Volunteer
Volunteering with the Food & Faith Collaborative will give you a glimpse at how Second Servings addresses the challenges of food insecurity and food waste. Almost 20% of Houstonians struggle to have enough food for their families, despite the fact that as a society, we waste nearly 40% of the food we produce! Through its unique “PopUp Grocery Store” program and daily food rescue operations, Second Servings provides nutritious food to over 200,000 underserved Houstonians annually, while preventing perfectly good food from going to waste.
What You Will Be Doing
Our volunteers help unload the food from the refrigerated vans, arrange it attractively by category, and help the “shoppers” as they make their selections. The food is always free, and the shoppers really appreciate being able to choose whatever they would like from the vast assortment of fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs, sandwiches, packaged meals, baked goods, and more. You will be amazed to see the huge quantity and high quality of the groceries that retailers, such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, and Kroger, donate to Second Servings every day.
Who, When, and Where We Serve
The PopUp Grocery Stores are held on a recurring monthly basis, in the community rooms at participating affordable housing sites, community centers, and churches throughout central Houston. We serve low-income seniors and families, veterans, and the disabled. The volunteer shifts are generally 2 hours, from 11am until 1pm, and are held on weekdays and Saturdays. Free parking is available at each property. Each PopUp generally requires 10-15 volunteers.
Age and Attire
We welcome volunteers from 7th grade on up. Casual attire, with comfortable closed-toe shoes (such as sneakers) are recommended. Please avoid bringing purses or valuables. Cross-body purses or fanny packs are advisable. We will provide a Food and Faith Collaborative apron.