The Barrhaven Food Cupboard is 100% volunteer-run. In all, it takes well over 100 people to keep this grassroots community organization operating each month! Our volunteers work as greeters, dispatchers, packers, drivers, board members and in many other roles. We update this page regularly with pressing and unique volunteer needs, however, we are always looking to add new neighbours to our volunteer lists! If you would like to put your name forward, please send an email our Volunteer Director Aaron Lemieux at volunteering@barrhavenfoodcupboard.ca.
How High School Students Can Contribute to the BFC
Are you a high school student looking to complete your 40 hours of community involvement? Thank you for thinking of the Barrhaven Food Cupboard! We are 100% volunteer-run and community-supported, and we love the energy and enthusiasm that young people bring to community service!
We do not currently have a formal Volunteer Program for high school students, though we hope to establish one in the future. In the meantime, students who are passionate about fighting food insecurity in Barrhaven are encouraged to organize a food drive in their local area. We have been thrilled to see the creativity and passion that high schoolers have brought to this challenge, from developing flyers and canvassing neighbours to leveraging the power of social media (tag us and we’ll share!). While we cannot offer support in organizing or executing your food drive, we do encourage you to use your own ideas and resourcefulness! Sign-off on community involvement hours is determined on a case-by-case basis. Contact Aaron Lemieux at volunteering@barrhavenfoodcupboard.ca with questions.
In general, our long-term volunteer positions are filled by seniors and adults. This is because most of the work takes place independently and during weekday hours while teens are in school. In addition, BFC volunteers under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a supervising adult. Unfortunately we cannot make exceptions this rule.
Volunteering FAQ
I’d like to volunteer with the Barrhaven Food Cupboard (BFC). Could you use my help?
Absolutely! The Barrhaven Food Cupboard depends entirely on volunteers. We don’t have any paid staff.
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers transport and sort food donations; pack and deliver food orders; liaise with schools, businesses and other organizations conducting food drives; liaise with clients; promote the work of the Cupboard; and coordinate the Barrhaven Christmas Hamper Program. When you’re a volunteer, you choose how you want to help.
How many hours per week are volunteers expected to contribute?
How much time you spend as a volunteer at the Barrhaven Food Cupboard depends on the ebb and flow of donations, client demand and your function.
If you have volunteered to pick up food from the donation bins in local grocery stores, you could be asked to make one or two pickups per week.
If you are sorting or packing food donations your time commitment will depend on the volume of food donations. You will be assigned to a team and each team is responsible for one week out of every four. Team members schedule their own times.
Dispatchers (those taking orders from clients and putting out the food) rotate, working about 30 minutes per day over a two-week period, once every eight weeks.
If you are delivering food orders to clients, you will usually deliver one or two orders once every three weeks or so, depending on client demand.
Who can be a volunteer?
Most of our volunteers at the Barrhaven Food Cupboard are adults because they work autonomously (and, often, by themselves), scheduling their own times during their duty periods. We have some teen volunteers but they usually work alongside a parent.
I want to volunteer. Where do I sign on?
Please send an email to our Volunteer Director Aaron Lemieux at volunteering@barrhavenfoodcupboard.ca.