Volunteer at an Agency
Volunteering at one of the Food Depository’s member soup kitchens, pantries and shelters offers an opportunity to directly assist your community. From helping prepare and serve meals to delivering food to tutoring, our agencies can use your time and talents. Below is a list of agencies that have applied and been approved to participate in the agency volunteer program. The Food Depository has recognized these agencies as sites that have the capacity to provide a quality volunteer experience. Contact the agencies directly to schedule a time to volunteer. The following information is subject to change.
Member agencies can apply here (PDF) to be considered for the agency volunteer program.
Updated August 2010
North Side
BREAKING BREAD (A MINISTRY OF LASALLE ST. CHURCH), 1111 N. Wells St, is a soup kitchen that needs volunteers on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to help with food preparation, serving, clean up and hosting tables. Volunteers will be required to do some lifting, stretching and bending. Volunteers are also needed for the Annual Valentine's Dance and Dinner on the second Friday of February from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. to help with food prep and service for 100+ individuals.
Minimum age: 18. Maximum group size: 4.
Contact: Marianne Pytel walsgooger@aol.com 312-376-0118
COMMON PANTRY, 3744 N. Damen Ave, is a food pantry looking for help with their home delivery program. Volunteers are needed on the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to pack food bags, load vehicles, deliver food to clients, complete proxy forms, and interact with clients. Volunteers must have a vehicle and valid drivers license and must be able to lift/carry up to 20 lbs.
Minimum age: 21. Maximum group size: 2.
Contact: Scott Best commonpantry@hotmail.com 773-327-0553
DEBORAH'S PLACE, 1532 N. Sedgwick and 1456 W. Oakdale, is a supportive housing center with meal service for tenants. Help is needed Sunday through Saturday from 11am-1pm and 6pm-8pm to prepare, serve, and clean up from meals for 25-30 tenants. Volunteers may choose to bring food or help prepare the food that is planned for the day. A volunteer orientation is held once a month from 6-7:30pm and is required for all volunteers. Volunteers will need to be able to stand, carry and serve food. Volunteer requests for holiday meals (Thanksgiving and Christmas eve/day) are first come, first served. It is recommended to sign up for these meals in August.
Minimum age: 16. Maximum group size: 6-8.
Contact: Sarah Letson sletson@deborahsplace.org 773-638-6579
HOLY APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ASSYRIAN CHURCH, 7201 N. Ashland Ave., is a food pantry that is seeking assistance with stocking on Thursdays and distributing food on Saturdays. On Thursdays, volunteers are needed from 12:30pm to 2 or 3pm, and will be required to do some lifting and unloading to help stock shelves. On Saturdays, volunteers are needed from 8:45am to 12:30pm, and will help to pack and distribute food to clients.
Minimum age: 18. Maximum group size: 2-3
MERCY HOME/FRIENDS FIRST MENTORING, 1140 W. Jackson Blvd., is a community based mentoring program that needs volunteers to provide 1-on-1 community based mentoring. This includes doing fun, free activities with an assigned child of the same gender, with complete staff support and supervision. Volunteers will meet 2-3 times per month for one year. Volunteers are required to attend an info session, and participate in an interview, background check and training. Volunteers choose the type of child they wish to mentor.
Minimum age: 21. Maximum group size: 1.
Contact: Mary Ann Pilet volunteer@mercyhome.org 312-738-7552
ST. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, 4827 N. Kenmore Ave., is a soup kitchen with an occasional need for help with food preparation, serving food, set-up, and clean-up. Assistance is needed on Tuesdays and Fridays between 3:30 and 7:00pm. Volunteers are especially needed between: August 13th and September 3rd, December 14th and January 14th, May 1st and June 15th. Volunteers between the ages of 14 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Please note that this site is only accessed via stairs.
Mimimum age: 14-17. Maximum group size: 15.
Contact: Christine Pao http://www.stcuptown.com/ 773-878-5507
WORD OF TRUTH, 3358 W. 38th St, is a food pantry whose primary need is for an English/Spanish translator to help with food/clothes distributions. Volunteers are also needed to help with distributions, stocking shelves, cleaning, organizing clothes, filing papers, and grant writing. Help is needed on Mondays (9-12), Fridays (10-12), and Saturdays (10-12). Volunteers are required to meet with the site coordinator before their first volunteer day.
Minimum age: 18. Maximum group size: 5.
Contact: Lawon Tidwell lawontidwell@yahoo.com 773-406-8058
South Side
HYDE PARK KENWOOD FOOD PANTRY, 1169 E. 56th St. (side door of 5600 S. Woodlawn), is seeking assistance with their Saturday food distributions from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Volunteers will help to set up the distribution area, pack grocery bags and cases of food and carry them to the recipients, organize/clean the pantry storage area and take inventory after the distribution. Volunteers must be able to climb up and down the stairs while carrying groceries, arrive on time, and treat recipients with respect and friendliness.
Minimum age: 11. Maximum group size: 6
Contact: Jan Deckenbach jdeckenbach@press.uchicago.edu 773-702-7034
HYDE PARK S.D.A. CHURCH, 4608 S. Drexel Blvd., is a soup kitchen that needs volunteers on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help with meal preparation, cleaning, organizing the pantry, and working with clients.
No minimum age. Maximum group size: 25.
Contact: Vickie Wilson msvickiew@hotmail.com 773-350-3298
MERCY HOME/FRIENDS FIRST MENTORING, 1140 W. Jackson Blvd., is a community based mentoring program that needs volunteers to provide 1-on-1 community based mentoring. This includes doing fun, free activities with an assigned child of the same gender, with complete staff support and supervision. Volunteers will meet 2-3 times per month for one year. Volunteers are required to attend an info session, and participate in an interview, background check and training. Volunteers choose the type of child they wish to mentor.
Minimum age: 21. Maximum group size: 1.
Contact: Mary Ann Pilet volunteer@mercyhome.org 312-738-7552