Volunteer Opportunities
Burrito Brigade has a variety of volunteer opportunities.
We’d love for you to join us!
Ready to get volunteering?
VOLUNTEER NEEDS
Summer 2024
Check regularly to find out how you can support one of Burrito Brigade’s projects!
WASTE TO TASTE
✦ We are seeking 2–3 volunteer donation pickup drivers.
✦ We are seeking 3–4 volunteer closers.
Interested in helping out? Review the details below and then fill out a new volunteer form at the bottom of this page!
WEEKEND BURRITO BRIGADE
✦ The WBB is in need of 3-4 volunteers who are available on-call for burrito prep and distribution. Please see below for details!
LITTLE FREE PANTRIES
✦ We are currently seeking 4-6 Little Free Pantry Star Supporters to deliver food to their nearest neighborhood pantry on a weekly basis. With 55 pantries that we service in the Eugene and Springfield area, there’s a lot of ground to cover!
✦ Note: All new pantry host signups are on hold through Summer 2023 as we focus our efforts on restoring and replacing existing Little Free Pantries that need some TLC. Check back for new opportunities to host!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Applications for the Board of Directors are currently closed. Please check back for openings.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEERING
The Weekend Burrito Brigade – “WBB” for short
The WBB makes fresh and hot vegan burritos every Saturday and Sunday, which are distributed throughout the community by our incredible volunteers on the same day they are made.
Assignments & Schedules
Weekend Burrito Brigade Volunteer Assignments
Volunteer assignments:
✦ Prepping (chopping, slicing, etc.) and burrito filling and rolling
✦ Distribution (by bike or car!)
WBB Volunteer Schedules
Volunteer shifts are available during the following days and times*
Saturdays
Burrito Prep/Production: 10:00am–2:00pm
Distribution: 1:30–2:00 pm
Sundays
Burrito Prep/Production: 10:30am–2:30pm
Distribution: 2:00–2:30pm
*Start times are subject to change. Please always carefully check the SignUp Genius link when signing up for shifts to ensure you are available at the posted times.
Note: All drivers for Burrito Brigade and its projects must sign a safe-driving agreement and waiver, whether driving a Burrito Brigade vehicle or a personal vehicle.
Please note: To sign up for Weekend Burrito Brigade shifts, please use this link. Thank you!
Note: All drivers for Burrito Brigade and its projects must sign a safe-driving agreement and waiver, whether driving a Burrito Brigade vehicle or a personal vehicle.
Did ya know? There is also a Portland Burrito Brigade chapter!
You can contact them at [email protected].
Waste to Taste – aka, “W2T”
At our free food pantry, Waste to Taste, we rely on volunteers for nearly every aspect of the operation.
Volunteers may assist with a wide variety of tasks: unloading and sorting incoming donations, portioning out bulk donations, restocking and organizing shelves, general cleaning and tidying to keep the space beautiful and clean, greeting and assisting shoppers during their appointments, and making and/or delivering food boxes.
Assignments & Schedules
Sorters/Stockers & Bulk Food Portioners
Sorter/Stocker Description: Includes unloading incoming donations, processing, organizing and re-stocking shelves. Helps with some basic cleaning tasks like sweeping, disinfecting surfaces, taking out trash and recycling as needed, etc.
Bulk Food Portioners Description: Portioning out bulk food donations into smaller packages to be distributed to Waste to Taste and the Little Free Pantries.
Commitment: Approximately 2–3 hours per week. Shifts available Monday through Friday for each position.
- Monday: 11am–1pm & 1–3:30pm
- Tuesday–Thursday: 1–3:30pm
- Friday: 1–2:30pm
Closers
Description: Greets clients (shoppers) and checks them in, assists with shoppers’ questions, manages the protein/dairy table. Completes some basic closing tasks, such as wheeling carts of perishables to the walk-in cooler for the night, etc.
Commitment: Approximately 2.5 hours per week. Shifts available Monday through Friday.
- Monday–Wednesday: 3:45–6:00pm
- Thursday & Friday: 2:45-5:00pm
Friday Cleaners
Description: Extra help on Friday afternoons with deeper cleaning of the Waste to Taste shopping space prior to the weekend. Includes disinfecting all surfaces, sweeping and mopping, hosing off sidewalks, picking up trash in the parking lot, taking out trash and breaking down all cardboard and putting in outside bins, and other cleaning duties as needed. This position is a very important part of helping keep the Waste to Taste shopping space clean and welcoming for our shoppers, as well as helping prevent potential pests.
