Donations come to us in all forms and need to be sorted before we distribute them. That’s where volunteers come in! The Regional Food Bank receives donations of non-perishable food, produce, paper products, household items, personal hygiene supplies, school supplies, clothes, diapers, and more that need to be repacked into useable, family-sized packages. Whatever you sort when you volunteer at the Regional Food bank, your efforts help low-income families stretch their limited budgets and eat better.
We have two opportunities at our warehouse in Latham, NY. Our first is volunteering on our Warehouse Dock. We take individuals, families, and groups of all ages to help us sort a variety of donations on the dock evenings and weekends. We also take individuals and groups of volunteers (ages 18 and older) on weekdays to help us sort non-perishable food in our Salvage Sorting Room. Volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes or risk being sent home.
Volunteer Activities
Sorting and Re-Boxing Donations on our Warehouse Dock
All volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes
Children age 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult
We host volunteers of all ages to help us sort and repack all kinds of donations. We run two hour shifts between 5:00pm and 8:00pm Monday through Thursday evenings as well as on weekends between 9:00am and 3:00pm. Volunteers of all ages and ability levels are welcome to help us organize primarily non-food items such as bedding, school supplies, personal hygiene products, clothes, and other items to get distributed to the Food Bank’s member agencies.
Sorting in our Salvage Sorting Room
All volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes
Volunteers must be 18 or older to work in the Salvage Sorting Room
Are you looking to make a regular commitment to alleviate hunger and reduce food waste in the community? Volunteer in our Salvage Sorting Room! We are looking for volunteers to make an on-going commitment to help us sort and repack donated non-perishable food items. Individuals can sign up for shifts on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30pm-3:30pm and/or Tuesday through Friday mornings from 9:00am-12:00pm. There is some hands-on food safety training that covers the Food Bank’s policies regarding sell-by dates, labeling, and packaging to make certain we are recovering as much food as possible while ensuring the food we are distributing is safe for consumption. Generally this training is provided during the first three shifts. Groups interested in setting up shifts in the Salvage Sorting Room should contact us directly using the Volunteer Group Request form below.
How To Register for a Shift
If you are looking to volunteer as an individual or family, please register using our online volunteer management software below. Once you find openings that fit with your schedule, simply click “Register for an Event” and you will be redirected to begin creating your volunteer profile in our system. If you are looking to register your family, click here for directions on how to add family members to your profile. If you are looking to volunteer in our Salvage Sorting Room, please contact us directly by phone (518) 786-3691 ext. 263 or by email at volunteers@regionalfoodbank.net to set up your shifts.
Are you looking to organize a GROUP? Businesses, community organizations, school groups, and more are always welcome to volunteer with us! Scroll down to the bottom of the page and complete the Group Request form. A coordinator will reach out to set up an event! Include as much information as possible about your group- size, ages, and preferable dates/times. Please specify in the “Additional Comments” section you are interested in volunteering at our Latham Warehouse location. If looking to volunteer as a family or with a few friends, please have all volunteers create individual profiles and sign up for a shift using our online registration below.