Want to get to know your community better and help with hunger relief? The Food Basket would love to have you volunteer!
The donation of your time and helping hands are crucial contributors to getting nutritious food to our keiki, kupuna, families, and adults experiencing hunger on Hawai’i Island.
The Food Basket serves over 35,000 individuals each month through emergency food distribution and our network of almost 100 partner agencies. We depend on the help and support of volunteers like you to serve the needs of our community.
Whether you’re thinking of a way to give back, need to fulfill a community service project requirement, or looking for an activity for your school or workgroup, we offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.
No matter how many hours you donate, you will be making a huge difference in the lives of others! We also accept court-mandated volunteers, with some limitations.
Volunteer Essentials
We provide training, a safe environment, and communal fun but there are a few things we need your help with to ensure a safe and happy volunteer experience
Register: All persons must be registered before they can volunteer. Please complete the registration form below and we will contact you within two business days to discuss opportunities and get you on the schedule. If you have volunteered with us in the past, please call us during regular business hours to set up your next volunteer date, or email us at volunteer@hawaiifoodbasket.org
Hilo: 808.933.6030
Kona: 808.322.1418
What to Wear: All volunteers must wear comfortable, warehouse-appropriate clothing and closed-toed shoes. Gloves are optional but can be helpful. Please Note: Volunteers without closed-toed shoes will not be allowed into The Food Basket’s warehouse.
What to Bring: All applicants, please print and sign our Volunteer Waiver and bring it with you on your first volunteer day. If you are unable to print, please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled shift to review and sign. Please Note: You cannot volunteer without a waiver on file.
Interested in packing food boxes for our Kūpuna Pantry Program?
Please review the monthly packing schedule below and include the dates you are interested in on your registration form.
We request that each volunteer be available to work the entire shift. Partial shifts are not available.
Interested in preventing food waste at its source with our Kōkua Harvest Program?
Kōkua Harvest is Hawaiʻi Island’s gleaning project that works to harvest and distribute excess produce to low-income communities throughout Hawaiʻi Island.
Click the button below to be redirected to Kōkua Harvest’s website to sign up as a volunteer.
Participant Registration Form
*The Food Basket could photograph or digitally record any persons participating in volunteer opportunities, special events, or other purposes related to our community endeavors and reserves the right to use any such photographs/videos/digital/audio recordings in its marketing, advertising, publicity materials, website, publications, and any other use without obtaining further consent from any participant.