Heavy Lifting/Driving Volunteers Needed
The Franklin Food Pantry is looking for a few volunteers for some very heavy lifting/van driving tasks. One of the regular opportunities is twice a month we drive our van down to Taunton to pick up our Greater Boston Food Bank orders. These orders can range between 2,000-3,000 pounds and have to be manually loaded from the dock into the back of the van, case by case. We have to be in Taunton on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 12:30 and the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 10:30. We usually leave Franklin about 1 hour before the scheduled pickup time to arrive in Taunton a little early. We do usually have volunteers back at the Pantry to help unload the van. We do have a van that we use, but if you have, or know someone who has, a truck with a lift for the dock so they can drive the forklift straight in that is much easier. We are looking for someone who is willing to commit to either one of the pickups or both on a regular basis. Some other opportunities that we are looking for volunteers for would be on a less consistent basis. Sometimes we get calls from local businesses with donations that we need to go pick up that day. One of these businesses is Garelick Farms. They will email us in the morning to let us know that they have product available and we would need to get there that day. Fresh dairy products are not easily obtained at the Franklin Food Pantry, so when we are offered milk, yogurt, cream, etc., it is greatly appreciated by our Clients. We use our van to pick up the items, and usually each crate weighs up to 40 pounds so it is heavy lifting into the van and then unloading at the Pantry and stocking the refrigerators with the product.
Thank you for considering the Franklin Food Pantry for your volunteering opportunities. These opportunities are normally performed Tuesday-Friday between 9:00am-1:00pm. We ask that no one under the age of 18 respond as there will often be Clients in the Pantry and we don't have student volunteers when the Clients are here. Also we ask that you be prepared to sign a confidentiality agreement as a volunteer and also have a safe driving record and a valid driving license as we may have to included you as a driver on our van's insurance policy.
Again, there is a lot of heavy lifting, stairs, etc. involved with this opportunity and if you know of anyone or a company that may be willing to help out, especially if they have a small truck that the forklift can load directly onto at the Greater Boston Food Bank, then please forward them this request or have them contact me directly.
Farmer's Market Volunteers Needed
The Franklin Food Pantry has received a grant that offers any SNAP (food stamp) recipient to double their money at the Franklin Farmer's Market every Friday from June 8, 2012 through November 2, 2012. We are looking to fill slots from 11:30am-6:00pm every Friday at the Franklin Town Common. The volunteers would help the clients process their transaction on the handheld EBT terminal (easy training), and also we will provide other documentation if anyone is looking for information on the Food Pantry, SNAP, WIC, etc. There are times when it is very slow and I will try to have 2 volunteers at all times so there is someone to talk to and if someone needs to leave for a moment there is someone else there at the table. The table will be next to Grateful Farms and one of our Board members will be at their table so any questions or concerns can be handled immediately by a Franklin Food Pantry Board member. Also the volunteers may have to stop at the Pantry prior to arriving at the common to pick up the tables, chairs, canopy, documentation, vouchers, terminal, cooler with waters, etc., and and then help set up and later break down the table, chairs and canopy. The volunteers would have to be adults, we ask that no one under the age of 18 be at the table at any time and they will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is a very private situation for a lot of families and confidentiality is very important. Also it is very important for the volunteers to know that the market opens rain or shine, hot or cold weather, and should always plan accordingly. Volunteers should be willing to work 1-2 Fridays per month for a minimum of 3-6 hours.
Thank you again.
Regards,
Linda Sottile
Franklin Food Pantry
(508) 528-3115
www.franklinfoodpantry.org
