As a product recovery volunteer, you’re helping ensure all the food we distribute is safe, healthy and high quality. You’ll inspect, clean, sort, box and make food donations ready for distribution to Partner Agencies and the families they serve.
Volunteer Shifts
Warehouse volunteer shifts are offered in the morning and afternoon, Monday through Saturday. Please review available shift opportunities to register yourself as an individual.
If you would like to register a group, please use our Groups form. For court-appointed volunteer opportunities, please use our Court-Appointed form.
What to Wear and What to Expect
For safety reasons, sleeveless shirts and open-toe shoes are not permitted. Remember, you’ll be on your feet, moving around, so please dress comfortably. Jeans, t-shirts and sneakers or work boots are perfect. Watch this important video to learn more about the volunteer experience and to determine if you will need accommodations for yourself or for members of your group.
This video was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic. As a food handling organization, we have always been keenly focused on health and safety. In response to COVID-19, we have implemented these safeguards to make this experience as safe as possible. Please read and follow them for the good of everyone.
Volunteers must now meet certain eligibility requirements to be able to sign up and participate in shifts.
- We require that non-household members must maintain social distancing (a minimum of 6 feet) at all times in the Central Texas Food Bank building and at Mobile Food Pantry sites. Shift sizes have been reduced and tasks planned so that social distancing can be implemented.
- Volunteers, staff, and clients are required to wear a cloth face covering over the nose and mouth when in the Central Texas Food Bank building or at a Mobile Food Pantry site (in accordance with CDC guidelines, please no gaiters, bandanas, or masks with valves that don’t have a filter).
- We have implemented touchless volunteer check in and social distancing.
- We are cleaning high touch areas in the building multiple times a day.
- All volunteers in the building must wash their hands before beginning their shift. We are providing hand sanitizer and gloves.
- While we greatly appreciate your interest in volunteering, the safety of our volunteers, staff and clients is very important to us. We encourage you to consider your own health and safety when deciding whether volunteering is a good fit for you at this time.
Have Questions? We've Got Answers.
From information on age requirements, to how early you should arrive before your shift and even why we ask for personal information when you register, we've provided answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
