Volunteer at Gleaners
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteers are essential to Gleaners Food Bank.
From our warehouse to our special events, a person’s time and effort are gifts that make a measurable impact on what we do—and on the folks we serve.
We welcome your contribution.
Opportunities for individuals and groups
Gleaners offers multiple ways for a person to make a difference.
We also have a variety of opportunities for groups. After all, volunteering is great for team-building exercises, youth groups and all kinds of clubs.
Check out the ways you or your group can help below. Then contact Sa'ane Poston to sign up or get more information.
- E-mail:
- Phone: (317) 925-0191, ext. 109
Orientation
As an individual interested in volunteering, you must attend an Indivdual Volunteer Orientation* at Gleaners Food Bank prior to volunteering. These orientation sessions will last no longer than 1 hour.
The following days/times are available for orientation:
Every Monday at 10am
The first Thursday of the month at 7pm
The 2nd and 3rd Saturdays of each month at 11am
To register for the orientation, please call 925-0191 and dial ext. 109 for Sa’ane Poston or ext. 156 for Jessica Shive.
*Group Orientation will be held on the day of service and do not need to schedule an Individual Orientation time.
Current opportunities
Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana welcomes volunteers. Volunteers are essential to the food bank’s mission. We appreciate anyone willing to give of their time and talents!
The Food Bank is open to
Volunteer Shifts daily, Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. OR 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
, one evening during the week from 5-8pm and some Saturdays.
Daily (individuals and groups):
Production: Inspecting, separating, repackaging, weighing and labeling food items. They are then sorted, repackaged and placed in boxes or totes and distributed to our over 450 agencies. Volunteers needed: 1-50.
Fresh Room: Putting together fresh foods for member agencies. Volunteers needed: 1-24
Meat Packing: sorting frozen meat, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, veal and lamb into 40# boxes. Volunteers needed: 1-10 (Tues – Thurs); 1-20 (Friday).
Clerical: Filing, data entry, mailings and shredding of paper.
Volunteers needed: Depends on the project.
Community Cupboard SW – Food Pantry: Stocking & restocking items in the food pantry, greeting clients, and carrying boxes of food to vehicles. Volunteers needed: 3-4 individuals.
Tuesdays (7am – 2pm), Wednesdays (10am – 5pm), Thursdays (1pm – 8pm) and Saturdays (7am – 2pm)
Pre-Scheduled (groups):
Backsacks: A program where Gleaners provides 6 weekend meals to feed the children that are on the free/reduced lunch program. There are grocery bags on an assembly line and items of food are placed in each bag until complete. Each bag contains 10-15 items of food, depending upon the menu for that week. The need is 7,000 bags a week.
Volunteers needed: 18-40 volunteers. Minimum of 2 hours.
CSFP: Commodities Supplemental Food Program (senior boxes) CSFP is a government program. A box is placed on the conveyor belt and as the box goes down the line items are placed in the box. By the time it gets to the end of the line it has all the items in the box. The boxes are then inspected, taped, labeled, wrapped and placed on pallets.
Volunteers needed: 20-50 volunteers. Minimum of 2 hours.
Mobile Pantry: Mobile Pantries serve the surrounding counties by bringing food to those that need it, free of charge. Gleaners provides the driver, the mobile pantry, and the food products to be distributed.
Volunteers are needed to: set up tables with food product; sign-in the clients; advise clients of the quantity they may take of each item; if asked, carry product through the line for the client; carry the food to a client’s vehicle; restock items on the tables; and cleaning up when the 2 hour distribution time is over. Volunteers need to be able to lift/carry boxes of food, greet clients in a friendly manner and be able to be on their feet for 4 hours.
Volunteers needed: 10-30. Minimum of 4 hours (1 hour set up, 2 hours distribution and 1 hour clean up).