VOLUNTEERING AT THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN PROGRAM

Thank you for considering volunteering at our Community Kitchen Programs!

Last year over 1,800 people volunteered, and a staggering 6,135 hours were registered towards our initiatives, kitchens and school programs.  We always acknowledge our volunteers' outstanding contributions. Truly, volunteers contribute to Calgarians proactively providing solutions and "taking the bite out of hunger".

• Volunteers sort, pack and prepare over 7,375 GOOD FOOD BOX hampers throughout the year in group environments, on Monday afternoon twice a month or Tuesdays morning also twice a month depending on your own - or corporate team building availability.

• Volunteers act as runners, packers and helpers for our CALGARY HITMEN hot lunches through the SOUPER STARS program, an initiative that runs in schools from September through April each year.

• Volunteers are invaluable in sorting and re-distributing food items into EMERGENCY and HABITAT FOR HUMANITY hampers, and into the SPINZ-AROUND program in our NE (close to the Calgary airport) warehouse on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We also prepare Welcome Home Hampers with this food.

• Volunteers assist in our mobile kitchen throughout the summer months for our TUMMY TAMERS program for children in low income areas when school is out.

You can choose to contribute your volunteer hours as a group or individual:

CORPORATE/GROUP VOLUNTEERING

Community Kitchen Program promotes Corporate/Group Volunteering. For many Corporate organizations, group volunteering is a team building project where proper coordination is a must between volunteers.

INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERING

You need to be over 15 years of age. We ask you to fill out a Volunteer Application Form, and a Release/Waiver (available on PDF Adobe for your convenience, or in our offices when registering) for those who work in our warehouse facilities and outside events.

Our Volunteer Coordinator is always available to show you the warehouse and facilities, and to discuss possibilities. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it on his direct line 403-538-7379.

Community Kitchen Program facilitates different programs throughout the year:

• The GOOD FOOD BOX runs through Community Kitchens, the United Way and Family & Community Support Services. It's a program that is not income means tested and enables the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for hugely discounted prices ($15/single, $20/seniors, $25/family). Produce is delivered to our warehouse (near the Calgary airport) two times per month. Tuesdays between 6pm-9pm volunteer teams bag fresh produce into specific quantities, and pre-sorting dried/canned goods. On Wednesdays between 9am-3pm another team effort ensures over 350 boxes are packed up and raring to go for distribution by our drivers on Thursdays throughout the city to depots and drop-off areas.

• Our SOUPER STARS program is a major initiative to educate children on nutritional needs during the growing years.  September through to April we facilitate a hot lunch at 8 - 10 low-income area schools, combined with a winning combination as we team up with the Calgary Hitmen. Numbers can range from 80 to over 160 students, and 'assemblers' and 'runners' are essential as the full meals are plated out and distributed throughout the school as the students have a possible once in a lifetime opportunity to play floor hockey with the Calgary Hitmen.

• Calgary currently has 31 CALGARY'S COOKING kitchens up and running, and starting many more is definitely where we're going in 2010! The kitchens gather once a month, in a hall, church or community centre; they buy bulk and discount raw materials through our network back-up, then families and groups gather for a major cook-in to bulk-fill their freezers. Main courses can cost out at an unbelievable $1.85 per portion. Volunteer coordinators who run the on-site operations are a key part of these programs; if you are interested please contact Lorrie Herrick direct line 403-538-7383 for more details.

• The SPINZ-AROUND Program operates from one section of the Community Kitchen's warehouse. Fresh produce, bread and other donations from suppliers, farmers' markets and others arrive and are distributed Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition the warehouse facilities daily receive dried and canned and cleaning materials (for new Habitat for Humanity participants); we always welcome volunteers o sort and box these donations.