Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm and on Saturdays from 9 am to noon. Groups generally come in for 2 to 3 hours. All groups need to be scheduled well in advance, especially for Saturdays. If you have an especially large group, you may end up working on a variety of tasks. Work opportunities for groups include:

Sorting Donated Product - Groups interested in working on the assembly line need to have at least 6 people, with at maximum of 14. Anyone age 12 and above can participate. This job involves standing and some lifting (up to 40 pounds). As long as your group has at least a few people who can lift, you can work on the assembly line. Groups may also end up sorting through fresh produce, if that's what we have at the time.

Sorting Crackers, Cookies, and Munchies - Groups of any size and any age can work on this. You will be sorting donated product into three categories. Some lifting (up to 15 pounds) and standing (you'll be moving around). This is a good activity for groups with children; there does need to be a proportionate number of adults involved to supervise and direct (at least one adult for every 6 children under the age of 12). This job is dependent on having an inventory of donated crackers and cookies.

Emptying Bottles of Water - Wegmans donated truckloads of past-date carbonated water to us, and we are emptying them for the nickel deposit (it adds up!). Kids love doing this (and many adults), and every group comes up with their own system for getting the work done. Groups of up to 15, age 5 and up, are welcome.

Special Events - Foodlink is involved in a variety of special events, and sometimes we need groups of volunteers to help out. If we have any events that we need groups for, we'll let you know when you contact us.

Gleaners - This is an opportunity for groups that are only available on weekends or later in the day. We are looking at expanding our gleaning program, which involves groups going out to farms and picking fresh produce that was left behind when the farmer harvested the crop. This is an opportunity that is limited to the growing season, but if you are interested, let us know for the future.

Individuals are welcome Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 4 pm. If you are interested in volunteering as an individual, we ask that you commit to at least four shifts of work. Individuals generally come in for 2 to 4 hour shifts, and are involved in many aspects of running a Foodlink. All individuals need to schedule their time in advance. Some volunteer opportunities are:

Warehouse Workers - this can involve picking customer orders, helping with incoming deliveries, sorting through donated product, helping customers load their cars, or helping with customer orders. It depends on what our need is at the time. Whatever our need, you will be working on your feet, with some heavy lifting (up to 40 pounds). Ages 16 and up.

Office Workers - This will depend on the skills you have and the length of your commitment to Foodlink. If you are interested in a longer-term volunteer job with limited physical activity, and you have a good attention to detail, this may be perfect for you. Computer skill and office experience a plus. Ages 16 and up.

Drivers - This is a new position - we are exploring the idea of using volunteers to help us with some of our smaller deliveries or pickups. If you are available during the business week, have a dependable vehicle, can lift up to 40 pounds, and want to get out and meet people, please contact us so that we can look at possibilities. Ages 18 and up. Clean NYS Drivers License required.

Kids Cafe - Volunteers are sometimes needed to assist with our Kids Cafe programs, where children receive a hot meal and participate in activities after school. The hours are generally limited to Monday through Friday, from 2 pm to 5 pm during the school year. Summer hours vary depending on the program. Volunteers help out with food service and activities. Ages 14 and up.
To view a listing of all the Kids Cafe Sites click Here.

Community Service Workers are people who are required to complete a certain number or hours volunteering their services. This can be a school requirement, court ordered, or be a requirement of some rehabilitation facilities. We welcome community service workers, but ask that they adhere to the following guidelines:

High School students who need to perform community service can do so on scheduled Community service days, which generally coincide with scheduled school days off. Student come in for the full day, from 8 am to 4:30 pm. We are unable to accommodate students in short after-school shifts (coming in from 2 pm to 4 pm) due to our work process. Please call for scheduled Community Service Days.

Court mandated community service workers are welcome during the business week from 8 am to 4 pm. They will be assigned to a work location depending on our needs. Please provide us with the name and address of the judge we will be reporting your hours to.

Rehabilitation program requirements People who are fulfilling are welcome during the business week from 8 am to 4 pm. They will be assigned to a work location depending on our needs. Please provide us with the name of the person we will be reporting your hours to.