Commitment: Approximately 1-2 hours per week.
- Fridays only: 5:30–6:30pm
Food Box Delivery Drivers
Description: Delivers pre-made food boxes to households within ≈5 miles of downtown Eugene. Persons and families who are unable to travel to Waste to Taste may receive weekly boxes on a set schedule, though there are also deliveries made on an as-needed basis that may not be part of a set route/schedule. We try to coordinate deliveries with your general area of town and your visit to Waste to Taste (if you’re already a shopper) to reduce carbon emissions.
Commitment: Approximately 1-3 hours per week. Shifts available Monday through Friday. Shift length may vary, based on quantity of deliveries per route.
- Monday–Friday: 3–6pm
Donation Pickup Drivers
Description: Assists with traveling to partner locations across Lane County to pickup donations. For example: Market of Choice, WinCo, restaurants, etc. Should be comfortable lifting 20-40 pounds regularly. (Some crates/boxes may be up to 80 pounds, though this is less common.) May possibly use the Burrito Brigade van for pickups, though having a vehicle with large cargo capacity is a plus!
Commitment: Approximately 2-3 hours per week. Shifts available Sunday through Saturday. Shift length may vary, depending upon the volume of food to be picked up at any given stop.
- Saturday–Sunday: 9–10am
- Monday–Friday: 11am–12pm
Note: All drivers for Burrito Brigade and its projects must sign a safe-driving agreement and waiver, whether driving a Burrito Brigade vehicle or a personal vehicle.
We’re flexible! Are you interested in volunteering but not sure if you can fulfill certain duties? Please reach out!
We’re happy to make sure there are accessible roles for everyone who wants to be a part of Burrito Brigade’s work.
Little Free Pantries (“LFP” or “LFPs”!)
Little Free Pantries are a hyper-local neighborhood-based form of food support. They are kind of like Little Free Libraries, except, they are filled with food!
Hosts and volunteers are encouraged to contribute to LFPs in their own neighborhoods, closest to their own homes by sharing non-perishable, high-demand foods. (E.g., rice, beans, proteins, etc.)
Assignments & Schedules
LFP Hosts
Please note: Applications for pantry hosts are paused as of Summer 2023 until further notice, as we work to refurbish and replace existing pantries. Current hosts are encouraged to continue maintaining their pantry at least once a week by cleaning in and around the pantry, restocking as they’re able, and encouraging neighbors to help restock as they’re able.
Description: Hosts assist with cleaning in and around the pantry itself, restocking when possible, cooking if they choose, and doing outreach with neighbors to encourage engagement throughout the neighborhood.
Commitment: Approximately 1-6 hours per week. No set shift times or days.
Note: No volunteer hours will be formally tracked for this role, unless volunteers have an additional volunteer assignment through Burrito Brigade, and/or make special arrangements with the volunteer coordinator in advance.
LFP Star Supporters
Description: Star Supporters drive to Waste to Taste (on 6th Ave in Eugene) to pickup a food box or food boxes once a week or more.
Commitment: Approximately 2-3 hours per week. Shift length may vary, depending on the volume of food to be delivered and how many pantries a driver might supplement.
- Monday–Friday: ≈3–6:00 pm
Note: No volunteer hours will be formally tracked for this role, unless volunteers have an additional volunteer assignment through Burrito Brigade, and/or make special arrangements with the volunteer coordinator in advance.
LFP General Supporters
Description: General supporters are encouraged to help restock their local free pantry on a regular schedule, as they are able to do so. Supporters can be anyone in the neighborhood near a LFP willing to help out!
Commitment: Varies, depending on each person. Approx. 1-2 hours per week.
Note: No volunteer hours will be formally tracked for this role, unless volunteers have an additional volunteer assignment through Burrito Brigade, and/or make special arrangements with the volunteer coordinator in advance.
Note: All drivers for Burrito Brigade and its projects must sign a safe-driving agreement and waiver, whether driving a Burrito Brigade vehicle or a personal vehicle.