Food Pantry volunteering – a great idea for all ages!

The Golden Corner Food Pantry has about 250 volunteers from all over the Upstate. Volunteer ages range from middle school children to grandparents.They do nearly everything to keep the Food Pantry operating, including picking up food from local stores, sorting and boxing food,  interviewing clients, and helping clients shop and get their food in their cars.   Volunteers find the work extremely rewarding.

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.
  • Local businesses conduct employee food drives.

Typically volunteers spend 4 hours weekly on their assigned duty. Some volunteers work only a day or two a month, while 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 through our local retail rescue program with area stores.  If you just want to help the low-income residents of Oconee County (and enjoy 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 after clients complete their shopping.

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!