Would you like to learn more about The Back Door Food Pantry and what is involved with volunteering? Please read the following and consider joining us.
An affiliate of Food Gatherers, the BDFP has been providing “hunger relief with dignity since 2007”. Located in Wisdom House on the Genesis grounds, the BDFP is co-sponsored by Temple Beth Emeth, Saint Clare’s Episcopal Church and the Muslim community. Our food distribution on Thursdays, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. is available to all who sign in by 7 p.m., with no proof of need required. We are run by volunteers, ages 14 to ~ 85, providing a COVID-safe operation. All volunteers and patrons are masked and volunteers are boostered. Bags of produce and patron-self-selected foods are delivered to patrons outdoors.
We are recruiting more volunteers for all of our 4 weekly shifts that include both indoor and outdoor positions, which may involve some lifting. Our volunteer shifts are:
TUESDAYS, from 1 to 3 p.m. [inside the BDFP]: unpacking and stocking our large delivery from Food Gatherers.
THURSDAYS, 3 different shifts from: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:45 p.m.
- 1 to 3 p.m.: [mainly inside the social hall]: unpacking, primarily produce deliveries, subdividing and preparing bags for distribution.
- 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.: [some indoors and some outdoors ] setting up near the Circle Drive; helping with intake and self-selection booklets; serving patrons from the social hall ; filling individual booklet orders inside the BDFP to be distributed to patrons at the ramp door.
- 5:30 to 7:45 p.m.: continuing with attending to patrons as above; ending with cleaning up, taking an inventory and closing up.
SCHEDULING of volunteers is done in 2-month blocks, with on-call substitutes listed for every shift to help us maintain a full cadre of volunteers. You may be added to the schedule right away as a substitute, or listed on the next schedule or later as a regular volunteer. Volunteers are asked to submit their availability and scheduling preferences every 2 months.
Please contact me at kthdaly@gmail.com to sign up to volunteer or to receive more information about the BDFP. Thanks.
Kathy Daly
BDFP Co-chair 734-645-7566
The Back Door Food Pantry is an equal opportunity provider.