Volunteer in the Community!

Partner agencies throughout Alameda County need volunteers to help distribute food at neighborhood distributions. See below for different volunteer needs in our community.

Berkeley | Emeryville | Hayward | Oakland | San Leandro/San Lorenzo | Tri-Cities | Tri-Valley

Berkeley

Berkeley Food Pantry
1600 Sacramento St, Berkeley, CA 94702

  • Day: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
  • Shift: 2-hour shifts between 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
  • Work: Set-up, food distribution and clean-up. Also seeking drivers with larger vehicles (SUV and truck) to pick up food from grocery partners.  Also needed are drivers willing to transport groceries to households in Berkeley and Albany.
  • Contact: Please Email Alex Aguirre

Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church
997 University Ave. Berkeley, CA 94710

  • Day: Thursdays.
  • Shift: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
  • Work: Pack produce bags, unbox items and set up food distribution tables. Monitor tables during distribution and assist with cleanup and storage of leftover items. Volunteers with access to a pickup truck are also needed. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds or speak Spanish or Cantonese is helpful but not required.
  • Contact: Please Email Staff

Women’s Daytime Drop in Center
2218 Acton St. Berkeley, CA 94702

  • Day: Monday through Friday
  • Shift: 2-3 hour shifts any weekday between 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM; 10:30 AM-1:30 PM; 12:30 PM-3:00 PM.
  • Work: Greet clients through the service window and collect intake information, distribute hygiene and diaper products, serve beverages and hot meals, package hot meals, organize pantry and pull and bag stock items. Administrative help and tech support are also needed. Drivers with vehicles who are able to lift are requested to pick up donations. Spanish-speaking volunteers are always needed.
  • Contact: Please Email Staff or call 510-548-2884

Berkeley Food Network
1925 9th St. Berkeley, CA 94710; Neighborhood Pantries in Berkeley and Albany

  • Days: Monday through Friday
  • Shift: 30 minute-3.5 hour shifts between 9:00 AM-7:30 PM
  • Work: Food recovery processing, home delivery box assembly, community outreach event support, pantry set-up, food distribution, and warehouse/pantry restock and clean-up. Drivers needed to pick up food from grocery partners and/or deliver food to pantries using the BFN van. Drivers also needed to deliver groceries to households in Berkeley using personal vehicles.
  • Special skills/equipment required: Depends. Some shifts require volunteers to lift 50 lbs, or have a valid driver’s license.
  • Sign-up link: To get started, sign up here

Berkeley Youth Alternatives
1255 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94702

  • Days: Every 2nd Tuesday of the month
  • Shift: 9 am-5:30 pm
  • Work: Unload truck, set up for food distribution. Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
  • Contact: Please call Latifa Hairston at 510-707-0983

Emeryville

Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program (ECAP)
2628 San Pablo Avenue, Emeryville, CA 94608

  • Day: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
  • Shift: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
  • Work: Food distribution. Bilingual Cantonese and Mandarin client assistance.
  • Contact: Please call Bobby Miller at 510-499-1263

J-Sei Community Care
1285 66th St., Emeryville, CA 94608

  • Day: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Indoor kitchen and dining hall. Home delivery.
  • Shift: 9:15 AM – 12:30 PM kitchen help; Dining room helpers Thursdays only 10:30 AM-1:00 PM; Delivery drivers 11:00 AM-1:00 PM.
  • Work: Help prepare and serve food for seniors. Kitchen shift must be able to stand for several hours and may have to wash pots and pans in a commercial sink. Masks required. Drivers must have their own vehicle and insurance and complete a background check.
  • Contact: Please Email Tracy
  • Contact: To register, sign up here

 

Hayward

Hayward Promise Neighborhood
25625 Cypress Ave., Hayward, CA 94544 Eden Greenway Park

  • Day: 4th Monday of the month (no distribution on holidays)
  • Shift: 12:30-3:30 PM.
  • Work: Set up tables and canopies, sort food, distribute food to community members.
  • Contact: To register, sign up here

South Hayward Parish
27287 Patrick Avenue Hayward, CA 94544

  • Day: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
  • Shift: Monday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM food packing; 2:00 PM-5:00 PM food distribution. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:00 AM-12:00 PM food packing; 12:30-4:30 PM food distribution.
  • Work: Packing dry goods and produce. Assisting with walk-up distribution. Set up and clean up. Bilingual (Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese) volunteers needed to support client intake and line management.  Masks and COVID-19 vaccination.
  • Contact: For pre pack shift, sign up here
    For distribution shift, sign up here.

