Thank you for your interest in volunteering with GLFB! Shift descriptions below are meant to provide an overview of typical duties for each volunteer opportunity — please refer to the volunteer scheduling portal for the most up-to-date information on individual opportunities or email volunteers@glfoodbank.org with any questions.
Warehouse
All warehouse volunteer shifts report to 5600 Food Court, Bath, MI 48808 unless otherwise indicated or directed. Other considerations when volunteering at GLFB’s warehouse include:
- Attire: closed-toe shoes and covered armpits. Please note that warehouse temperature can vary significantly; dressing in layers is recommended.
- No open food or drink is allowed on the warehouse floor; water is provided and volunteers may bring snacks to consume in the designated break area of the volunteer center.
- All volunteers must be 14 years of age or older.
- Most shifts will require a certain amount of lifting, bending and repetitive motion.
Food sorter
Volunteers will evaluate, clean, sanitize, repack and label all donated food and grocery products into designated categories. Food sorters may also pack food for specific programs such as Weekend Kits for kids, Care Kits for unhoused neighbors and monthly commodity food boxes for seniors. Ability to read labels and dates is required for this shift.
Typical times: Mon. — Fri., 9 a.m. — Noon and 1 — 3 p.m.
Some Saturdays and evenings available for large groups. Please email volunteers@glfoodbank.org for more information.
Weekend Kit stager
Volunteers will help organize Weekend Kit orders to prepare the GLFB warehouse for volunteer driver pickup and delivery to schools across Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties the next morning.
Typical times: Every other Wed., Noon — 1 p.m.
Weekend Kit loader
Volunteers will help load Weekend Kit orders during volunteer driver pickup and delivery to schools across Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties. Please note that one volunteer will be stationed outside for driver check-in.
Typical times: Every other Thu., 8 — 11 a.m.
Weekend Kit driver
Volunteers will pick up and deliver Weekend Kit orders for kids to schools across Clinton, Eaton and Ingham Counties. Our greatest need is for drivers to serve Ingham County, primarily within the immediate Lansing area.
Typical times: Every other Thu., 8 — 11 a.m.
In the community
Mobile Food Pantry volunteer
Volunteers will help direct traffic and record number of households receiving food, load vehicles with pantry products, produce, dairy and frozen items, speak with neighbors and assist with set up and tear down of Mobile Food Pantry distributions. Remember to dress for the weather and wear layers.
Times and dates vary — visit the volunteer portal for current openings
Gleaning
Volunteers will help harvest fresh produce at the request of local growers, including cherries and especially apples, for distribution through GLFB’s partner agencies and programming.
Typical season: Late summer — late fall, Tue. — Fri. 9 a.m. — Noon
Proyecto de jardín
GLFB’s Garden Project supports a network of nearly 90 community gardens and more than 6,000 home gardeners and offers a variety of seasonal volunteer opportunities.
For more information on volunteering with Garden Project, email gardenproject@glfoodbank.org.
Seed sorter & counter
Garden Project receives thousands of seed packets each year from area retailers and seed producers. Volunteers will help sort and count seed packets according to variety at GLFB’s warehouse.
Typical season: October — December
Garden to Go kit assembler
Volunteers will help repackage bulk seed donations into smaller envelopes for individual use. This task can be done at home. Garden Project will prvide the materials and volunteers return the repackaged seed and unused materials when finished.
Typical season: October — March
Seed re-packager
Garden Project receives thousands of seed packets each year from area retailers and seed producers. Volunteers will help sort and count seed packets according to variety at GLFB’s warehouse.
Typical season: October — December
Resource Center volunteer
Garden Project’s Resource Center offers free plants and seeds to community gardeners and low–income home gardeners during open hour sessions each spring. Many volunteers are needed at the Resource Center, and at pop-up distribution events, to help greet and register gardeners, distribute plants, offer seed selection guidance, manage the tool library and help gardeners navigate the checkout process.
Typical season: Mid-April — June
Garden maintenance
Throughout the growing season, both individual and group volunteers will help tackle the many ongoing and seasonal tasks of maintaining a community garden like weeding, spreading woodchips and mulch, prepping an area for planting, removing debris at season’s end and more. One-time and ongoing options are available in a variety of locations and time frames. These can be an excellent team-building exercise for employee groups, a fun and rewarding experience for community and social groups or a lovely chance to get your hands in the soil and breathe fresh air as you enjoy some solitude.
Typical season: April — October
Community garden leadership
There are nearly 90 community gardens in the Garden Project network and each one relies on volunteers to help them run smoothly. Volunteers will help with tasks such as garden maintenance, registration and recruitment, event planning and communications. Those interested in volunteering as community garden leaders should also consider attending Garden Project’s community garden leadership seminar series.
Typical season: April — October
Educational speaker
Garden Project often seeks area experts who would like to volunteer to share their gardening knowledge with the wider community during workshops and training sessions.
Typical season: March — September
Seed saver
Garden Project cultivates transplants from around the world to offer culturally-familiar foods for new American gardeners. Experienced home gardeners can volunteer to help cultivate specific plants and gather their seeds at the end of the season. Restrictions apply but training and plants are provided.
Typical season: June — October
At-home seed starter / Plant propagator
Experienced seed starters can volunteer to provide donated flats of vegetable, herb or flower transplants. Transplants are distributed for free to community gardeners and low-income home gardeners through the Resource Center and at mobile distributions across GLFB’s seven-county service area.
Typical season: March — June
Translator
Garden Project supports gardeners from a variety of cultural backgrounds, many of whom have limited ability to speak English. Bilingual translator volunteers will help translate Garden Project documents into other languages and interpret during events. Email gardenproject@glfoodbank.org for more information.
Ongoing