Join the Washington University Network of Kansas City and the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement for an afternoon at Harvesters' Volunteer Outreach Center where your sorting and boxing efforts will contribute to the distribution of more than three million pounds of donated food and household supplies each month. Together you will help hungry children, seniors and families in your community.
WashU Engage is an initiative co-led by the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement and the Washington University Alumni Association which aligns with the university’s commitment to supporting habits of lifelong learning and leadership for alumni, and advances the Gephardt Institute’s mission of cultivating informed and actively engaged citizens. In 2017, alumni from 25 cities across the country will offer service opportunities that are meaningful and needed in their communities.
Volunteers will be sorting and repackaging donated product in the Volunteer Engagement Center (VEC). Must be eight years or older to participate; students 15 years old and younger need to be accompanied by an adult. Families are welcome but please remember to register each member who will be volunteering!
The following are important things you need to know about volunteering in the warehouse:
- Children under the age of 8 are not permitted in the warehouse for safety reasons.
- Closed toed shoes are required.
- Dress casually (jeans and t-shirts, and sweatshirts to layer in the winter)
- Please leave all valuable jewelry at home. This includes rings which may come off in the packing process.
- No food, gum, or drinks are permitted in the warehouse.
- Cell phone usage is not permitted in the warehouse.
- All volunteers must be free of contagious illness (runny nose, colds, the flu, strep throat, etc)
Parking is limited so please carpool. Visitor parking is available in front of the building and in an overflow lot across the street. If spots fill, please limit street parking to the east side (closest to the building) so semi-trucks can safely access our facility. Please enter through the Volunteer Entrance (under the red awning).
Please consider bringing donations with you when you volunteer. The February needs of the month are heart healthy snacks for National Snack Food Month. We are accepting things like no added sugar dried fruit, low sugar granola bars, whole grain crackers, fruit cups in juice, nuts and seeds and trail mix.