The SETX Food Bank has many volunteer opportunities available. We also have several new shifts and new programs which need your help! If you are interested in solving the problem of hunger in Southeast Texas you may want to volunteer with us.
All volunteers are required to complete a profile.
If you have COURT ORDERED community service hours to preform please contact the Volunteer Department at 409-839-8777 ext. 104 before making a profile. Prior approval is required before you arrive to volunteer.
Then sign into your home page and choose the shift(s) you wish to work. The list you will find when you sign in contains current shift listings, a description, the date, time and any special instructions you may need.
Signing in & out of your shift is very important for many reasons.
- Keeping track of your volunteer hours. We retain your hours and you may print them from home anytime for proof of your volunteer service.
- The SETX Food Bank tracks volunteer hours for multiple reasons and uses. Manpower allocations, supply needs for a shift, grant writing and tracking trends for planning, are just a few examples.
- In case of emergency, the staff must know how many volunteers are working. An example would be if the building had to be evacuated. We must know how many volunteers are on site.
- If you were to experience a medical emergency or issue, we would know who you are and who to call as your emergency contact person.
You may sign in on your phone, if you receive our text messages and your locations services are active. Or, you may use our computers which are located in the Main Office, School Tools Department and the Barbee Building Warehouse. Please notify the office if you log in and out on your phone and encounter problems.
Current volunteer opportunities:
We are now open every Saturday of the month.
(Closed Sundays and on the 5th Saturdays)
- Food Sorting, Tuesday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm; Wednesday and Friday afternoons from Noon until 3:00 pm.
- Produce Sorting, Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon from 1:00 until 4:00 pm.
- Family Box Day, 2nd Saturday of the month, 8:30 until 11:00 am.
- School Tools, Monday through Thursday from 2:30 until 5:30 pm and every 2nd Saturday from 8:00 until 11:00 am. (This department is closed when school is not in session)
- Senior Box Assembly, Friday mornings, 9:00 am until noon. Also on the 1st and 3rd Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11:00 am.
- BackPack Saturday The 4th Saturday from 8:30 until 11:00 am.
- Special Events, these will be listed as they arise.
- Office Assistance, we offer many office tasks volunteers can perform. Please call the Volunteer Department for more details.
Wait List – If you have signed up for a shift which is full you will be put on a wait list. If you are on a wait list please wait until you are notified before coming to that shift.
Are you part of a group?
Would you like to list your group? Call the Volunteer Support Specialist. Corporate, civic and church groups are welcome.
If your group is already listed in our system, please choose your group in the application process or you may add it later. You may add more than one group if you are a member. For instance, if you work for ExxonMobil and go to church at Woodcrest United Methodist Church you may choose both groups and both groups will receive credit for your time volunteering.
If you are part of an organization with Lamar University be advised that ALL LU organizations are listed with “LU” first in their title. For example, LU Alpha Alpha Alpha or LU Society of Civil Engineers, and so on.
What NOT to wear:
- Open toed shoes.
- Headphones or earbuds.
- Jewelry which could catch on something and present a safety hazard.
We ask volunteers to please restrict use of cell phones while working.
Ages restrictions:
- Teens 13 to 17 years old are welcome when accompanied by an adult.
- The accompanying adult must work with the teen and also be registered for the shift.
Children, 12 and under, are not allowed to volunteer at the SETX Food Bank and may not accompany a volunteer while on their shift.