Food Bank for the Heartland

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Food Bank for the Heartland is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a vital focus: to provide food to those struggling with hunger in Nebraska and western Iowa, to ultimately eliminate hunger in our communities, and to serve our neighbors with respect, integrity, and urgency. The Food Bank serves 93 counties—77 in Nebraska and 16 in western Iowa.

Date of volunteer event/time of volunteer event:

9:00 – 11:30 AM (Tuesday – Saturday)

1:00 – 3:30 PM (Tuesday – Friday)

5:00 – 7:00 (Tuesday only)

Where can volunteers park when arriving? In the volunteer parking lot on the south side of the building

How volunteers should sign up (call, online sign-up, show up, etc.): Volunteers must register online before volunteering. Each person volunteering will need to create an account and register for the shift, even if they are under 18. https://foodbankheartland.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Description of activities for volunteer event: Projects in the Volunteer Center are critical to our mission of eliminating hunger in the Heartland by ensuring consistent access to healthy food through community partnerships. Projects typically reflect the preparation needed to transport and distribute food to our pantry partners. That might include:

• Sorting donated product
• Packaging fresh produce
• Packing food packs for the BackPack Program
• Repackaging bulk donated products
• Special projects the Food Bank has identified to support distribution

Is there RV parking at this location? No, parking is limited.

Is this a kid-friendly event? Volunteers must be over the age of 10. Those between 10 – 15 must be accompanied by an adult, with a ratio of 1 adult to every 5 kids.

What clothing should volunteer’s wear? Are close-toed shoes required? Volunteers are encouraged to wear casual clothing (jeans, shorts, t-shirts) and are required to wear close-toed shoes. For safety purposes, open-toed shoes (including flip flops and sandals) are not allowed. We suggest dressing in layers as the Volunteer Center may experience cooler temperatures.

How many volunteers can attend at one time? 50 volunteers per shift

Volunteer shifts in the Volunteer Center range from 2 to 2.5 hours depending on the day.