Auburn Task Descriptions
Volunteer Food Inspector
Purpose:
Good Shepherd Food Bank is Maine’s largest hunger relief organization and is responsible for the procurement and distribution of millions of pounds of food annually. To accomplish this task volunteers are needed to inspect millions of pounds of donated food that arrives at our distribution centers. Most of the food is fit for consumption, but each item needs to be inspected to ensure it is safe for distribution.
Responsibilities:
Volunteers inspect each item to ensure that it is safe for human consumption. This involves checking seals on packaged items, inspecting the condition of the products, checking “best by” dates against the USDA Food Keeper regulations, and repairing packaging. Items that are deemed safe are placed on a conveyor belt to be sorted by the Volunteer Food Sorter. Items that are open, badly damaged, or otherwise do not pass inspection will not go to waste, but be recovered for other purposes.
Skills/Abilities Required:
- Minimum age of 16
- Willingness to ask questions of staff members and take direction
- High attention to detail
- Ability to find holes and imperfections in items
- Ability to follow and remember many detailed directions
- Ability to work with minimal supervision (training will be provided)
- Ability to work stand/walk for extended periods of time with repetitive motion
- Some volunteers may be asked to lift up to 50 pounds
Location:
Auburn Distribution Center, 3121 Hotel Road, Auburn, Maine
Time Commitment:
We recommend volunteering a minimum of two hours per visit, but scheduling is flexible, and we welcome you to volunteer as often, or as long as you like.
Volunteer Food Sorter
Purpose:
Good Shepherd Food Bank is Maine’s largest hunger relief organization and is responsible for the procurement and distribution of millions of pounds of food annually. To accomplish this task volunteers are needed to sort millions of pounds of donated food that arrives at our distribution center. After the food items pass through our inspection line, it is sorted into bins by item type.
Responsibilities:
Volunteers take items one by one off the conveyor belt after passing by the inspection line, and sort them into bins labeled by item type.
Skills/Abilities Required:
- Minimum age of 16
- Attention to detail
- Patience and ability to work as a team
- Willingness to ask questions of staff members and take direction
- Ability to work with minimal supervision (training will be provided)
- Ability to stand/walk for extended periods of time with repetitive motion
- Ability to reach overhead
- Ability to lift 15 pounds
Location:
Auburn Distribution Center, 3121 Hotel Road, Auburn, Maine
Time commitment:
We recommend volunteering a minimum of two hours per visit, but scheduling is flexible, and we welcome you to volunteer as often, or as long as you like.
Volunteer Produce Inspector and Packing Assistant
Purpose:
Good Shepherd Food Bank is Maine’s largest hunger relief organization and is responsible for the procurement and distribution of millions of pounds of food annually. We source and distribute more produce than any other type of food; volunteers help us inspect it for quality and longevity and repack it into boxes to be distributed. This is a critical role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our consumers.
Responsibilities:
Volunteers inspect boxes or bins of produce to check for any bruises, brown spots, or softening. The produce must then be sorted into boxes that will be distributed to agencies. Unacceptable produce will be boxed and reused by pig farmers or Agricycle.
Skills/Abilities Required:
- Minimum age of 14
- Attention to detail
- Willingness to ask questions of staff members and take direction
- Ability to work with minimal supervision (training will be provided)
- Sitting may be accommodated in this task. Ability to work standing is preferred.
- Ability to bend and reach overhead
- Volunteers may be asked to lift boxes up to 40 pounds
Location:
Auburn Distribution Center, 3121 Hotel Road, Auburn, Maine
Hampden Distribution Center, 11 Penobscot Meadow Drive, Hampden, Maine
Time Commitment:
We recommend volunteering a minimum of two hours per visit, but scheduling is flexible, and we welcome you to volunteer as often, or as long as you like. This task is available on an as-needed basis.
Volunteer Can and Package Labeler
Purpose:
Good Shepherd Food Bank is Maine’s largest hunger relief organization and is responsible for the procurement and distribution of millions of pounds of food annually. Some of this food comes to us from a manufacturer damaged and without a factory label. We are often able to duplicate a label from the manufacturer and affix it to the can or packaging. As he Food Bank is unable to distribute items without ingredient labels, volunteers are essential in ensuring that this food is ready to distribute.
Responsibilities:
Volunteers check canned and packaged items to ensure that they are sealed and in good condition, and then affix a nutrition label on or into the package as instructed by the volunteer supervisor.
Skills/Abilities Required:
- Minimum age of 14
- Attention to detail
- Willingness to ask questions of staff members and take direction
- Ability to work with minimal supervision (training will be provided)
- Sitting may be accommodated in this task
Location:
Auburn Distribution Center, 3121 Hotel Road, Auburn, Maine
Time Commitment:
We recommend volunteering a minimum of two hours per visit, but scheduling is flexible, and we welcome you to volunteer as often, or as long as you like. This task is available on an as-needed basis.
