Volunteer in the Warehouse

Food Sorting and Packing

Much of the donated food Northern Illinois Food Bank distributes needs to be inspected, sorted and packaged before it’s distributed to our hungry neighbors. We simply could not do this without the help of volunteers. Last year, volunteers donated more than 136,000 hours of their time, the equivalent of 65 full-time employees.

Whether you can volunteer once a week, once a month or once a year; individually or with a group of friends, family or colleagues, whatever your commitment, every hour of assistance helps us ensure our hungry neighbors will have access to food in their time of need.

Individuals, families, corporate and social groups are welcome! Children ages 8 and older may volunteer with families or in groups with adult chaperones. Chaperone ratios are 1:4 for ages 8-13 and 1:10 for ages 14-17. Groups of 20 or more volunteers must call the Food Bank to register at (630) 443-6910. Groups and families of less than 20 people may register online up to one week prior to a shift. Individuals may register up to 48 hours prior to a shift. View our online registration calendar with available shift days, times, and openings and sign up today!

View the Calendar

If you do not see an available shift on the schedule for your group, please call (630) 443-6910 to discuss with a Volunteer Coordinator. While we cannot always guarantee an alternative shift, we do our best to accommodate when possible. We rely on our volunteers very much and look forward to working with you!