Thank You for Your Interest in Volunteering at Hospitality House

We're so grateful for amazing people like you who volunteer their time and talents to help us fulfill our mission of feeding the community. Whether you're looking for a long-term project or want to sign up for a one-day volunteer shift, there are countless ways for you or your group to make a difference.

    • If it's your first time volunteering with us, follow the steps below to register. You'll only need to complete most of them once, except for Steps 1 and 2, which we ask you to repeat yearly. Once registered, you can easily sign up for a shift or shift by clicking the blue "Sign Up" button.
    • After each volunteer shift, we ask that you document your hours. This helps us keep track of the valuable work our volunteers do and gather the data we need to secure much-needed funding. Plus, it's a great way for you to track your community service hours and see the impact you're making!
    • If you're interested in joining our long-term volunteer schedule for the next three months or more, please email volunteercoordinator@hhfp.org
    • If you would like your group to volunteer, we'll need to schedule you.  Please contact us using this link.

We hope volunteering at the Pantry is a fun and purposeful experience for you and/or your group. We look forward to seeing you for the first time, and hopefully again and again. 

Frequently Asked Questions

We welcome volunteers of all ages. What you do, and how you sign up to volunteer varies based upon your age if you are a minor.

  • If you are 12 or younger, you must be chaperoned by your parent/guardian or your group/organization leader to volunteer at the Pantry.
  • You and your adult chaperone should complete the registration process.
  • Your chaperone should expect to work alongside you.
  • If you are part of a group, your group leader will schedule the day and time you will volunteer.
  • If you are 10 or younger, and not part of a group, your chaperone should email the pantry at volunteercoordinator@hhfp.org with the following information: date and time you would like to volunteer, your age, and your name.

You may volunteer during our client service hours (see our calendar for days/times). Other opportunities may be available when the pantry is closed to clients beginning at 9 am Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  Special events also require the help of volunteers, too. These special shifts will be added to SignUpGenius. 

Yes, you may complete court-ordered community service at HHFP. However, please keep in mind we utilize the Good Moral Character guidelines as established by the MDHH. Generally such guidelines prohibit offenses of a violent or sexual nature, offenses involving guns, and offenses involving children.  

It is your responsibility to document your volunteer hours at the end of each shift. Please complete this form at the end of each shift. 

Wear appropriate clothing (No pajama bottoms, short shorts, or tank tops, please). All clothing items must be suitable for the work environment and should
not display offensive or objectionable material. The pantry has heat and air conditioning, but the
warehouse bay door is often open making the environment cooler or warmer than desired. Layers are
recommended. Closed-toe shoes should always be worn.

Yes, you may take a quick break as needed to eat, drink, rest, or use the restroom.  We ask you to stagger your breaks with the other volunteers doing your same job. We have a kitchenette where your food and/or beverage should be consumed.

The kitchenette has a refrigerator, which is often stocked with complimentary beverages for our volunteers. so feel free to help yourself. And if there are food items laid out on the counter, you may help yourself to those as well. 

Yes! We are always in need of volunteers who can speak languages other than English to help our clients understand pantry procedures, explain the food items available, and provide a friendly greeting or conversation. If you possess multilingual skills, please let us know which language or languages you are comfortable speaking. 

You can absolutely volunteer your time by hosting a food drive. Whether you choose to do a virtual food drive or an in-person food drive you'll find resources here to help fuel your success.