Volunteer

JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO END HUNGER

Our work is not possible without YOU!

We are proud to offer a diverse range of group and individual volunteer opportunities, each with its own unique purpose and impact, such as:

- Helping with Food Recovery and Distribution
- Preparing meals in our kitchen
- Packing meals for our seniors
- Helping tend the crops at our 16-acre Farm
- Assisting with general tasks around our Community Gardens

We invite you to explore the various ways you can contribute to our mission and make a positive impact in your community. Sign up to volunteer with the Food Shuttle today!

Individual Volunteers

Group Volunteers

Community Service

ADMINISTRATION & SPECIAL EVENTS

Support the Food Shuttle with day-to-day office tasks and special events. Volunteers may answer phones, greet guests, help with mailings and projects, or represent the Food Shuttle at festivals, farmers’ markets, college campuses, and community events.

BACKPACK BUDDIES

Volunteers can help pack bags for delivery or hit the road to deliver them to local sites.

FOOD SERVICE & CULINARY PREP

Gain hands-on culinary experience while assisting with kitchen activities. Opportunities include learning food safety, knife skills, cooking techniques, baking, and event preparation and service.

LEARNING GARDENS

Help the staff with essential duties that keep the garden growing. These may include seeding, mulching, pruning, weeding, monitoring for pests/ disease, and the best part – harvesting!

COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION

Volunteers help teach participants to shop smarter, use nutrition information to make healthier choices, and cook delicious, affordable meals.

SUMMER MEALS

Volunteer drivers deliver freshly prepared meals to summer feeding sites in Wake and Johnston counties. Drivers pick up meals from our Raleigh Warehouse and use their personal vehicles to complete deliveries.

FOOD RECOVERY & DISTRIBUTION

Opportunities include driver assistance, egg inspection, food donation sorting, and other warehouse-related tasks based on current needs.

FOOD SHUTTLE FARM

Volunteers help with seasonal farm tasks like harvesting, planting, weeding, packing, and greenhouse work. No experience needed, just a willingness to get your hands dirty!

GROCERY BAGS FOR SENIORS

Volunteers help pack monthly grocery bags with fresh produce, non-perishable foods, and healthy snacks. Volunteers can also deliver the bags to senior housing communities in Wake and Durham counties.

Need help navigating Bloomerang, our new Volunteer Platform?

Additional Resources

Volunteer hours

24,588 volunteer hours were served across all our programs, including internships in fiscal year 2025-26.

“I had a wonderful time with the team today. The warm welcome, smiles, laughter, and sweat were an awesome way to spend the day. The best feeling was seeing the homeowners’ faces light up when they saw their finished raised beds. I also appreciated learning more about the Gardens For Everyone program and other volunteer opportunities. I will certainly be prioritizing more blocks of time to stay involved across programs as my work schedule allows. Thank you so much for a purposeful and rewarding experience!”

VOLUNTEER

Gardens For Everyone

Let’s Go

Ready to join the movement to end hunger? We’d love your help. Sign up to volunteer with the Food Shuttle today!

I'm Ready

Description: Volunteers can enjoy a shift packing the BackPack Buddies for delivery or hit the road by delivering our bags to various sites. To volunteer as a driver, we ask our volunteers to first pass a Motor Vehicle and Background check to permit them to drive our staff vehicles to and from the schools. Delivery volunteers should be able to commit once a week between 8 AM – 1 PM. If you are interested in driving, please contact the Volunteer Services team at volunteers@foodshuttle.org or 919.390.1968.

Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 13+ to pack BPB with an adult/guardian. Volunteers must be 18+ to drive.

Availability: BPB packing shifts are posted on an as-needed basis throughout the traditional school year (August – June).

Notes: BPB Packing shifts are eligible for Court-Ordered and Lawyer-Recommended community service hours.

Description: Support the Food Shuttle with day-to-day office tasks and special events. Volunteers may answer phones, greet guests, help with mailings and projects, or represent the Food Shuttle at festivals, farmers’ markets, college campuses, and community events.

Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 16+ to help at our front desk. The age requirement for volunteers with our Special Event shifts is dependent on the event.

Availability: Administrative shifts are available each weekday, and Special Event opportunities are posted on an as-needed basis.

Notes: Administrative shifts are eligible for Court-Ordered and Lawyer-Recommended community service hours.

Description: Our commercial kitchen is open to volunteer assistance in preparing, traying, and sealing meals for daily distribution. No experience is required to register!

Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 13+ to help in our kitchen. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during their shift.

Availability: Food Service shifts are offered each weekday morning.

Notes: General Food Service shifts are eligible for Court-Ordered and Lawyer-Recommended community service hours.

Description: Volunteer opportunities range from egg inspection, assisting our drivers, sorting food donations, and other warehouse-based tasks needed for the day. Shifts vary in lifting expectations.

Age Requirement: Volunteer opportunities range from egg inspection, assisting our drivers, sorting food donations, and other warehouse-based tasks needed for the day. Shifts vary in lifting expectations.

Availability: FRD volunteer shifts are available throughout the weekdays.

Notes: Generally, FRD shifts are eligible for Court-Ordered and Lawyer-Recommended community service hours.

Description: Volunteers pack monthly grocery bags with fresh produce, non-perishable foods, and healthy snacks. With certain shifts, volunteers can help deliver the bags to senior housing communities in Wake County.

Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 8+ to help with GBS. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during their shift. For youth volunteer groups, we require a 1:4 adult-to-youth volunteer ratio.

Availability: Shifts are during the first three weeks of the month, only on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Description: Volunteers work with our Community Health Education team to provide educational workshops that range from one-time lessons to a series of classes. Common volunteer roles are nutritional leaders, general classroom assistants, and cooking instructors. To help, volunteers must first reach out to the Volunteer Services team at volunteers@foodshuttle.org or 919.390.1968 to become qualified.

Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 18+ to help with CHE.

Availability: CHE shifts are posted as needed.

Description: Step in at Camden Street (Raleigh) and Geer St (Durham) Learning Gardens to help the staff with essential duties that keep our gardens growing. These may include seeding, mulching, pruning, weeding, monitoring for pests/ disease, and the best part – harvesting! Tasks are subject to change daily based on seasonal needs. Please come prepared to bend, kneel, and lift medium to heavy items to complete our daily tasks. No gardening experience is required to sign up.

Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 13+ to help in the gardens. Volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during their shift. For youth volunteer groups, we require a 1:4 adult-to-youth volunteer ratio.

Availability: Morning Garden shifts are dependent on the garden. Free Parking is available at both downtown locations.

Notes: Learning Garden Morning shifts are eligible for Court-Ordered and Lawyer-Recommended community service hours.

Description: The Food Shuttle often partners with local organizations to provide summer lunches to young student campers. Volunteers support staff by delivering these hot and cold meals to the camps.

Age Requirement: Volunteer drivers must be 18+ to deliver meals. Volunteer passengers must be 8+ or able to help lift the food containers.

Availability: Summer Meals shifts are only offered in the summer (June – August).

Notes: Delivering in a Food Shuttle staff vehicle may be an option for those already qualified to drive.

Description: Volunteers help with seasonal farm tasks like harvesting, planting, weeding, packing, and greenhouse work at our 16-acre production farm. Tasks are subject to change daily based on seasonal needs. Please come prepared to bend, kneel, and lift medium to heavy items to complete our daily tasks. No experience is needed, just a willingness to get your hands dirty!