On Shift: Volunteers Finding Their Flow at Roxbury
In our last blog post, we introduced our Roxbury Logistics Manager, Meghan, and the incredible work she does coordinating large pickups and deliveries and onboarding new agencies. Our admin assistant Darcy visited the warehouse to see for themself the effort, collaboration, and spirit that go into Food Link’s operations. Read on to learn more about our volunteers’ experiences sorting and packing food at Roxbury.
The first thing to remember when you visit the Greater Boston Collaborative Food Access Hub (GBCFAH) in Roxbury is that this warehouse is a shared space run by the Boston YMCA. Food Link is one of several organizations that work within the facility, supplying and packing food for recipients across Greater Boston. With 27,000 sq. ft. of walk-in freezers, fridges and dry storage, the GBCFAH warehouse is a prime location for collaboration.
Image Description: Boxes of citruses on top of a pallet jack.
When I arrived, I was greeted by Meghan, who quickly gave me a tour of Food Link’s work area and designated fridge and freezer space. The high ceilings, towering shelves, and humming pallet jacks definitely marked the facility as unique from our Arlington hub, but the warmth of the staff and volunteers helped me fit in right away.
After settling in, I met the volunteers I would be working with that day. Two of the volunteers were Food Link board members, Donna VanderClock and Paul Levine, and the third, Julie, was a regular volunteer. For two hours, the four of us sorted and packed donations from the Chelsea Produce Market and Starbucks.
Image Description: Three volunteers sort prepared foods from Starbucks.
The produce market donations were all in wonderful shape, so we spent the bulk of the shift sorting two pallets of prep food, bread, and bakery items from Starbucks. We quickly found our flow by dividing desserts, breakfast meals, and other foods into separate boxes. The pop music Meghan turned on in the background kept us motivated and engaged.
Image Description: Volunteer Associate Jo oversees two volunteers sorting Starbucks donations.
I was surprised by how fast the shift went, but Meghan wasn’t. She told me, “Because we usually receive large quantities of the same food at Roxbury, it’s simple to create a standardized process, allowing us to sort through more pounds and making it easy for volunteers to get into the swing of it.”
Even though our tasks were repetitive, we were not automatons. We laughed and joked with one another, and took quick water and snack breaks. Meghan looked into where each of the Starbucks donations originated, and some of the items came from storefronts as far away as Maine!
Image Description: A volunteer places a croissant in its correct box for distribution.
I particularly enjoyed talking to the volunteers about their favorite parts of the shift. Julie appreciates the community aspect of GBCFAH and seeing how other organizations operate in the warehouse. Meanwhile, Donna loves the facility’s spaciousness, which allows volunteers to spread out more easily than at the Arlington hub.
Image Description: A volunteer sorts through a box of mandarins.
For Paul, Roxbury shifts represent the full scale of Food Link’s operations. “You can see the volume available and the diversity of what can come in,” he says. “It’s a gift to have this space.”
If you would like to volunteer at our Roxbury location, we’d love to have you. For those new to Food Link, you can learn more about how to sign up to volunteer here, and once you are onboarded, be on the lookout for Roxbury ops shifts on our volunteer portal. Whether you are a first-time or long-time volunteer, we are always happy for you to join us!
Image Description: A volunteer opens a bag of Starbucks donations.
If you would like to volunteer at Food Link like Donna, Paul, and Julie, we encourage you to sign up on our Get Involved page! Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to keep up with all Food Link news. If you have any questions, email us at info@foodlinkma.org or call us at 781-819-4225.