Loaves & Fishes

Loaves & Fishes mission is to provide healthy meals to Minnesotans in areas where the need is greatest. We are guided by our vision that all people - regardless of socioeconomic, cultural, religious, or ethnic background - deserve to meet their basic needs for food, dignity, and respect.

We have opportunities for individuals and small groups to help us package and serve meals at our various meal sites. Meal sites are a combination of in person congregate dining and to-go meals.  No experience is necessary; our site coordinators will walk you through everything.       

• Meal Site Cooking volunteers assist with cooking a pre-planned meal under the guidance of the site coordinator and help package meals for distribution.       

• Meal Site Serving volunteers continue to package and distribute meals, clean up during distribution and at the end of the evening, and do dishes throughout the serving period.      

We also have opportunities for individuals and small groups to help at our Commissary Kitchen, preparing food for distribution at our various meal sites. As with our meal sites, no experience is necessary.     

• Commissary Prep volunteers will be preparing and packaging food/meals and will likely be working with raw meat.  

We provide gloves and aprons and if you don’t have a hat, we will supply a hairnet. We also ask that you wear shoes that completely cover your feet (no sandals or open-toe shoes) and clean clothes with sleeves that cover the shoulder.      

Please visit the link below to search for volunteer opportunities base on location or day of the week. There is an interactive option at the bottom of our Volunteer page that allows you to search for a location based on proximity to your address.

Whether to prep serve and/or clean, simply find a date that works for you and sign up. Soon after signing up, you will receive a confirmation email.       

YOUTH PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES      

We appreciate and support youth involvement in community service. Our youth participation guidelines help provide a safe and efficient work environment while maintaining the dignity of our guests. The following age breakdowns are suggested best practices. However, because each dining site is different, Site Coordinators may make exceptions at their discretion and with parental input and permission.       

• Youth aged 16 and older may help in all areas of the meal site.       
• Youth aged 15 and younger may handle cold food and cold beverages.     
• Youth aged 13 to 15 must have one adult to every five youth for supervision purposes.       
• Youth aged 12 and under need to have direct one-on-one supervision. Ages 8+

https://www.loavesandfishesmn.org/volunteer/