- Volunteer Guide
- Riverfront Community Pantry
- Section
- Intake, Sorting & Client Service Protocol
The pantry serves walk-in clients Tuesday–Saturday with peak demand on late afternoons. To volunteer flow and reduce bottlenecks at the door, check in at the tablet kiosk, pick up your color badge (intake, sorting, floor), and move directly to your station by the posted shift time. Cold items must stay in the 2–4 °C range; use the insulated totes when restocking dairy and produce. Dry goods are shelved by date code (soonest expiring at eye level), and dented cans are set aside for supervisor review. Please keep aisles clear for carts and strollers, and store personal bags in the lockers near the break room. Client privacy is essential—discuss household details only at the intake desk and never in the waiting area.
Last month, we recorded long queues during ID checks, misplaced allergen labels, and frozen chicken thawing on the cart. , we have added a separate “quick scan” line for returning clients, printed standardized allergen cards for each category, and posted a cold-chain chart above the cooler. Handwashing is required before food handling and after each break. Demonstration tastings must use gloves and sample cups with lids; discard any leftovers at the end of the hour. Report shortages or damaged cartons to the shift lead via the whiteboard so replenishment can be logged.
New volunteers must complete the online orientation and sign the confidentiality pledge their first shift. Closed-toe shoes are required; long hair should be tied back. Children under 14 may shadow a guardian in the sorting room only.