Volunteering with Hope Clinic
Unloading the Food Gatherers Delivery

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Summary: Twice a week, Food Gatherers delivers several pallets of food to Hope Clinic that will be used throughout the week in our meals, pantry and grocery delivery. Volunteers assist in unloading the truck, sorting produce and restocking food items.


Arrival:

  • Check in – When you arrive for your shift, please report to Hope’s main entrance at the back of the parking lot.  

  • The door will be locked, so ring the doorbell to be let in. Or, call 734-484-2989 if no one is at the front desk when you arrive.

  • Make sure you check in at the front desk so that your volunteer hours are logged.

First steps - Head down to the dining room

Unlock the front door – The truck usually arrives around 9 am; one volunteer should be there to unlock the front door by 8:45 am.  Wash your hands when you first arrive.

Prepare for the delivery to arrive – You can stack milk crates, bread trays and banana boxes outside for Food Gatherers to take back to their warehouse.

Help the driver to unload the truck – Assist with bringing items into Hope once they are unloaded, using the dollies and carts available.  Then load empty banana boxes/crates/trays left from the last delivery onto the truck (these may be in the dining room or in the pantry).

Second steps

Sort and place perishable items in the fridge/freezer –

Dairy: take into the pantry and have one volunteer put it in the cooler.

Put eggs on the bottom, milk/cheese on the bottom/middle;

Bakery items: place racks of desserts in the walk-in kitchen fridge (keep on the rollers).

Leave bread on the roller racks for grocery distribution.

Produce: wash hands, put on gloves, and break down into small bags.
Tuesday covers 150 orders, so make 300 individual bags/items (example item = melon).

Thursday covers 200 orders, so make 400 individual bags/items.

Meat:

Large bulk meat and entrees go in the standing freezer and chest freezer in the meal pantry that you pass on your right when entering the dining room.

Other meat goes in black bins in the 3-door freezer in the normal pantry.

Stock nonperishables in our food pantry – Put canned/dry goods on the appropriate shelves inside the food pantry.

Extras can be stacked in the corner of the pantry on the pallet (off the floor).

Clean up your workspace – At the end of your shift, break down empty boxes and take them to the loading docks. Be sure to sweep, wipe down tables, and stack the empty banana boxes/crates for the next delivery.