Looking for groups to sort and check perishable food — help fight waste and feed the community!
Location:
8345 Winston Street, Burnaby
Role Overview:
Volunteers in this role inspect, quality check, and sort donated fruit, vegetables, dairy, and deli items, removing spoiled products and packing safe food for distribution. This active role is ideal for individuals who enjoy hands-on work and want to make a meaningful impact.
Responsibilities:
- Quality check donated perishables, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, and deli products, adhering to GVFB food safety and best before date practices;
- Dispose of non-consumable products into appropriate waste streams (compost, recycling, ReFeed bins);
- Move pallets with a manual pallet jack (training provided onsite);
- Wrap, weigh, and label sorted pallets;
- Clean the fresh sort room at the end of each shift; emptying waste bins, wiping all surfaces and mopping the floor;
- Safely handle spoiled food items, which could involve dealing with mold;
- Efficiently complete other food sort-related tasks as assigned by the Sort Associate.
Core Skills and Abilities:
- Detail-oriented to ensure that food is accurately quality checked;
- Ability to follow instructions, procedures, and safety guidelines to ensure the quality of preserved food;
- Ability to work independently and perform tasks in a timely manner;
- Ability to collaborate effectively with a small team of volunteers;
- Ability to use manual pallet jack or a willingness to learn how to use (training provided by staff on-site).
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to stand for three hours;
- Ability to bend, twist, and lift up to 40 lbs safely;
- Ability to complete repetitive tasks;
- Comfortable working in a temperature-controlled environment (2 to 4 degrees Celsius);
- Contact volunteer@foodbank.bc.ca to request accommodations.
Age Requirement:
People aged 15+
Maximum Group Size:
8 people
Shift Times:
- Monday – Friday, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
