Our founder, Ruth Brinker, once said, “There’s no greater feeling in the world than to bring food to someone who really needs it.” Simple acts like peeling potatoes, and bagging groceries, all play a vital part in bringing food to those in need.
Slice and Dice in our Kitchen!
Work with a team of chefs, cooks, and other volunteers. You might peel and chop vegetables, assist with food prep or help package the daily meals. Shifts are available seven days a week in the mornings and early afternoons. Evening shifts are available Monday – Friday. Click here for a job description.
Good With a Shopping Cart?
Show off your skills in the Grocery Centers! Volunteers help clients in the Grocery Centers by filling grocery bag orders, breaking down bulk foods into smaller portions and packaging grocery bags for home delivery. Grocery Center volunteers can work either in the morning or in the afternoon – Tuesday through Saturday in San Francisco or Monday through Friday in the East Bay. Click here for a job description.
Take our Meals with Love out on the Road and Deliver!
Bring a friend, since deliveries go best when done in pairs, consisting of a driver (using his/her own vehicle) and a helper. Delivery volunteers pick up the meals and groceries between 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM. Walking routes are also available in San Francisco. Click here for a job description.
Serve Meals to our Senior Clients!
You can volunteer at any of our Senior Lunch Sites throughout San Francisco. Help our staff create a pleasant atmosphere for our elderly clients by setting up the dining room or by serving meals with a smile. Shifts are available between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM seven days a week. Click here for a job description.
Volunteer at Special Events!
Volunteering for Project Open Hand’s special events is a fun and exciting way to get involved with the agency, meet like-minded people, and support the important mission of Project Open Hand at the same time. Click here for a job description.
Over 125 volunteers are needed every day to help prepare, package and deliver meals, bag and distribute groceries. Volunteers are the lifeline of Project Open Hand. It is through their tireless dedication that Project Open Hand is able to create a diverse community of care givers who answer the call of people in need.
Just attend a one-hour orientation session. In San Francisco they are held every Wednesday evening at 6:00pm in our building on Polk Street. Come by and learn about Project Open Hand and how you can get involved and make a difference!
The Community Service Orientation in San Francisco takes place by appointment. Please call (415) 447-2313. A tuberculosis test is required at the time of Community Service Orientation.
Please call (510) 622-0222 to schedule an orientation session for East Bay volunteers.
The Adopt-A-Route, Adopt-A-Shift program is one of the most logical ways for your business to get involved. You and your coworkers can “adopt” a delivery route or a shift at one of the Grocery Centers or in the kitchen. Just get a core group of eight to ten people together, elect a group a leader and pick a day to help. In the end, each person will spend about four hours a month volunteering.
We ask that when you volunteer at Project Open Hand, you make a six month commitment. We also ask that you always maintain confidentially and display non-judgmental behavior when interacting with clients and other volunteers. We also ask that you have a current tuberculosis screening.
TB Skin Test sites in San Francisco
If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact call our volunteer hotline at (415) 447-2404, email our Director of Volunteer Services, or submit the form below.
For over 25 years Project Open Hand has been delivering healthy meals and providing groceries to people in need.
Tom Nolan, Executive Director says, ”We could not be Project Open Hand without the volunteers. I mean they are the lifeblood of the organization. They inspire me.”
