Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer

 West Valley Community Services incorporates over 100 volunteers on a weekly basis to help ensure that services and programs are provided efficiently and consistently to clients and the community. Over 200 volunteers help with various programs on an annual basis, each one donating time and effort to supporting those in need in the community.

On an annual basis our volunteers:

• Contribute over 6,000 volunteer hours
• Assist over 4,000 clients
• Assist with distribution of over 400,000 pounds of food annually
• Provide 16,280 meals annually to 100 shelter men

We are constantly looking for volunteers and encourage those of you who are interested in giving back to the community to consider a donation of time.

Nutrition Program Volunteer
Description

Are you passionate about nutrition? Do you want to reach out to the low income families in your neighborhood and inspire healthy choices? WVCS' Raising a Healthy Eater program is your perfect match. This exciting new initiative provides free educational workshops to our food pantry clients about healthy eating, shopping, cost saving, fitness, and so much more. It also includes the distribution of our recipe of the month--a brown bag with a healthy recipe attached, and all the required ingredients right inside. Some other highlights include cooking demonstrations, family activities, and healthy snack making!

Skills

There is an opportunity for you in Raising a Healthy Eater at any level of commitment or educational background, ranging from presenting topics at our workshops to loading up brown bags with recipe ingredients. If you are excited by this program, we will find a place for you.

Food Pantry Shift Lead
    • Responsible for training new volunteers in the food pantry.
    • Setting and completing the tasks for an assigned shift.
    • Ensuring that the tickets and pantry binder is being filled out appropriately.
    • Ensuring that all clients and volunteers follow WVCS policies and procedures.
    • Required: Completion of Basic Food Pantry Training.

Food Pantry Volunteer
    • Responsible for distributing food to clients.
    • Sorting and cleaning delivered food.
    • Restocking and organizing shelves/cupboards.
    • Cleaning the shelves/cupboards, floors, shopping carts and bins in the pantry.
    • Assisting donors and gleaners when deliveries are made.
    • Preparing everything bags.

Front Desk Volunteer
    • Responsible for greeting clients and visitors in a professional and welcoming manner.
    • Answer and direct incoming calls to the appropriate staff member.
    • Notify staff when clients have checked in for their appointments.
    • Assist in maintaining a clean and organized front lobby.
    • Assist with day to day clerical work (filing, database entry, etc.).
     
Organic Garden Lead
    • Responsible for the maintenance and operations of the WVCS Organic Garden Project in Los Gatos and/or Cupertino.
    • Responsible for cultivating ripe fruits and vegetables from the garden when necessary.
    • Responsible for seasonal planting, seeding, and seedlings.
    • Responsible for finding volunteers to tend to the garden daily.
    • Will advise WVCS staff on gardening operations and proper gardening practices.
    • Required: An understanding of basic gardening or willingness to learn.
     
Gleaner/Driver
    • Responsible for acquiring donated items from partner stores/restaurants and returning the bounty to the WVCS food pantry.
    • Helping food pantry volunteers organize gleaned items on shelves/cupboards.
    • Keeping the WVCS vehicles clean.
    • Required: Must be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and be able to lift 20 lbs.
     

Gleaner/Driver Lead
    • Responsible for managing driver/gleaner’s schedule.
    • Recruiting and training new drivers/gleaners.
    • Maintaining contact with drivers/gleaners, WVCS office, and partner stores/restaurants.
    • Filling open driver/gleaner shifts when necessary.
    • Vehicle maintenance supervision
    • Required: Must be at least 21 years old and have a valid driver’s license.
     
Target Disposition Coordinator
    • Responsible for taking inventory of weekly Target glean.
    • Coordinating weekly lottery for larger items.
    • Disposition of repairable and/or irreparable.
    • Coordination with other partners/agencies.
     

Food Drive Coordinator
    • Responsible for creating, managing, and maintaining Food Drives throughout the West Valley.
    • Initiating Food Drive partnerships and following up on their progress.
    • Ordering new Food Barrels/Bags when necessary and making sure that all food drives have all the necessary supplies to succeed.
    • Scheduling drop-offs and pick-ups


To read our most recent volunteer newsletter visit our News and Events section. 

To apply please visit our application page. If you don’t see something that matches your interests, please visit www.volunteermatch.org, or contact our Volunteer Program Manager, Paul Stanfield at (408)255-8033 ext. 304.


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