Volunteers will be part of the food preservation process from start to finish. We are looking for individuals who can support weekly, complete tasks independently, and have a passion for food! 

Location: 8345 Winston Street, Burnaby 

Responsibilities: 

• Preparing workstation (sanitize and get the equipment needed, knives and cutting board, compost bin, etc.). 
• Researching items before dehydration and following appropriate temperatures and sizing based book provided. 
• Washing and processing products (chop/slice and lay out on tray). 
• Turning on the dehydrator – setting the timer and documenting it in the logbook. 
• Cleaning up the station and composting waste. 
• Removing products and bagging (use scale) and labeling accordingly (date/product/bbd). 
• Cleaning and sanitizing dehydrator racks and other items as needed. 

Requirements:  

• At least 18 years old. 
• Food Safe Level 1 certificate is required.  
• Ability to stand for 3 hours.  
• General knife skills 
• Ability to follow directions and work independently.  
• Ability to bend, twist, and lift up to 40 lbs.  

Shift times: Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 3-hour shifts 

Commitment: Weekly commitment for 4 months 

Participate in seasonal events that promote the GVFB, educate the public, and generate donations. These opportunities are also great ways to meet new people and experience fun, local events. Your responsibilities could range from setting up grocery store campaigns to helping with 50/50 draws at festivals like Foodstock.

Locations:

Various locations throughout Burnaby, New Westminster, North Shore, and Vancouver.

Shift times:

Varies depending on the event.

Requirements:

Depends on the event. Customer service, food and beverage, retail and/or events experience is helpful.

At the GVFB, we serve a diverse community, with many of our clients speaking a language other than English. The Distribution Interpreter will provide translation support during registration and update interviews.  

Location:

• 8345 Winston Street, Burnaby  
• 3454 Lougheed Hwy, Vancouver  

Responsibilities:

• Providing direct and neutral interpretation of sensitive conversations between GVFB staff and clients.
• Sharing general interpretations about policy and appointment bookings with clients. 
• When not engaged in translations, the volunteer will perform other duties as assigned by the distribution volunteer coordinator, such as light cleaning, distributing product, greeting clients, etc. 

Requirements:

• Fluent in speaking English and able to comprehend instructions in English. 
• Proficient in Cantonese and/or Mandarin. 
• Ability to communicate with others in a tactful manner. 
• Active listening skills. 
• Ability to sit for at least 4 hours. 
• Ability to stand for at least 4 hours.  
• Ability to bend, lift, and twist up to 20 lbs. 
• Experience related to language interpretation, social services, or customer service is an asset. 

Shift times:

• Burnaby - Thursday to Saturday; shifts are 4.5 to 6 hours in length 
• Vancouver - Tuesday to Saturday; shifts are 4 to 6.5 hours in length 

Commitments:

2 months, weekly or biweekly

Volunteering at the GVFB Warehouse is a dynamic opportunity to support our operations department. This team-oriented production line assembles bags with nutritious items for one of our specialized nutrition programs. We offer three Children's Programs each month and the Seniors' Program, which caters to the needs of our senior clients ages 65+. Click here to learn more about our specialized nutrition programs.

Location:

GVFB Warehouse, 8345 Winston Street, Burnaby

Responsibilities:

• Assembling nutrition packs with specific number of items 
• Setting up/taking down the production line 
• Restocking the production line with food 
• Sweeping and sanitizing the packing area 
• Recycling packaging and composting spoiled food 
• Assisting with other warehouse-related tasks as needed 

Requirements:

• At least 15 years old  
• Ability to follow directions and work within a team  
• Ability to work in a noisy environment. Active machinery will be present during the shift. 
• Ability to bend, twist and lift up to 20 lbs.

Shift times:

Monday to Tuesday; 3-hour shifts

Commitments:

Flexible (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)

Distribution is an opportunity to work together and directly provide healthy food to clients. It is a highly rewarding role that provides weekly assistance to individuals, couples, and families in need. Tasks include line management, restocking supplies, distributing menu items, program packs, and cleaning duties. All of our distribution locations offer indoor roles, as well as a few outdoor responsibilities.  

Locations:

• 8345 Winston Street, Burnaby
• 3454 Lougheed Hwy, Vancouver

Responsibilities:

• Greeting clients and providing any organizational updates.
• Distributing menu items and following allotment requirements.  
• Sweeping, cleaning the distribution site, and ensuring all sharp objects (ie. Box cutters) are put away.  
• Restocking stations, recycling packaging and composting spoiled food.
• Monitoring the parking lot and providing directions to clients and vehicles.  
• Quality checking and sorting produce before distribution.
• Completing other distribution-related tasks as needed 

Requirements:

• At least 18 years old
• Ability to stand for at least 4 hours. 
• Fluent in speaking English and able to comprehend instructions in English.  
• Ability to follow directions and work independently. 
• Ability to bend, lift and twist. Lifting may be required depending on the task. Contact [email protected] to discuss accommodation.  
• Front-line, retail, or customer service experience is an asset
• Ability to speak multiple languages (i.e. Cantonese, Farsi, Spanish) is an asset.

Shift Times:

• Burnaby -  Friday to Saturday; shifts are 4.5 to 8 hours in length
• Vancouver - Tuesday to Saturday; shifts are 4 to 7.5 hours in length

Commitment:

Flexible (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) 

Support the Agencies team at one of our community markets! Volunteers help restock the markets during and after pick-ups to ensure shelves are filled with a variety of fresh, frozen, and pantry products. This food will fuel many food programs, including small community food banks, daily snack and meal programs for shelters and community housing, school nutrition programs, and more.  

Location:

• 1405 Thornton St, Vancouver
• 8345 Winston St, Burnaby

Responsibilities:

• Quality checking and sorting perishable (fresh) and non-perishable (dry) deliveries before restocking shelves. 
• Rotating items based on FIFO method. 
• Ensuring areas are well stocked and merchandised to GVFB standards.
• Sweeping and cleaning the market area.  
• Recycling packaging and composting spoiled food.

Requirements:

• At least 16 years old  
• Ability to stand for 3-4 hours.  
• Ability to follow directions and work independently.
• Ability to work in a cooler and freezer. We supply adequate jackets and gloves.
• Ability to bend, twist, and lift at least 20 lbs. 

Shift times:

• Vancouver - Monday to Friday; 3-4 hour shift
• Burnaby - Monday to Thursday; 2-hour shift

Commitment:

Weekly