Hampden Task Descriptions

 

Volunteer CSFP 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. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) works to improve the health of low-income people at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods. CSFP food packages do not provide a complete diet, but rather are good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of older Mainers.  

CSFP is administered at the Federal level by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Good Shepherd Food Bank prepares and distributes CSFP food boxes for the state of Maine. The Food Bank distributes between 6,000 - 9,000 CSFP food boxes each month to partner agencies across the state.  

Responsibilities:   

Volunteers work as a team to accurately pack boxes with specific food items.  Some volunteers may be asked to help feed the line by opening boxes of food and placing the boxes in the corresponding location. 

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) 
  • Ability to work standing for extended periods of time with repetitive motion 
  • Ability to reach overhead
  • Ability to work in varying temperatures 
  • Some volunteers may be asked to lift up to 50 pounds 

Location: 

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. 

 

Volunteer CHHP 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. Through the Community Health and Hunger Program (CHHP), we provide healthcare partners with pre-packed emergency food bags for direct and immediate distribution to those who identify as food insecure. These bags, purchased by the healthcare center and provided to patients at no cost, can provide 2-3 days of nutritious shelf-stable food to patients struggling to manage a chronic illness.  

Good Shepherd Food Bank provides training to healthcare partners interested in implementing the Hunger Vital Signs™ Food Insecurity Screening questions as part of routine patient visits. Each healthcare partner is also provided with a list of local emergency food access points to offer to patients that screen positive for food insecurity. In addition, we work closely with local partner agencies to make sure they have enough healthy food on hand to serve community members who are referred there from healthcare partners.   

Responsibilities:   

Volunteers work as a team to accurately pack bags with specific food items.  Some volunteers may be asked to help feed the line by opening boxes of food and placing the boxes in the corresponding location. 

Skills/Abilities Required:  

  • Minimum age of 14 
  • Attention to detail 
  • Ability to follow direction  
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision (training will be provided) 
  • Ability to reach overhead
  • Ability to work standing for extended periods of time with repetitive motion 
  • Some volunteers may be asked to lift up to 50 pounds 

Location: 

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 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.