VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEERS.
If you have been asked to review training materials, please click below.
EYFP is a volunteer driven service organization. In 2024, 350 volunteers logged over 18,000 hours, and we are well on our way to surpass that amazing number this year.
Volunteer opportunities include serving our clients, food recovery and restocking, unloading food deliveries, and driving to pick up large food donations from our grocery partners.
Volunteer opportunities are available at our 2 locations:
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Main Pantry, 1083 S York St, Elmhurst
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Warehouse, 501 W Lake St Unit 104, Elmhurst
We currently accept volunteers (age 20+ and 16+ for High School NHS hours) who are residents in our service area (Elmhurst, Bensenville, Addison, Lombard, Villa Park, Hillside, Berkeley, Oakbrook Terrace, and Oak Brook) or a college student in one of these communities. We are unable to accept court mandated community service requests.
To maintain a safe and healthy environment, we ask volunteers to stay home if not feeling well (even if a “minor” sore throat). Volunteers are welcome to wear a mask if they are immunocompromised.
Client
Service
Volunteers during client service shifts perform the following tasks:
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As clients arrive at the pantry, volunteers greet clients and provide them with today's pre-printed shopping list. Once the client makes their selections on the list, volunteers in our mini-mart assist them as they shop our fresh produce offerings.
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Shopper volunteers use a shopping cart, select and package clients’ requested food items from their order form inside the pantry, then deliver the completed order to clients' parked vehicle placing items into the trunk.
Note: You must be able to stand/walk for 1.5-3 hours depending on the shift
Client Service Shifts:
(Start times are for volunteer arrival for prep/coordination; client shopping starts 15 minutes later)
Monday: 6:15 pm - 8:00 pm
Thursday:12:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Thursday: 6:15 pm - 8:00 pm
Saturday: 9:15 am - 12:30 pm
Recovery/
Restocking
EYFP has a continuing flow of food items that have to be processed, sorted, and stocked in preparation for client shopping days.
Note: You must be able to stand/walk for 2-3 hours; some lifting is involved
Recovery/Restocking Shifts:
Monday: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tuesday: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Wednesday: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Thursday: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
Saturday: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Volunteer
Drivers
EYFP reclaims perishable foods that still have 4-5 days of viability from local retailers. Drivers use the EYFP van for pickups.
Note: You must be at least 25, have a valid IL drivers license, and be able to lift cases that weigh up to 50 pounds
Driver Shifts:
Monday: 9:45 am -11:30 am
Tuesday: 8:45 am - 10:30 am;10:30 am - 11:45 am
Wednesday: 9:45 am - 11:30 am
Thursday: 9:45 am - 11:30 am
Friday: 8:45 am - 10:15 am;10:30 am - 11:45 am
Saturday: 7:45 am - 9:15 am;10:30 - 11:45 am
Warehouse
EYFP uses charitable cash donations to purchase food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) several times per month. NIFB delivers to our warehouse twice/month. EYFP uses our own truck to pick up at least once/week.
EYFP purchases items from other wholesale sources on an as needed basis.
For all shipments, volunteers unload and process food from pallets. The Warehouse Manager provides direction as to the appropriate stocking location.
Warehouse Transfer Shifts occur Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday mornings. Food from the warehouse is loaded into pallet bins and onto pallets for transfer to the main pantry location.
Note: You must be at least 23 and be able to stand/walk for approximately 2 hours; lifting is involved
Warehouse Shifts:
Monday – Friday: times vary per day but are generally between 8:30 am and Noon.
Order Ahead
EYFP offers online ordering via OrderAhead. Volunteers at the warehouse will pull client orders in the morning to prepare them for pickup in the evening. Evening volunteers deliver the clients’ orders to their cars during the evening pick-up shift.
Note: You must be able to stand/walk for 2 hours;
some lifting is involved
OrderAhead Shifts:
Wednesday: 10 am – Noon prepare orders, 6:15 pm – 8 pm deliver orders to cars
GROUP
VOLUNTEERS.
Interested in volunteering as a group?
Groups of 2-3 adults can volunteer to help prepare online orders at our Warehouse on Wednesday mornings from 10 am - Noon.
Please contact volunteercoordinator@eyfp.org to inquire.
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate larger groups due to space limitations. A great way for a group or organization to support EYFP is to host a food drive. We have flyers available for advertising a general drive or specialized drives such as for cereal, canned soup, beans or personal care items.
Please contact kathie@eyfp.org to schedule a drop-off of larger donations or to arrange for a pickup.
Scout
Troops
EYFP offers opportunities for scout troops to hold a food drive followed by a short tour at the pantry to learn what we do.
We are only able to accommodate a limited number of these visits in the following time periods:
Monday: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Friday: 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Interested troops please email vicky@eyfp.org. Be sure to indicate a first and second choice of days to have your tour.
Northern Illinois
Food Bank
The Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) in Geneva, IL offers many more group opportunities. As one of our key partners, by helping NIFB you are helping EYFP and many more neighbors in need. They invite you to sign up to bring a team to volunteer at any of their four Centers in Geneva, Joliet, Lake Forest or Rockford. Volunteers must be at least 8 years old for their Food Sort & Pack opportunities and 12 years old for their Grocery Distribution opportunities.
Check out NIFB's Team Volunteering page for more details by clicking below.