What to Know Before Your First Volunteer Shift
March 10, 2026 · Seed to Serve LA Team
If you’re thinking about volunteering with Seed to Serve LA, here’s what you need to know. No experience required, just a willingness to show up and help.
Two Ways to Help
Every feeding event needs two types of volunteers:
Cook
Join us in a commercial kitchen to prepare wholesome meals. You don’t need to be a chef. We handle the recipes and prep lists. You’ll be chopping, stirring, portioning, and working alongside other volunteers in an assembly-line setup.
What to bring: Comfortable closed-toe shoes, hair tie if needed, and a positive attitude.
Serve
Be the friendly face that hands meals to families at our serving locations. This role is about more than distribution, it’s about dignity, warmth, and human connection.
What to bring: A smile and an open heart. We’ll brief you on respectful engagement practices before the event.
What to Expect
Each event follows our six-stage operations model:
- Ingredients are sourced from partner grocery stores and farms
- Menus are planned around available ingredients and nutritional balance
- Volunteers cook meals in a commercial kitchen
- Meals are packaged in eco-friendly containers
- Meals are transported to serving locations
- Serving teams distribute meals to families with care
The whole process takes about 4-6 hours from start to finish, though you don’t have to be there for the entire event.
Food Safety
We take food safety seriously. Every volunteer receives a brief training on:
- Safe food handling and hygiene practices
- Allergen awareness
- Proper hand washing and glove use
Ready to Sign Up?
Our next event is coming soon. Sign up on our Events page or email us at contact@seedtoservela.com to be notified.
Every pair of hands makes a difference. We’d love to have you.