Opportunities From: Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

Sign Up to Volunteer in our Food Sort/Repack Role Here!

Volunteers help sort, label, and repack food into family-friendly portions for neighbors across our 16-county service area. Tasks may include sorting fresh produce, labelling frozen pizza, or dividing 1,000 pounds of potatoes into easy-to-use 5-pound bags. Our volunteer projects are safe, well-organized, and led by our friendly and knowledgeable staff. No experience necessary!

Please read the following information before signing up:

Group Registration: Learn how to register a group by clicking here!

Youth Volunteers (12-17): Please review our Youth Volunteer Info page before signing up.

Important Information about Volunteering:

Volunteers must be 12 years or older to volunteer, and volunteers between the ages of 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of their shift. To ensure safety, this policy is not flexible.  Volunteer projects are completed while standing and moving throughout the shift, though a break area is available for your use, as needed. Repetitive movements are common throughout the shift. Do you need an accommodation to participate? Please call our Volunteer Services Coordinator at (608)-216-7214 before signing up. We may occasionally have a project that allows for modified or seated work. To keep a well-planned and smooth volunteer experience, we do not allow drop-in volunteers.

Food Safety & Dress Code:

Closed-toed shoes and shirts with sleeves (short-sleeved or longer) are required to volunteer. Sandals, flip-flops, tank tops, etc., are not appropriate for our project rooms. Most jewelry (earrings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, etc.) will need to be removed before you begin your shift. Long necklaces may be tucked under your clothing, and rings may be worn. If you need to remove jewelry here at the foodbank, we will provide you with a small ziplock bag for your items that may be tucked in your pocket or placed in the volunteer cubbies. No food or beverages are allowed in the volunteer project areas. However, the breakroom is available for your use. You may store bags, purses, and water bottles in the volunteer breakroom cubbies. Please note that these cubbies do not contain locks.

Get ready to volunteer by viewing our Prepare For Your Volunteer Shift Guide!

Are You Looking to Volunteer for a Shift Not Posted Yet?

Groups: You can fill out the Request a Group Volunteer Shift linked here!

Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes before your shift start time to complete our volunteer sign-in process and attend our shift orientation.

Are you a current Dry Goods Sorting volunteer? You can see the available opportunities below and sign up for an available shift by clicking on "Schedule"!

Are you interested in getting started in this role? Learn more about this opportunity below and then click the "Respond" button! We will email you with the next steps.

Dry Goods Sorting Volunteer Description:

Want to make a tangible impact in your community? Join us as a Dry Goods Sorting! Volunteers inspect, categorize, and package shelf-stable, dry goods donations into 17 different categories to prepare them for distribution to our 16-county service area.

What You'll Do:

Follow provided guidelines for evaluating food safety expiration date extensions and food packaging integrity
Follow provided guidelines for sorting food into categoriesPack items by weight within each category; Boxes will be filled to 27-30 pounds as assigned in each categoryClose, tape, and label boxesStack boxes on pallets

Current Shifts Open:

Tuesday Mornings: 8:30 - 11:30 amThursday Mornings: 8:30 - 11:30 amThursday Afternoons: 12:30 - 3:30 pm

What We're Looking For:

Friendly, reliable individuals who enjoy working as part of a team.Able to work independently and lift between 20-30 pounds consistently throughout the shift.Volunteers will also read small print to check expiration dates.

Requirements:

Volunteers must be 12 years or older, and volunteers between the ages of 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of their shift.Approved Second Harvest volunteer.Adherence to all workplace safety standards and procedures.

Why Volunteer With Us?

You'll be part of a mission-driven team working to address food insecurity right in your community.Volunteering with us means building community, staying active, and knowing your time is making a direct impact.

Are you a current Food Donor Outreach volunteer? You can see your schedule below!

Are you interested in getting started in this role? Learn more about this opportunity below and then click the "Respond" button! We will email you with the next steps.

Food Donor Outreach Description:

Are you passionate about building connections and making a difference in your community? We're looking for a dedicated individual to join our team as a Food Donor Outreach Volunteer!

The Food Donor Outreach volunteer plays a crucial role in nourishing relationships with our retail donors throughout our 16-county service area through face-to-face donor visits. These visits are intended to steward relationships, support donors on donation practices, and express gratitude to the donors for their partnership.

This increased interaction with our food donors leads to better relationships and an increase in pounds of food donated. This is also an opportunity to support food donors with our processes, including fostering a deeper connection to understanding our food pantries, programs, and communities that receive the food. 

What You'll Do:

Meet with approx. 5-8 retail donors per week to steward donor relationships, provide support in donor best practices, and share donation history info. This will be prepared by our Food Donor Coordinator.Maintain outreach and engagement resources for retail donor visits.Prepare and manage donor folders for use during retail visits. Record notes from donor visits and capture questions, comments, and concerns.Follow up with the Food Donor Coordinator to review notes within 7 days of the donor visit.Track miles traveled per retail recovery route and maintain a miles reimbursement sheet.

Where:

This is a travel-based position that involves traveling to our retail donor sites and on-site engagement at our 2802 Dairy Drive location, which requires a commitment of 6-8 hours per week.This volunteer role is open to anyone residing in our 16-county service area and will be assigned to retail donor visits in counties in our service area.Volunteers will also need to be on-site at 2802 Dairy Drive to prepare and maintain outreach materials at least 1x week.

