Volunteer Opportunities with Gleaners Learn more about adult and youth volunteer opportunities and sign up for a shift below!

What do volunteers do?

Gleaners relies on volunteers to help feed children, families, seniors, veterans, and other vulnerable neighbors across Southeast Michigan. Volunteers at our warehouses and distribution centers sort and pack food, from fresh fruit to frozen vegetables to canned goods and more. Other times, volunteers help operate mobile grocery sites, tend community gardens, enter data, distribute food at pantries, and more.

Volunteering with Gleaners is a rewarding experience that makes a big difference in the lives of our hungry neighbors. We are so grateful for the time, energy, dedication, and support of our volunteers!

We currently have volunteer shifts open for individuals, organizations, corporate groups, and more. For a complete list of volunteer opportunities click the button below or see below for more details!

Areas of Critical Need

Taylor Warehouse Support

Before we can distribute nutritious food to hungry neighbors in our community, we need volunteers to sort and pack it into boxes. Schedule your shift at our South warehouse in Taylor!

Mercado Food Pantry

Load shopping carts and distribute food at the Mercado Food Hub, a client-choice pantry in Southwest Detroit! We are also accepting applications for Spanish-speaking intake specialists.

Individuals and Groups

Distribution Centers

Gleaners’ distribution centers process a tremendous volume of donated and purchased food to serve our neighbors in need. Volunteer tasks include sorting food items, packing food boxes, and more.

 

Individuals

Cooking Matters™

Culinary and nutrition professionals volunteer to share their expertise with the participants, and class assistants support the instruction and the participants' engagement. This opportunity is for individuals.

Individuals and Small Groups

Food Pantries

Both brick-and-mortar and mobile food pantries serve individuals and families in need of food assistance. Volunteer activities include helping clients check in, loading food into vehicles, stocking pantry shelves, and more.

Individuals and Small Groups

Livingston Victory Garden

This cornerstone garden in Livingston County donates food directly to pantries. Volunteer tasks include forming beds, composting, seeding, mulching, transplanting, weeding, and harvesting. 

Individuals

Link2Feed

Volunteers are needed to assist with client intake during launches, teach basic computer skills, provide technical recommendations, and help manage implementation. This opportunity is for individuals. 

Individuals and Small Groups

Special Events

Special events volunteers serve in a wide variety of roles including event setup and teardown, event check-in, cashiering, information distribution, food and money donation collection, and much more. The number of volunteers needed per shift varies by event.

Individuals

Speakers Bureau

Speakers Bureau volunteers help increase awareness of Gleaners’ role in feeding hungry people in our community. Volunteers speak to groups about Gleaners activities or host information tables at volunteer or community fairs. This opportunity is for individuals.

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Individuals

Court Ordered Community Service

We are not offering court ordered community service opportunities at this time.