Volunteers keep the FeedHV running – literally – making hundreds of food runs a month. As a volunteer, you set your preferences in terms of availability and frequency, and have the option to accept or decline runs. Food runs can generally be accomplished in a short period of time – even as little as 30 minutes, while you are out and about anyway.

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Who Can Volunteer

Individuals and groups with members aged 18+ with reliable transportation and auto insurance. This allows for timely and safe deliveries throughout our broad region.

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What Volunteers Do

Register on the ChowMatch app and set your preferences for availability, volunteering frequency and preferred travel distance. Read the food safety guidelines and complete a short food handling safety quiz. Once matched, you will proceed to the donor location, load food donations into your vehicle and unload at the receiving organization. To successfully facilitate food delivery, please bring coolers, containers and/or boxes to collect and transport donations in accordance with food safety handling practices. Opportunities to field harvest or help process fresh fruit and vegetables may also arise (directly at farms or through groups like Cornell Cooperative Extension Gleaning Program, Farm to Food Pantry Collaborative, and Second Chance Foods).

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Take pictures of your drop off and email to info@feedhv.org. Refer to the FeedHV helpful photo tips

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Why Volunteer?

When you generously volunteer your time with FeedHV, you can feel good knowing that you are helping to provide food to people in your community who are experiencing hunger. You will also be contributing to reducing food waste and the accompanying environmental impact. The flexibility of FeedHV offers a unique opportunity for volunteers to schedule and transport on their time, serve organizations they care about, and track their hours of service. Through the ChowMatch app, individuals and groups can see the tangible effects of their contributions, in time, in pounds and more. In short, it’s a highly impactful and convenient way to make a difference in your community. Additionally, you might be able to receive tax credits for your volunteer mileage. Consult your tax adviser for more information.

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Do I Need Any Special Skills or Training to Volunteer?

No!
Once you have signed up as a volunteer, and downloaded the ChowMatch app, you will be asked to sign the FeedHV volunteer agreement. You will also take a short food handling health and safety quiz. After that, you should set your preferences in the app – such as preferred driving distance and availability, and you are ready for your first food run.

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How a Volunteer Food Run Works

• Volunteers receive email notifications of an available food donation that match their criteria that they set in the app.

• Volunteers review the donation and pick-up logistics, and decide if they can claim the run.

• If you are the first to claim it, the pick-up will be assigned to you and contact details for the food donor and the recipient organization will follow by email.

• Follow all food safety protocols when you pick up and deliver the food.

• Take pictures of your drop off and email to info@feedhv.org.

• After delivery, provide feedback on the experience with both the donor and the receiving organization.

• Take pictures of your drop off and email to info@feedhv.org. Refer to the FeedHV helpful photo tips

• Please remember to use your ChowMatch app to let us know that you have completed a food run. It’s just one click away!
   

Please review our Frequently Asked Questions and Food Safety pages for more information.