As the leading hunger-relief nonprofit in Central Texas, the Central Texas Food Bank works to provide immediate and equitable access to nutritious food for individuals throughout our 21-county service area, and we want you to join us! Our mission is to increase food access in Central Texas by providing nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through programs, education, and innovative solutions. We are accomplishing this by recruiting motivated, mission-driven volunteers.
Volunteer Role Overview
The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) is looking for volunteers for our Fresh Harvest Market . This is a client-choice, market-style pantry, and the core component of this volunteer role is creating a welcoming environment for our neighbors shopping in the market. This role reports to the Pantries Manager and will also work with the Benefits and Emergency Services team by providing market assistance after their appointments with clients.
This volunteer position is available 10am – 12pm Monday through Friday, and it takes place at the Central Texas Food Bank, 6500 Metropolis Drive, Austin, TX 78744. We are seeking Spanish-speaking volunteers ages 18 and up who can make a commitment to one 2-hour shift per week for a minimum of 3 months.
As a Market Volunteer, you will:
- Interact with clients in a professional, respectful, and helpful manner, creating a dignified environment
- Explain the market experience and set expectations around the services they are eligible for during the visit
- Assist clients as they shop the market– carry bags, reach food, transport to vehicle, etc.
- Provide additional food assistance and referral information, as needed
- Use our online database to check client eligibility during the visit and document the services provided at the end of the visit
- Use language translation aids to communicate with clients, as needed
- Restock market inventory throughout the shift
- Complete opening/closing checklists at the beginning/end of the shift. For example: complete temperature logs, secure laptop for overnight storage
- Complete additional administration tasks, as need and time allows
You are a great candidate if you are:
- Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency strongly preferred
- Comfortable speaking directly, compassionately, and respectfully with clients and have a strong customer service orientation
- Experienced in working with people from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds
- Comfortable working independently and are flexible and adaptable to change
- Proficient in working with a variety of computer applications and electronic devices
- Able to lift 30 lbs. to assist with restocking the market as needed and able to walk/be on your feet for extended periods of time
- Bonus points if you have: community nutrition knowledge, knowledge of Central Texas and its network of services for low-income families, or previous volunteer experience with the Central Texas Food Bank or another food pantry.
Volunteering Environment:
This position remains in the market. The market has concrete floors, staff passing through, and noise from hallway traffic and cooling units. There will be extended periods of standing and/or bending; listening, talking and/or visual concentration; computer use. This position requires working independently and with CTFB staff.
Before becoming a Market Volunteer, you will:
- Participate in an in-person volunteer training (1 hour). Training may coincide with your first shift.
- Complete Civil Rights Training (1 hour). This training is online and completed on your own.
- Complete client database (Oasis) training (30 minutes). This training is online and completed on your own.
- Complete software user confidentiality online training and quiz (5 minutes). This training is online and completed on your own.
- Sign a Client User Confidentiality Form
Note for students: CTFB can work with your program’s supervision requirements.
To apply, please email volunteer@centraltexasfoodbank.org and mention the Fresh Harvest Market volunteer role.
