Volunteer.
The Reading Food Pantry operates almost entirely through volunteers. Our community is vital to continue the mission of the Pantry. We need you!
There are several ways you can help! Here are brief overviews of our volunteer opportunities:
Delivery Program: Delivery volunteers call their assigned delivery neighbor two Tuesdays a month to get their order, then shop at the Pantry between 12pm and 4pm the next day (Wednesday) to gather and deliver their groceries. The time commitment is just a couple of hours a month (usually second/fourth Tuesdays/Wednesdays) and it is a great way to build a relationship with another community member!
Shopping: Shopping happens every Wednesday and takes about 1 hour. Interested volunteers sign up in advance for the Wednesday of their choice at our SignUp Genius link. Shoppers come to the Pantry at 4 pm to pick up a voucher, shopping list, and bags. Using the provided list, they shop at Market Basket, then return the purchased food to the Pantry by 5:30 pm.
In-Person Service: Volunteers fill food orders for neighbors in person at the Pantry and assist with opening and closing the Pantry. Hours are Mondays from 5:45 pm-7:30 pm or Fridays from 10 am-11:30 am. We ask that volunteers make a commitment to come most weeks.
Shelf Stocking: Every Wednesday, between 4:30 pm and 6 pm, we check donations, stock the shelves, and organize the Pantry. This opportunity is open to high schoolers, but space is limited.
Interested volunteers can contact us to inquire about upcoming opportunities. We are often at volunteer capacity, so we may ask you to assist in another way, such as by hosting a fundraiser or a food drive!
Food drives are so important to our mission. Below are the steps to hosting a food drive in our community!
Here are the steps to run a food drive:
Send an email to readingfoodpantry@gmail.com to let us know when you are planning your food drive. We will provide a list of our current food/paper goods needs. If you’d like to include gift cards to Market Basket on your Food Drive list, we are always in need of those, as well.
Food drives usually run for 10 days to 2 weeks.
Advertise on Facebook on the Reading Parents Network page or Reading Pay it Forward and we'd be glad to advertise on the Reading Food Pantry page, as well. Include the dates of your food drive, your donation drop-off address, and a list of food/household items that you are collecting. Use your personal email contacts to let your friends and family know that you are running a food drive. Make flyers and hang them around town, if permissible. We have lots of community members, including children, who run food drives for us—they are easy to run and they are so helpful to us!
When your food drive is over, email us to coordinate a donation drop-off time. The Reading Food Pantry is open every Wednesday between 4:30 pm and 6 pm for donation drop-off at 6 Salem Street, Reading. Our door is located in the back of the Old South United Methodist Church—follow the driveway around to the back and you will see our sign.
We love to post pictures of the donations that we receive on our Facebook page, with your permission, of course. It highlights your commitment to community service and lets the community know that food drives are doable and are a great way to stock our shelves!
Cooking Program: Every Monday and Friday (and alternating Tuesdays), between noon and 3 pm, we cook food to be distributed at the pantry. We use whatever produce and food is available at the pantry to make meals, soup, baked goods, and snacks. This opportunity is open to any creative cooks. Sign up for a slot at our SignUp Genius link.
Compost/Recycling Program: Volunteers pick up expired canned food from the Pantry, empty it out of its packaging and recycle the packaging (cans/bottles/paper) at home, then return the food to the Pantry compost bin (in the parking lot at 6 Salem St.) at your convenience. Expired food can be picked up Wednesdays between 5:30 and 6:00, or Thursdays 9:30 to 12:30 (entrance in back parking lot at 6 Salem St.). Food for compost can be returned to our compost bin at any time. Further instructions will be provided when you do your first pick-up. Sign up for a slot at our SignUp Genius link.
