Volunteer

Volunteers are a crucial part of our mission at Feeding San Diego. With an ambitious goal of ending hunger in San Diego County through food rescue, we rely on those willing to donate their time to our cause.

We have many volunteer opportunities at our Sorrento Valley headquarters. We also need volunteers at other locations in the community, as well as remotely.

Whether you’re interested in sorting and packing produce for a family in need, supporting our food distributions, making personalized phone calls to thank our generous donors, or helping in another way — we’re glad you’re here!

Ready to jump in?

Family volunteering outside Feeding San Diego's distribution center

Volunteer Opportunities
with Feeding San Diego

Individual Volunteering

Switchfoot Getaway volunteer benefit event for Feeding San Diego on June 22, 2022.
Sign Up

Feeding San Diego offers a variety of volunteer opportunities at our distribution center and in the community, sorting, packing, and distributing foods. Volunteers under 16 must have an adult chaperone with them to volunteer. Learn more about the rules and requirements.

Group Volunteering

Volunteers from BioMed Realty in Feeding San Diego's distribution center
Sign Up

Volunteering is a great team-building experience. We offer volunteer opportunities at our distribution center or off-site at one of our large-scale distributions. Learn more about volunteering as a group.

Film Screening & Special Volunteer Shift

Hand holding carrots

Join us on April 20 for an evening focused on food rescue. Watch the Abundance documentary about The Farmlink Project, enjoy a panel discussion, and volunteer in a food sorting shift. We’ll end the event with food, drinks, and music in the volunteer center.

Sign Up

Order Fulfillment Volunteer

Man loading canned goods onto a pallet

Become an Order Fulfillment Volunteer and provide hands-on assistance to our order fulfillment department as we work towards closing the meal gap for those in need.

Apply Today

Girl Scout Climate
Controller Patch

Two young girls in Girl Scout vests hold up Climate Controller patches at an Earth Month volunteer shift

Developed by SOLV Energy x Feeding San Diego, this Climate Controller patch educates Girl Scouts about the linkage between food waste and climate change. View the curriculum.

Learn More

Team
Leader

Volunteers hold bags of produce at Feeding San Diego distribution

Lead volunteers during food sorting and packing projects at our distribution center.

Apply Today

Community Outreach Ambassador

Woman and her daughter holding fresh food

Assist in recruitment and relationship building with community members.

Apply Today

MealConnect
Driver

A man stands next to a pickup truck with a MealConnect volunteer driver sticker on the door

Want to help pick up and distribute food to those in need?

Apply Today

Volunteer Hours

Feeding San Diego’s volunteer team is happy to sign service logs and provide service letters to our incredible volunteers. If you are keeping track of your volunteer hours for school, work, or your records, we’re here to help:

  • You can view your progress at any time on our volunteer platform, Golden Volunteer! You can help ensure these hours are accurate by consistently signing in and out of your volunteer shift. 
  • Most schools and organizations accept our service logs. However, if you need a Service Letter, please contact our team at volunteersd@feedingsandiego.org at least one week before needed. 
  • Keeping a paper copy is also a good idea. You can print your volunteer service log via Golden or ask your Project Lead at the end of your shift. 

Court-Ordered Volunteering

A Volunteer Manager must approve all court-ordered volunteers before they sign up for any volunteer shifts. Before being cleared, no hours will count toward the needed service letter. Only opportunities for Feeding San Diego’s food sorting shifts are eligible for court-ordered or diversion program hours.

Apply Today

Rules for Volunteering
with Feeding San Diego

Before signing up to volunteer, please review the following rules. These policies help maintain the safety of our volunteers, staff, and the people we serve. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact the volunteer team using the form at the bottom of the page.

Feeding San Diego staff may ask volunteers to leave a volunteer shift if these policies are not followed.

  • Running, horseplay, stepping on pallets, and throwing food are not permitted.
  • Report any accidents or injuries immediately to Feeding San Diego staff.
  • Only trained staff and designated Team Leaders are allowed to operate forklifts, pallet jacks, and other machinery.
  • Sexual harassment, violence, or disrespectful conduct will not be tolerated.
  • In the Distribution Center, all volunteers must be six years of age or older to participate.
  • At food distributions in the community, all volunteers must be fourteen years of age or older to participate.
  • All volunteers fifteen years of age or younger must have a chaperone over the age of 18.
  • Closed-toe shows are required for all volunteer opportunities – tennis or running shows work great!
  • No jewelry that poses a food safety hazard is allowed in our food handling area.
  • Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty!
  • Feeding San Diego will provide you with food-safe gloves and we do not allow for outside gloves to be used.
  • Please leave your valuables at home! Feeding San Diego will not be responsible for any missing personal belongings.
  • Wash your hands before and after handling food items, even when wearing gloves.
  • Volunteers are responsible for cleaning up their project area.
  • Eating and drinking is only permitted in designated break areas.

Volunteer Zone

Volunteer Shout-Outs

We are so grateful for each and every one of our volunteers. After all, we couldn’t do what we do without you. In FY23 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023), our amazing volunteers clocked 102,434 hours!

Below you’ll find some of our all-stars:

3,000 hours:

  • Marjorie Zinner

2,000 hours:

  • Mickey Sands
  • Audrey Gipson

1,500 hours:

  • Gregg Yonekura
  • Gil Bolfango

1,000 hours:

  • Carmelle Remillard

750 hours:

  • Ed Cooper
  • Andrew Heck
  • Marylu Ramirez
  • Nancy Kane

500 hours:

  • Tom Fink
  • Harriet Deppe
  • Meredithe Mainquist
  • Bill Smith
  • Blake Hunter

250 hours:

  • Cindy Dale
  • Scott Gruby
  • Janet Watkins
  • Tone Guia
  • Megan McCarty
  • Debra Bradshaw
  • Vicki Clark
  • Linda Vittori
  • Gerri Matthiesen
  • Gary Vittori
  • Nord Yamauchi
  • Aiden Gruby
  • Mary Ann Jones
  • Jessie Furrer
  • Ray Henderson

3,000 hours:

  • Marjorie Zinner

2,000 hours:

  • Mickey Sands
  • Audrey Gipson

1,500 hours:

  • Gregg Yonekura
  • Gil Bolfango

1,000 hours:

  • Carmelle Remillard

750 hours:

  • Ed Cooper
  • Andrew Heck
  • Marylu Ramirez
  • Nancy Kane

500 hours:

  • Tom Fink
  • Harriet Deppe
  • Meredithe Mainquist
  • Bill Smith
  • Blake Hunter

250 hours:

  • Cindy Dale
  • Scott Gruby
  • Janet Watkins
  • Tone Guia
  • Megan McCarty
  • Debra Bradshaw
  • Vicki Clark
  • Linda Vittori
  • Gerri Matthiesen
  • Gary Vittori
  • Nord Yamauchi
  • Aiden Gruby
  • Mary Ann Jones
  • Jessie Furrer
  • Ray Henderson

Volunteer Zoom backgrounds

We have created a set of Feeding San Diego branded Zoom backgrounds for our volunteers. Download one today to help spread awareness about Feeding San Diego and our mission.

To download, click on an image -> Right-click -> Save image.

Raspberry zoom background
Volunteer lettuce Zoom background
Volunteer orange zoom background
Volunteer blueberry zoom background
Volunteer blue zoom background