CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

CALL FOR GARDEN VOLUNTEERS


Contact Rev. Janet if you are interested at [email protected]

Morningside-High Park Presbyterian has planted a food security garden that will feed local neighbours facing food insecurity. They are looking for an individual who can do the following:

  • Organize a schedule for volunteers through email and the web, re: weeding, watering, harvesting & delivery of fresh produce
  • Stop by the garden a few times a week to tend to it, i.e. weeding, watering or harvesting
  • Contact the volunteers to inform what the garden needs and confirm if weeding, watering, harvesting and delivery is done
  • CC Janet, the minister of Morningside-High Park [email protected], on emails so she stays in the loop

CALL FOR FOOD BANK VOLUNTEERS 


With the closure of the temporary Toronto Public Library food bank locations, there is more demand than ever for Food Bank locations. Two new locations are being opened to respond to the growing need for food security in our area. 


Four Villages Healing Center Food Bank at 3446 Dundas St W:


  • Please speak to Junko at[email protected] or Gayle [email protected] to sign up or ask questions.
  • This food program is a partnership with Second Harvest and Daily Bread. It is currently scheduled for Monday evenings as a drop in for those needing food.
  • We are looking for volunteers to help to unload and sort the food when it arrives and volunteers to help with the food bank distribution. We will train everyone and provide the required PPE. Our training is happening with Daily Bread on July 20th from 9-3pm. 


The Loaves and Fishes Food Bank at St. Pius X Parish at 2305 Bloor St.:


  • If you are interested in being part of this exciting initiative, please follow this link to register and provide us with your information:  https://forms.gle/v5z2MdXh6WvDNQxb9
  • The program will run on Friday afternoons and will launch on Friday August. 7th. Volunteers are needed each Thursday to receive the food delivery and organize food for the next day. And of course volunteers are needed each Friday to help distribute food, restock tables, sign people in and help greet clients of the food bank. 
  • We are hoping to build a large team of volunteers who we will schedule based on individual availability. While we hope you will be interested in volunteering more than once, we certainly don’t require a commitment to do this every week. Occasional volunteer help is more than welcome. And don’t worry if you have never done this before - we will be arranging a training webinar which will outline the food bank procedures, as well as Covid safety measures and protocols. 
  • You will be asked about your availability and which roles are of most interest to you.   

FOOD BANK VOLUNTEER ROLES


Delivery/Program Set Up – Thursday

  • A Daily Bread driver will drop the food off at the back of St. Pius. 
  • Volunteers are required to unload the skids and transport it into the church. 
  • Note that this position will involve a bit of waiting, especially the first few times as we work out the Daily Bread delivery time frame. 
  • Once the food has been received, Volunteers will sort it into categories and set it up on tables for distribution the next day. A portion of the food will be pre-packed into boxes for delivery to a satellite location at Swansea Mews.

Food Distribution - Friday

  • Volunteers will stand at safe social distance behind tables stocked with various categories of food and will assist Food Bank clients in selecting the food items they require, based on their family food allotment. 
  • This is the role with the most direct interaction with clients and it is important that volunteers not only be familiar with the inventory available and the allotment rules but, most importantly, that they treat clients equitably and respectfully.

Runners / Waste Management - Friday

  • Runners are necessary throughout the program to move and re-stock products, particularly perishables from the fridge and freezer downstairs. 
  • If possible, these same volunteers can also keep on top of the recycling and waste build-up. 
  • At the end of the day, all available volunteers should assist with shutting down the food program space and ensuring the area is properly wiped down fully for Covid Safety

Greeters / Line Management - Friday

  • These volunteers will be stationed outside St.Pius on Bloor Street to meet clients and when necessary, provide direction about the particulars of the program, as well as help to ensure social distancing occurs in the lineup. 
  • This is often the first face the client will see when entering the program so it is important for volunteers in this particular position to be familiar with the program’s guidelines and operational methods. 

Interviewer / Intake Processing - Friday

  • A very important role at the food bank is that of the interviewer. All clients should be interviewed when coming to the food bank initially and have a regular check-in each and every visit. 
  • The purpose of the interview is not to determine but to find out why they are in need of this assistance and in turn be able to direct the client to someone providing additional support (information and referral, local social support programs). 
  • This position will be given specific training by Daily Bread

Driver – boxes to Swansea / Swansea Distribution - Friday

  • We also require one driver with appropriate vehicle to take the boxes to Swansea – AND – will require support at the Swansea location, per the Swansea team, to distribute those boxes.