Volunteering in the Hope Clinic Farm Stand
Volunteers should dress for the weather. The garage door will stay open during all distribution shifts (may be closed while sorting produce).
Summary: Volunteers in the Farm Stand can assist with sorting or distribution. Sorting volunteers unpack the 1,000-1,500 pounds of fresh produce that are delivered to Hope Clinic every Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Volunteers sort and bag produce, then prepare tables for client pick-up. Distribution volunteers check in clients for their Farm Stand appointments, assist clients in selecting produce and loading it into their cars.
Check In:
Report directly to Hope’s Farm Stand, located just East of Hope’s main building, along Harriet St. (454 Harriet St).
Make sure you fill out the volunteer sign in sheet so that your hours get logged.
Complete the volunteer check-in process by washing your hands. Wash your hands every 30 minutes.
Sorting team 2-4pm - Many boxes of the rescue/bulk produce delivery from Food Gatherers come jumbled and need to be sorted. Other bulk boxes of items need to be bagged to divide things up for each client. The Farm Stand Captain will assist in directing you how to organize the produce.
Be sure to make 10-15 “emergency produce bags” with whatever we have most of that day. These will be given to people who show up without an appointment.
Distribution/Sorting team preps the stand during shift hand off – Open the overhead door and position 2 stainless steel tables.
Using a solution of diluted bleach, thoroughly disinfect both stainless steel tables. All cleaning supplies are in the utility closet.
Using a solution of diluted bleach, thoroughly disinfect 2 carts and prepare them to distribute boxes.
At this time, the Farm Stand Captain will let you know the limits on each item.
Example: “Each client can take four cucumbers, 2 peppers, a box of strawberries, one bag of mangos…etc.”
Distribution, 4 - 6 PM
Clients are checked in (Farm Stand Captain) – As clients come to their appointments, the Farm Stand Captain will check them in using the appointment sheet. The Captain will also let shopping volunteers know how many boxes each client needs.
Walk up clients ( who did not schedule an appointment) will be asked for their name and birthday. They will be given an emergency bag of produce with whatever we had most of that day. They will also be encouraged to make a Farm Stand appointment for the future.
Shopping with clients - Clients will come into the Farm Stand and will shop with a client.
Take a cart and fill it with the appropriate number of boxes that the client needs. The Farm Stand Captain will let you know this amount with each client.
Assist the client with shopping by letting them know what each item of produce is, and how much they can take.
When finished, offer to help the client load the produce into their car.
After distribution, 6 - 6:15 PM
Take a few minutes to tidy up the Farm Stand. Sweep, take out the trash, and put extra produce in the fridge (if needed).
