Rochester, N.Y. – Due to the growing community need from the outbreak of COVID-19, Foodlink is enlisting the help of United Way to rally local healthy volunteers to help fill boxes of critical food supplies.
The volunteer need starts tomorrow, Thursday, March 19, and goes through Tuesday, March 24, at the Joseph A. Floreano Riverside Convention Center. Volunteer safety will be a priority, and space for social distancing will ensured. These are not pickup sites; they are volunteer only.
Volunteers must sign up through United Way’s Volunteer United COVID-19-specific volunteer portal at www.uwrochester.org/covidvolunteer. Once volunteers have registered via the volunteer portal, they will be contacted by Foodlink to confirm their schedule. Walk-in volunteers will be turned away.
In the weeks ahead, Foodlink’s food bank will be receiving and distributing more than two million pounds of food to emergency food providers (pantries, shelters, and meal programs) and other community partners to meet the increased need in the face of the COVID-19 health crisis.
The health and well-being of all staff, volunteers and families in the community is the top priority of United Way and its community partners at this critical time, and several safety precautionary measures are being implemented to ensure safety:
⦁ Volunteers must be healthy and not have any health risk factors that would make Covid deadlier.
⦁ Social distancing will be in place for all volunteers, who will be separated into smaller groups in the packing sites.
Foodlink's regular volunteer operations have been suspended to avoid large gatherings in its distribution center.
Anyone who is interested in signing up to volunteer can do so by visiting http://www.uwrochester.org/covidvolunteer. Although there is a maximum number of volunteers being sought for this specific Foodlink need, additional opportunities are also listed, and interested community members can also be placed on waiting lists.
About United Way of Greater Rochester
United Way harnesses the power of collective giving to unite community members, businesses and local leaders in doing good as they raise their hands, open their hearts, and share resources to build a thriving region for all. Through this collective giving, United Way supports a broad network of human service organizations, community initiatives and innovative strategies that address our most pressing local challenges with real, impactful solutions. Please visit www.uwrochester.org to learn more.
# # #