COVID-19 Updates to Volunteer Eligibility and Procedures

EYFP is not currently accepting volunteer requests from anyone under the age of 25. We also are not able to accept court-mandated community service requests at this time. We appreciate your understanding as we work to protect the health of our established volunteers and the safety of the pantry for our clients who rely on our services.

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EYFP also has implemented modified service procedures in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment. Volunteers’ temperatures are taken as they arrive, and they are asked to use hand sanitizer and immediately put on gloves.

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Client Service

Effective May 4, 2020, EYFP has implemented a “client choice” service model in order to better meet taste preferences and reduce food waste. Volunteers during client service shifts perform the following tasks:

• As clients arrive at the pantry’s drive-up distribution, volunteers take down clients’ food orders on a pre-printed form. Clients can partially roll down their driver’s side window to tell the volunteer their order, but must remain in their cars at all times.

• Volunteers use a shopping cart to select and package clients’ requested food items inside the pantry, wheel carts outside to clients’ parked cars, and place all items into clients’ trunks. Volunteers are not permitted to enter any client vehicles.

You must be able to stand/walk for 1.5-3 hours depending on the shift.

 

Client Service Shifts:

Monday:    6:30-8:00pm

Thursday:  1:00-4:00pm

           6:30-8:00pm

Saturday:  9:30am-12:30pm

 

Recovery / Restocking

EYFP has a continuing flow of food items that have to be processed, sorted, and stocked in preparation for client shopping days. You must be able to stand/walk for 2-3 hours; some lifting is involved.

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Recovery/Restocking Shifts:

Monday:    10:00am-12:00pm

Tuesday:   10:00am-12:30pm

Wednesday: 10:30am-12:30pm 

Thursday:  10:00am-12:00pm

Friday:    10:00am-12:30pm

Saturday:  12:30pm-1:30pm

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Drivers

EYFP reclaims perishable foods that still have 4-5 days of viability from local retailers.  Drivers use the EYFP van for pickups. You must be at least 21, have a valid IL drivers license, and be able to lift cases that weigh up to 50 pounds.

 

Driver Shifts:

Tuesday:   8:00-9:00am; 10:30-11:30am; 11:30am-12:30pm

Wednesday: 10:30-11:30am; 12:00-1:00pm 

Friday:    8:00-9:00am; 10:30-11:30am; 11:30am-12:30pm

Saturday:  8:00-9:00am; 10:30-11:30am

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Truck Deliveries

EYFP uses charitable cash donations to purchase food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank twice each month. Deliveries are on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Pallet load quantities of food items are sorted and moved into storage or stocked on market shelves on these delivery days. You must be able to stand/walk required for approximately 2 hours; lifting is involved.

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Truck Deliveries:

2nd Tuesday: 10:30am-12:00pm

4th Tuesday: 8:00-9:30am

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