The goal of IRC in San Diego's Refugee and Immigrant Pantry and Education (RIPE) Program is for refugees and immigrants in San Diego to have nutritional security to live active and healthy lives in their new communities.

The RIPE program offers a culturally inclusive food pantry, promotes refugee and immigrant-led food production, and improves food system navigation and knowledge through workshops and cultural orientations. In this volunteer role, you can contribute to the RIPE Program through community engagement and outreach, food stocking, and distribution for refugee and immigrant families. As a result of these efforts, you will play a critical role in ensuring that all displaced individuals and families seeking safety in San Diego have sufficient quality, nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and have the supplemental resources, income, and benefits needed to access quality food at all times.

IRC is seeking a group of 8 committed community members as Food Security Volunteers to bring this program to life. Please consider joining us!

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Based on skills and experience, responsibilities may include a combination of program support, administrative support, and direct service. 

Non-client facing

  • Sort produce and stock the food pantry
  • Lifting food products and items as necessary

Client facing

  • Welcome IRC clients into the food pantry and help facilitate their shopping experience
  • Support with outreach to IRC clients using interpreters when necessary
  • Contribute to data recording of food distribution, restocking
  • Provide IRC clients with information about the community resources available
  • Other related duties as assigned  

 

REQUIREMENTS

Non-client facing:

  • Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds safely
  • Reliable, punctual

Client-facing:

  • Experience working as a team in a cross-cultural environment
  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills
  • Excellent organizational time-management skills  
  • Reliable and committed to showing up for scheduled volunteer shifts consistently
  • Proactive, motivated, adaptable
  • Demonstrated success working and communicating with people of varied English-speaking abilities, strongly preferred
  • Proficiency in an IRC working language other than English is highly desired.

HOURS OF OPERATION

The RIPE Program's hours of operation are listed below. Volunteers will be requested to work a minimum of 4 hours a week during one of these windows:

  • Mondays, 7 AM - 12 PM
  • Tuesdays 9 AM-1 PM and/or 1 PM-5 PM
  • Thursdays, 9 AM-1 PM, 1 PM-5 PM, and/or 5 PM-7 PM

 

APPLY BY CLICKING HYPERLINK HERE 

If you are interested in volunteering and submitting an application for this role, please ensure that you (1) indicate you are applying to the San Diego Office and (2) proceed to "Interests and Questions" to fill out "Please enter the top three positions that interest you" and indicate the "Food Security Volunteer" to be considered.

When we are ready to proceed with your application, we reach out to discuss next steps!