Oakland

94601 East Oakland/Fruitvale

Bay Area Street Pantry
4804 Foothill Blvd., Oakland, CA 94601

  • Day: Friday outdoor walkup
  • Shift: 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
  • Work: Set up tables for client choice pantry, help direct clients. Vaccinations required.
  • Contact: Sign up here

Mercy Brown Bag
3431 Foothill Blvd., Oakland, CA 94601

  • Day: Monday through Friday, indoor walkup pantry
  • Shift: 9:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
  • Work: Assist seniors shop for groceries at pantry and support warehouse with unloading and preparing produce. Masks required.
  • Contact: Sign up here.

94603 East Oakland

A Greater Grace Community Services
10701 International Blvd. Oakland, CA  94603

  • Day: Wednesday & Friday both walk-up and drive-through
  • Shift: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM (partial days are ok)
  • Work: Bagging food, fruit and vegetables, distributing bags, directing cars and walkup clients. Masks  required.
  • Contact: Email Pastor Phillips or call 510-740-4154.

Grace Baptist Church
705 98th Ave, Oakland, CA  94603

  • Day: Mondays & Wednesdays
  • Shift: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Work: Spanish, Cantonese/Mandarin and Vietnamese language support requested. Loading and unloading deliveries, assisting with intake and food distributions. Masks  required.
  • Contact: Email Lola Hardy or call 510-504-934​8.

94605

Center of Hope
8425 MacArthur Blvd. Oakland, CA 94605

  • Day:
    • 1. 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month from 9am to 1pm.  Flexible schedule if required.
    • 2. Assist with stuffing food bags on 1st and 3rd Thursdays, if available to work on Thursday ONLY
  • Shift/work: Set up tables, canopies, good bags and other required items needed for distribution. Welcome clients to Center of Hope Distribution Drive-Thru and assist carry prepared food bags to customers cars. Assist with cleanup.
  • Requirements: Commitment to follow food safety guidelines. Ability to work as a team. Ability to follow instructions. Reliability and punctuality.
  • Contact: call (318) 235-7199

94606 East Peralta and Lake Merritt

Lake Merritt United Methodist Church
330 Lakeshore Ave. Oakland, CA  94606

  • Day: Monday through Friday, indoor walkup pantry
  • Shift/work: Mondays 2:00 – 4:00 PM prepare bagged lunches indoors; Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:30 AM-1:00 PM deliver meals to unhoused neighbors around Lake Merritt; 4th Friday 10:00 AM-12:00 PM food pantry setup; 4th Saturday 8:00 AM-10:30 AM outdoor food distribution. Vaccination and masks required
  • Contact: Sign up here

94607 Chinatown

Asian Health Services
810 Jackson St., Oakland, CA 94607

  • Day: 1st Wednesday, outdoor walkup
  • Shift: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
  • Work: Cantonese/Mandarin language support. Lifting, distributing food, and data entry to assist with client surveys. Masks/vaccination required
  • Contact: Email Tina Chen or call 510-388-1913.

God’s Resting Place
1200 18th St., Oakland, CA 94607

  • Day: Every 3rd Tuesday
  • Shift: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Work: unloading truck, organizing, and bagging food
  • Contact: call +1 (909) 556-1573 and leave a message

94609

F.A.C.E.S of the East Bay
4130 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA  94609

  • Day: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays – indoor pantry distribution.
  • Shift: 9:00 AM- Noon Wednesday (pantry).
  • Work:
    • Sorting and bagging food, assisting at pantry.
    • Remote volunteering also available for marketing, outreach and fundraising.
    • Pantry coordinator needed, paid stipend.
    • Volunteers also needed to assist with shopping at the food bank. Vehicle not required.
  • Contact: Dr. Evelyn Wesley 510-847-5764.

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church
525 29th St Oakland, CA 94609

  • Day: 2nd and 4th Saturdays, Walk-up client-choice pantry.
  • Shift: 9:00 AM – Noon (or any portion thereof) for set up, distribution, and clean up.
  • Work: Setting up tables with food, escorting clients in and out of the building, scanning clients’ Food Bank cards, assisting clients, breaking down tables and putting food away. Cantonese translation support would be especially helpful. If available weekdays and interested in helping us pick up food at the food bank for distribution at St. Augustine’s, that would also be great.
  • Contact: E-mail Robin Henke or call 510-524-5659.

