Food Pantry volunteering – a great idea for all ages!

The Golden Corner Food Pantry has about 200 volunteers.  They come from all over the Upstate from middle school children to grandparents, in some cases grandparents and their grandchildren work side by side!  They do pretty much everything to keep the Food Pantry operating, from picking up food from local stores to sorting and boxing food, to interviewing clients, and helping clients get their food in their cars.   Volunteers find the work extremely rewarding and the camaraderie is excellent.

Some examples:

• • Boy Scouts help make food boxes,
  • Brownie troops conduct food drives,
  • Middle school and high school students volunteer as school service projects,
  • Oconee County Newcomers club ‘activity groups’ volunteer together,
  • Church groups take responsibility for filling Senior boxes.
  • Local businesses conduct employee food drives

Typically it takes only 2-4 hours on a given day for any volunteering activity. Some volunteers can work only a day or two a month, others work several days each week. If you like interacting with people, and have basic computer skills, consider becoming an interviewer or receptionist. If you have an SUV or pick up truck, consider helping us with our daily grocery or box pickups.  If you just want to help the low-income residents of Oconee County (and enjoy some good friendship) volunteer to help sort, pack and distribute food.

Parents (and grandparents) and children (over the age of 8) work side by side sorting and packaging food.

Volunteers help load food into cars on Food For Senior days.

Volunteers interview clients, help understand their issues and guide them to local agencies and churches for needs beyond food.

Moving over 1.5 million pounds per year of food into and out of the Golden Corner Food Pantry is no easy task. Enter Salem Boy Scout troop 125 to help get the job done!