Volunteer Needs

The Front Desk Volunteer here at Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes is responsible for providing excellent customers service to clients, volunteers, guests, and staff.

This volunteer will be the first point of contact for our organization and will be asked to greet individuals, check them in, and direct them to the appropriate areas. Our front desk volunteer will also be responsible for answering phone calls and performing other administrative tasks as needed. So, if you're a social butterfly that wants to lend a helping hand, this is a fun way to give back to the community!

This position ideally requires a weekly commitment, and we are currently looking for coverage on multiple different days and shifts.

Our home delivery volunteers are co-pilots for home deliveries around Kalamazoo County! Delivery volunteers support a staff member by navigating routes, assembling grocery orders, and ensuring safe deliveries to our clients. This position requires lifting up to 40 lbs, climbing stairs, and sitting in a vehicle for extended periods of time. 

We offer home deliveries Monday-Friday. We prefer a weekly commitment, but also have a list of on-call delivery volunteers.

Our Call Center volunteers are responsible for answering incoming calls, providing information about our programs and services, and scheduling appointments for clients. Ideally, we would like our volunteers to be comfortable with technology as we work on a custom appointment scheduling software. Our volunteers also need to be familiar with a multi-line phone system and have some experience in a customer service related field.

We prefer a weekly commitment for the Call Center, but also have a list of on-call volunteers who can help when we have gaps in the schedule.

Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes' Melzer Pantry provides food through curbside pickup to over 140 households each day! Volunteers in the pantry help us with a variety of tasks including, but not limited to, prepping orders, customizing orders based on dietary restrictions, stocking shelves, and loading client cars.  

This position does require some lifting, bending, and twisting. It's a fun, fast-paced environment that will keep you moving!

Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes' Douglass Pantry is located within the Douglass Community Center at 1000 W. Paterson St. in Kalamazoo. The Douglass Pantry offers an in-person shopping experience. The pantry is set up like a market, and clients are able to "shop" for their own groceries. Currently, our Douglass Pantry is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, but we are looking to open on Mondays or Fridays starting in 2026.

Volunteers stock shelves, provide information about our services, answer questions, offer guidance for clients that are shopping, and create a welcoming space for our guests. We ask that anyone interested in the position to be able to make a 3+ month commitment, but often groups will share this role and rotate schedules at Douglass.

The Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes Warehouse is a busy location!  We have opportunities for individuals and groups up to 10-12 people.

Volunteers are assigned tasks such as sorting food donations, bagging produce, and assembling food boxes for different Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes programs. We have opportunities during the day Monday - Friday with some options in the evening and on Saturdays.