Recruiting volunteers for gleaning on the Olympic Peninsula is a test of persistence and creativity. There are no cities here and no big colleges or universities, and overall it is not very densely populated. Yet, there are many ways to spread the word about the…
Set up volunteer recruitment policies If working within another agency, utilize the volunteer manager or recruiter, and learn the volunteer recruitment procedures regarding training (onsite training or offsite before glean), background checks, court-ordered volunteers, discuss potential risks of the program and create parameters and policies…
Volunteers are the most essential piece of a functioning gleaning program. Keeping a well-trained and supported group of gleaning volunteers will lead to its success. The first thing to remember is that volunteer recruitment is never done. Gleaning is physically demanding, subject to bad weather,…
The same laws that protect commercial donors apply to individual donors. The Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects all food donors and gleaners from criminal and civil liability. With the liability issue covered, the focus turns to program development and donor recruitment. For this, marketing materials are…
Tacoma Farmers Market (TFM) provides volunteer opportunities for all ages, abilities, and comfort levels. There are numerous projects and areas within TFM that are successful because of its volunteers. For instance, TFM’s home delivery program is mostly run by a small group of dedicated volunteer…
Tracking Tools and Reporting Plans Volunteers are incredibly important to The Green Urban Lunch Box. Volunteers fill an essential role in helping reduce food waste in residential areas and connecting our community with fresh, local produce. As more and more individuals respond to the growing…
Volunteer Process and Systems Overview Gleaning isn’t the only way to volunteer at OIC of Washington. Volunteers can donate their time at the OIC Food Bank, located at 1419 Hathaway Street in Yakima, Washington. The food bank is a part of the OIC campus, so…
Key Points In rural areas, working with local volunteer groups, especially ones with similar missions, is often easier than recruiting volunteers by other means Having quality volunteers requires an established incentive structure for gleaning events (i.e. volunteers need to know they will be allowed to…
The gleaning coordinator works to network with interested stakeholders, partners, and potential volunteers while showcasing accomplishments. Outreach, engagement, recruitment, and retention are the building blocks to a sustainable volunteer relationship. OUTREACH A successful gleaning program is reliant on a few invested volunteers and lots of…
In your program’s first year, recruit volunteers in the community at gardening events, farmers markets, and churches. You can find out about these opportunities by researching upcoming events and scheduling tabling space to recruit from these locations. Contact schools as many have service hour requirements. …