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Event: Food Distribution at the Red Cross Food Pantry
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Location: American Red Cross Food Pantry
1033 Massachusetts Avenue, Roxbury, MA 02118
Date: Oct 3rd 2020, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Staff: Manager: Jenny C
RSVP: This event has already occurred

Event Description:

IMPORTANT: all sign up is through Volunteer Connections and registration is required.

The Red Cross food pantry is looking for volunteers. Due to COVID-19, One Brick is currently not organizing in person group events. However, in case you were wanting to help volunteer in the community with a friendly face, Jenny from our team will be at the Red Cross Pantry on 10/3.

Due to changes in their process, to become a Red Cross volunteer you must apply with Red Cross directly, and be willing to undergo a background check. This process can take up to 2 weeks, so please start early if you are looking to join other volunteers who also are part of One Brick.

To apply: follow the link below. Make sure to notify them you are looking to volunteer at the Food Pantry (Zipcode: 02119). They may require a phone interview before you can sign up. Once you have received approval and access, you can sign up through volunteer connections site/app:

https://volunteerconnection.redcross.org/?nd=rco_opportunity_detail&opportunity_id=6674&postal_code=02119&return_nd=rco_opportunity_browse_list

The American Red Cross works to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The Boston Food Pantry provides a 3-day supply of emergency food to 4,500 low-income clients per month.

If you have questions, you can reach out to Jenny at JennyC@onebrick.org

What we'll be doing:

Volunteers will help distribute food to clients, prepare bags of perishable items for distribution, and pack food bags for the next distribution date.

Volunteer responsibilities are as follows:

On Saturdays (8am - 12pm):

  • Distributing food to clients, including help run/carry food bags for clients to their cars.
  • Translating for our pantry clients during pantry hours – Chinese, Creole, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese
  • Data entry
  • Assisting with providing nutrition information, including flyers, handouts and recipes. 

 Qualifications

  • Ability to lift 25 lbs. and stand for 3+hours
  • Dressing “comfortably but respectably.” Cut-off shorts, short mini-skirts, half shirts and open-toed shoes/sandals are not appropriate dress in the food pantry
  • Ability to take direction willingly and to work comfortably in a diverse environment
  • In cold weather, dress warmly because work inside and outside the pantry can be very cold! i.e. gloves, hats, warm coat and footwear

 

What you should know:

All volunteers are REQUIRED to wear sturdy shoes or sneakers. For safety reasons no open-open toed shoes or sandals will be allowed in the warehouse. In cold weather, dress warmly because work inside and outside the pantry can be very cold! i.e gloves, hats. warm coat and footwear.

NOTE: Unfortunately this event is not wheelchair accessible.  We do our best to ensure as many events as possible are accessible. The nonprofit can accommodate volunteers who can do light lifting, counting, and sorting.  If you have specific questions in this area, please contact the event manager.

Note again this IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ONE BRICK EVENT you MUST APPLY TO SIGN UP DIRECTLY THROUGH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS through Volunteer Connection: https://volunteerconnection.redcross.org/?nd=rco_opportunity_detail&opportunity_id=6674&postal_code=02119&return_nd=rco_opportunity_browse_list

Where to Meet:

Volunteers are expected to arrive at the Boston Food Pantry at 8:00. Please note there are limited parking spaces behind the Red Cross Food Pantry.  Please note the entrance to the Food Pantry is on Proctor Street while the street address is on Massachusetts Avenue.

By MBTA - the pantry is about a 15 minute walk from the Andrew Red Line Station.  The Newmarket Commuter Rail station on the Fairmount Line is a 4 minute walk.   Additionally, MBTA buses 8 and 10 stop right nearby at 1010 Massachusetts Avenue.

 

American Red Cross Boston Food Pantry:

Hunger affects those most vulnerable in our community, especially the very young and the elderly. For those individuals in low-paying jobs or on fixed incomes, difficult choices must be made between paying the rent or mortgage, putting food in the table, or seeking medical care for their children or themselves. The American Red Cross works within the food network, with food distributors and community-based agencies, to coordinate services and develop local solutions to the problem of hunger. Over 125,000 individuals benefit from our program during the year. Our clients include senior citizens, immigrants, single parents, families in transition, homeless individuals, and those living with HIV. Families and individuals from all areas of Boston and New Bedford visit the Pantries once each month to receive at least a three-day supply of nutritionally-balanced groceries. The Pantry also assists clients in applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, otherwise known as the Federal Food Stamps. The Boston food pantry provides a 7-day emergency supply of food once a month to low-income clients about 105,000 annually making it one of the largest emergency food pantries in New England.

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