What We're Looking For:

Friendly, patient, with an eye for detail.Works independently with minimal supervision while going on visits.Volunteers will interact with community members and Second Harvest partners during their visits and are expected to abide by SHFB policies and procedures.Comfortable with public speaking and initiating conversations.Ability to use personal vehicle to drive to donor locations.Willing to travel throughout multiple counties in Southern Wisconsin.Familiarity with Second Harvest Foodbank.

Commitment:

6-8/hr week – 72-96/hr quarterly6-month commitmentOnboarding, training, and role-shadowing must be completed prior to volunteer service begins.

Requirements:

18 years and above Personal vehicle and proof of insuranceHave a current driver’s license, good driving record, and be able to pass the following: Motor vehicle registration check Criminal background check Approved Second Harvest volunteerOnboarding and training to be completed before service begins Must follow food safety guidelines during service

Are you a current Partner Pickup & Donation Desk volunteer? You can see the available opportunities below and sign up for an available shift by clicking on "Schedule"!

Are you interested in getting started in this role? Learn more about this opportunity below and contact Volunteer Services to get started!

Have time and skills to share to help your community thrive? Volunteer with us at the Partner Pickup & Donation Desk, where a volunteer assists our partner pantries with their pickup orders and receives all drop-off donations!

The Partner Pickup & Donation Desk volunteer assists partner pantries by pulling orders located around the Distribution Center, utilizing a hand pallet jacket, and helping load their orders into their vehicles. Additionally, they will record drop-off donations and place received donations into their designated areas of the Distribution Center.

For more information and requirements, please view below!

QUALIFICATIONS:

Volunteers will have some interaction with community members and Second Harvest partners and are expected to abide by SHFB policies and procedures. Friendly, patient, with an eye for detail. Volunteers will be expected to sit; stand; walk; crouch; twist; reach with hands and arms; and lift between 20-30 pounds. Experience using a pallet jack, or willing to learn.

 

COMMITMENT:

Assigned a weekly schedule

 

Current Shifts Open:

Friday Afternoons: 12 pm – 3 pmSubstitutes are needed to fill in for various open shifts as well.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

18 years and above Approved Second Harvest volunteer Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision Adheres to workplace safety standards and procedures

 

LOCATION:

Second Harvest Foodbank Distribution Center, 2802 Dairy Drive, Madison, WI, 53718

Are you bilingual in Hmong and English (written fluency is not required) and enjoy talking with people and supporting our community? Join us as a Hmong-English Survey Interpretation Volunteer to support the Community Voice efforts of Second Harvest Foodbank through the administration of surveys to pantry guests whose primary language is Hmong.

Second Harvest is committed to gathering feedback from our neighbors experiencing food insecurity by conducting surveys, facilitating focus groups, and other community engagement activities, and using this feedback to drive our work.

What You'll Do:

Verbally translate 1-3 page surveys from English to Hmong for pantry guests at food pantry distributions.Engage with pantry guests to explain details of surveys and answer any questions.Support guests in completing digital or paper surveys, or administer surveys verbally as needed.Optional: Translate written material from English to Hmong

Where:

This role will accompany the SHF Community Voice Coordinator at distributions at food pantries and community sites throughout Second Harvest’s 16-county service area, primarily in Dane County.

What We're Looking For:

Customer Service experience.Familiarity with Microsoft Forms.Enjoys working with people in a community-based setting.

Commitment:

Dates and times will be coordinated with the volunteer for each project.Approximately 5-10 hours per month, episodic and as needed.5-month commitment, but the role is ongoing if you can commit longer.

Requirements:

Bilingual in Hmong and English (written fluency is not required).18 years and above.Approved Second Harvest volunteer.Successfully complete a background check.Ability to use personal vehicle to drive to pantry locations.Ability to manage confidentiality.

Why Volunteer With Us?

Support efforts to elevate the voices and experiences of neighbors experiencing food insecurity to support our work at Second Harvest.Contribute to the mission of ending hunger in our community.

Are you interested in getting started in this role? Learn more about this opportunity and then click the "Respond" button! We will email you with the next steps.

Are you interested in getting started in this role? Learn more about this opportunity below and then click the "Respond" button! We will email you with the next steps.

Food Pantry Delivery (Ride Along Support) Description:

Join our volunteer team as a Food Pantry Delivery (Ride Along Support) and play a vital role in bringing nutritious food directly to Second Harvest partner food pantries across southwestern Wisconsin.

This is a hands-on opportunity to make a real impact, ensuring food reaches neighbors. No driving is required—just your energy, reliability, and passion for giving back. All deliveries are made using a Second Harvest vehicle.

What You'll Do:

As a Volunteer Delivery Support, you’ll ride along with a Second Harvest staff member or a fellow volunteer driver, helping to load and unload up to 8 pallets of food per shift.

What We're Looking For:

Friendly, reliable individuals who enjoy working as part of a team.Able to work independently and lift more than 50 pounds if needed (most lifting will be lighter, and assistance is available for heavier items!)Comfortable interacting respectfully with community members.

Commitment:

Volunteer shifts are typically 3-4 hours per week, between the hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.Shifts are weekly, with the most help needed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but we are flexible based on your availablity.We ask for at least a 6-month minimum commitment.

Requirements:

18 years and above.Approved Second Harvest volunteer.Successfully complete a background check.Adherence to all workplace safety standards and procedures.

Why Volunteer With Us?

You'll be part of a mission-driven team working to address food insecurity right in your community.Volunteering with us means building community, staying active, and knowing your time is making a direct impact- one delivery at a time.