Each week, 160 volunteers give more than 350 hours to serve 2,100+ clients and maintain our pantry operations.
Currently, we are only accepting applications for freedge Restocking and Communications and Operations Support at this time. All other volunteer shifts are full. We are not accepting applications from teen volunteers, ages 15-17, for summer opportunities until June 1.
You may complete the volunteer application form, indicate shifts in which you are interested, and we will contact you when they become available. To begin the process, review the volunteer opportunity information below and then complete our volunteer application form.
Volunteers MUST BE 15 years or older to be eligible for any of our positions. We ask volunteers to make at least a six-month commitment; one shift a month for adults and two shifts each month for teens. Due to the need for volunteer training and onboarding, we do not have short-term volunteer opportunities in the pantry. Our application process requires a background check and additional steps before volunteering.
If you have any questions, email the Volunteer Coordinator by selecting “Volunteer Opportunities” on our contact form.
Volunteer Shifts at the Newton Food Pantry:
Daily Freedge Restocking (60-minute shift): Volunteers pick up bags from the pantry or donations from local businesses to restock the Newton Community freedge. Daily opportunities are available, including evenings and weekends!
Monday Morning Unloading (75-minute shift): Volunteers work with a small team to unload 7,000 pounds of food delivered from the Greater Boston Food Bank. Heavy lifting is required in this role.
Hours: 7:30–8:45am OR 11:15–12:30pm; This shift is currently full.
Tuesday Bag Preparation (120-minute shift): Volunteers bag nonperishable food and personal care products inside the Newton Food Pantry.
Hours: 9:00–11:00am; This shift is currently full.
Wednesday Morning Early Bird Unloading (60-minute shift): Volunteers help unload produce and other deliveries. Heavy lifting is required in this role.
Hours: 6:45–7:45am; This shift is currently full.
Wednesday Morning Client Deliveries (75-minute shift): Volunteer drivers pick up bags at the Newton Food Pantry and drive to Newton housing facilities to make contactless deliveries or deliver to medically-homebound clients. Volunteers must have their own car and be able to lift 30-pound bags. Pantry pickup time: 10:00–10:45am and 11:00 – 11:45am; This shift is currently full.
Wednesday Morning Pantry Setup and Produce Bagging (120-minute shifts): Volunteers help inside the Newton Food Pantry with set up and bagging for client delivery pickups. Hours: 8:00am–12:00pm; This shift is currently full.
Wednesday Afternoon Client Distribution (120-minute shifts): Volunteers support client shopping inside the Newton Food Pantry. Tasks include greeting clients, managing flow in the waiting areas and in the pantry, assisting clients as needed, restocking shelves, and loading groceries into cars once clients are finished shopping. Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, and Portuguese speaking volunteers are an added bonus to our clients! Hours: 12:00–8:00pm; This shift is currently full.
Thursday Morning Setup (90-minute shift): Volunteers help set up inside the Pantry for client shopping. Hours: 8:30am–10:00am; This shift is currently full.
Thursday Client Distribution (120-minute shifts): Volunteers support client shopping inside the Newton Food Pantry. Tasks include greeting clients, managing flow in the waiting areas and in the pantry, assisting clients as needed, restocking shelves, and loading groceries into cars once clients are finished shopping. Spanish, Russian, Mandarin and Portuguese speaking volunteers are an added bonus for our clients! Hours: 10:00am–12:00pm and 12:00pm–2:00pm; This shift is currently full.
Saturday Kids’ Bags (90-minute shift): The bags are filled by a small number of volunteers on a Saturday morning, once a month, working in two shifts inside the pantry. An adult volunteer must accompany all youth under the age of 18 for the entire shift. Hours: 9–10:30am and 10:45–12:15pm; This shift is currently full.
Food Drive Sorting (120-minute shift): Volunteers sort, date check and put away donated non-perishable food from various food drives. Shift hours vary, as well as the day of the week — sometimes weekends and sometimes weekdays. All sorting shifts occur at the Newton Food Pantry. Our Volunteer Coordinator will send out specific opportunities via a Signup Genius once you email them using our contact form. This shift is currently full.
