CORA’s mission is tied to our community and our volunteers represent friends and neighbors helping each other in times of difficulty. Here are some of our current volunteer opportunities that help us fulfill our mission. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Patty at Patty@corafoodpantry.org or 919-542-5020.
Please note, we have a minimum age requirement of 16 years old to volunteer at CORA.
Morning Vegetable and Grocery Set Up
Assist with setting up vegetables and food needed for morning service. Fill vegetable bins with fresh produce, bread in shelving, and any last minute items so that the Pantry is ready for morning neighbors.
Sort and Stock Pantry
If organization and a workout sound like a great way to spend the morning or afternoon, sorting and stocking is for you. There will be limited contact with others to receive food donations from grocery stores, farmers, and other individuals’ donations. Volunteers accept donations, stock similar items together, and maintain a clean and safe environment. There will be contact with folks dropping off donations who may bring in items or need a receipt. Please dispose of all full trash bags and recycling in the large bins in the parking lot at the end of the shift. Must be comfortable lifting 20+ pounds.
Community Connector
This volunteer role will manage the lobby area and tend to the families we serve. You will check in with neighbors upon their arrival to maintain the order of families in line. There will be water to offer to families and, at times, thoughtful questions to ask to facilitate conversations with neighbors. During your shift, we would like to ask you also to keep the lobby tidy and the refrigerator stocked with water.
Intake Assistant
Volunteers needed to check in families and update their family information in our database. You must shadow two shifts before signing up. Please get in touch with Patty for more information.
Shopping Assistant
You will assist a neighbor in shopping around the pantry, helping them choose their food items and navigate the space. You’ll call neighbors in from the lobby and coordinate with other shopping assistants to keep track of who is next. You can discuss potential recipes, actively listen to their sharing, and support their shopping experience. This role will also be beneficial when a neighbor is shopping for more than one family.
Car Loader
The volunteer will take the carts full of groceries down the side ramp to the waiting neighbor’s car and, if needed, help load the food in their vehicle. The volunteer will be responsible for keeping track of carts and ensuring their return. Must be comfortable lifting 25+ pounds.
Retail Recovery
CORA has established relationships with select grocers and local restaurants to receive food close to its retail lifespan but still in great condition and safe for families. Recovery Experts visit a pre-determined location and shuttle food from grocery stores or restaurants to CORA. Must be comfortable lifting 25+ pounds.
Retail Recovery Culling
This volunteer role is a major contribution to our food distribution. It requires volunteers to sift through donated produce and differentiate which food is of good quality to offer to families we serve. The food that is not of good quality will be donated to farmers we partner with.
Delivery
CORA has two food delivery programs that make receiving groceries more accessible to school children and neighbors who cannot make it to the pantry location. This volunteer role would coordinate with CORA’s Program Manager to deliver food boxes to the homes of families in need. The volunteer will pick up the food boxes at a predetermined location and then safely deliver them to homes. There are eligibility requirements for this role. If you are interested in delivering groceries to families, please find out the process by emailing Mackie at mackie@corafoodpantry.com.
Admin Help
CORA has a need for those with computer, customer service, or phone skills. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, we would love to introduce you to our list of projects.
Organize a Food Drive
Get your family, friends, and neighbors together to collect food items. Food Drives are a great way to raise awareness about those needing food assistance in Chatham County and inspire others to take action. If you would like to organize a food drive, please get in touch with Rebecca Hankins at rebecca@corafoodpantry.org.
