so much fun! Fast-moving, never boring, but easy to learn and not stressful, not to mention that all the people there were wonderful. I will definitely be doing this again." -Stephanie Long