W.O.R.L.D.
389 30th St, Oakland, CA 94609

  • Day: 3rd Wednesday of each month, Walk-up client-choice pantry.
  • Shift: 9AM to 12PM or 12PM to 3PM
  • Work: Set up/Take down tables & tents, registration, distribution with food. Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish translation support would be great.
  • Contact:  Email csarabia@womenhiv.org  or Call 510-986-0340

94612

Community Kitchens
2270 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612

  • Days:
    • Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays 2-4 pm
    • Fridays 9-11 am
  • Work: Stand for up to 2 hours at a time, meal prep (cutting, chopping, meal assembly). We welcome individual volunteers to sign up. We also have monthly volunteer groups for 5-10 people (churches, class groups, corporate groups, etc.)
  • Sign-up link: https://www.ckoakland.org/volunteer
  • Contact: mollye@ckoakland.org

94621

St. Bernard Church
1620 62nd Ave., Oakland 94621

  • Day: Thursdays
  • Shift: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Work: Distributing food boxes, registering, and directing clients, set up and clean up. Bilingual Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Spanish language support needed. Masks required, vaccination preferred. Ongoing help is needed but one-time volunteers are also welcome.
  • Contact: Email Melissa Gonzalez

Allen Temple Baptist Church – USDA
8500 A St., Oakland, CA 94621  (Across from Rise Community Elementary School)

  • Day: 4th Monday of each month, Walk-up client-choice pantry.
  • Shift: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Work: Cantonese/Mandarin and Spanish language translation support.
    • Computer/tech volunteer to support Client Voice intake system (responsible for registering client information and scanning  clients’ Food Bank membership cards). [2-4 volunteers needed]
    • Lifting, set up tables & tents, load tables with food, bringing clients in and out of the building, assisting clients, assist with breakdown and putting food away. [4-10 volunteers needed]
    • Masks required
    • Ongoing help is needed but one-time volunteers are also welcome.
  • Contact: Email Remington G.

San Leandro/San Lorenzo

Davis Street Community Center
3081 Teagarden St. San Leandro, CA  94577

  • Day: Mondays, outdoor walkup
  • Shift: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  • Work: Cantonese/Mandarin language support for client intake. Lifting boxes, distributing food.
  • Contact: Email Kristal Gonzalez or call 510- 347-4620 x 16

REACH Ashland Youth Center
16335 East 14th St. San Leandro, CA  94578

  • Day: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays
  • Shift: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Work: Welcoming clients, performing data entry, sorting produce, setting up tables and assisting with breakdown.
  • Contact: Email Santi Soumpholphakdy

San Leandro Community Food Pantry
14235 Bancroft Ave., San Leandro, CA 94578

  • Day: Any weekday
  • Shift: Any 2-hour block between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM
  • Work: Pick up grocery donations from local retail stores and bring them back to the pantry to weigh, sort, and organize. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds, load and unload boxes, weigh filled boxes, and sort and put away contents. Must have a valid driver’s license, good driving record, and own or have regular access to a large vehicle. (Truck or van preferred.) We can schedule the day and time based on your availability.
  • Contact: Email info@slcfp.org or call 510-779-2218

Tri-Cities

Bay Area Community Health

39500 Liberty St. Fremont, CA 94538

  • Day: 3rd Tuesday of the month
  • Shift: (3-hour shifts) 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
  • Work: Set up tables, pack produce and dry food, assist with registration and line control, distribute food, and clean up.
  • Contact: Email Gloria Payne or call 510-252-5878

Tri-City Volunteers

37350 Joseph St.  Fremont, CA 94536

  • Day: Monday, Thursday, Friday
  • Shift: (3-hour shifts) Mondays and Thursdays 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Friday 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Work: Set up and clean up for distribution, assist with client check-in. Also seeking drivers to take agency vans and deliver food to mobile pantries.

Tri-Valley

Muslim Community Center- East Bay
5724 W Las Positas Blvd, #300, Pleasanton, CA  94588

  • Day: Every other Saturday, home delivery
  • Shift: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Work: Drivers needed to deliver food boxes and bags to up to 8 homes.
  • Contact: Email sister Aminah Abdullah or call 925-264-9297

For questions and to learn more about volunteering, please email volunteer[at]accfb . org.

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