Houston Food Bank

Great place to volunteer. Been there three times, and they assigned three different roles for me. In each role, I was part of a team where everyone did their best.

I volunteered with my work family and had the best time. We worked on Senior box kits. It was well organized and fulfilling. Thank you for all you do!!

A Grateful Veteran’s Thank You to the Community Resource Center & Houston Food Bank – East Branch As a U.S. military veteran, I’ve been through many battles—some on the field and some right here at home. Today was one of those tough days where I wasn’t sure how I was going to get by, how I was going to eat, or how I was going to make it through the week. But thanks to the kindness, compassion, and support I received from the Community Resource Center and the Houston Food Bank – East Branch, I now have food in my kitchen and hope in my heart. The moment I walked in, I was treated with dignity and respect. That might seem like a small thing to some, but when you’ve fallen on hard times, being seen and treated like a human being matters more than words can explain. The volunteers and staff didn’t just hand me a box of food—they offered me a smile, a kind word, and a warm sense of community that reminded me I’m not alone. The groceries I received today are going to help keep me going for the next several days. It wasn’t just canned goods and dry food—it was fresh produce, thoughtful selections, and enough to remind me that someone out there cares. That support takes a huge weight off my shoulders. When you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, it’s hard to think about anything else. But today, I can breathe a little easier. As a veteran, I’ve always believed in service—and today I was on the receiving end of that service. I just want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone involved at the Community Resource Center and the Houston Food Bank East Branch. What you’re doing doesn’t just fill stomachs—it lifts spirits, restores faith, and reminds people like me that we matter. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me through this difficult time. You’re not just giving out food—you’re giving out hope. And for someone who’s walked a hard road, that means everything. With gratitude, A Proud Veteran

Great place to volunteer and serve others 👌

Our group had a fantastic experience volunteering at the Houston Food Bank! From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by Ms. Keianna, who provided us with a brief orientation and explained the importance of our work. We spent the day sorting and packing food items, which was both fulfilling and eye-opening. It was incredible to see how much effort goes into ensuring that food reaches those in need. Ms. Keianna kept the atmosphere energetic and positive, and we left feeling accomplished and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such an important mission. I highly recommend volunteering at the Houston Food Bank; it's a rewarding experience that truly makes a difference in the community!

Volunteering at the Houston Food Bank was a very pleasant and friendly experience overall. When I had to choose a local organization to volunteer at, I was very concerned about finding a place in time, as I had less than a week to find a place and volunteer. Thankfully, booking a shift to volunteer at the Houston Food Bank was extremely easy and quick to do. All I had to do was go to their website, create an account, and book a shift on the day that I wished to volunteer. There are many different shifts at different times, and there are multiple different volunteer options to choose from. When I arrived at the food bank, the front desk staff was very friendly and helpful. They clearly instructed me where to go and who to follow to get to my volunteering location within the building. The people giving me different tasks to do were very informative when demonstrating how to do certain things, so I was able to learn and adapt quickly, considering it was my first time volunteering at a local organization on my own. Breaks were given, with free water, tea, and coffee as well as a snack bar area. I was pleasantly surprised at the options of drinks during break time. Overall, volunteering at the Houston Food Bank was a very good time and an insightful experience. I felt a sense of fulfillment completing the tasks, and the instructions given and interactions were very friendly and kind.

Volunteering was a great experience! Much larger than I expected. Friendly staff! Clean areas and bathrooms. Lockers to hold your personal belongings. Free water & Ice tea. There is also food and drinks to purchase. If working the assembly line, for packing boxes please be prepared for a lot of bending over & reaching. They play music to keep it lively. Dress with comfortable tennis shoes, and if you have any issues, bring what you need to accommodate you, like neck fan because it does get hot in warehouse and back support belt. My only suggestion for staff is that they place a table, or shelf behind the assembly line where food to be packaged would go be because the area is quite small to be bending/squatting down each time, and if the products were waist height, access and flow of production would move more efficiently. Looking forward to volunteering again!!!

I Tried Calling For Help For Food But Wasn’t Really Pointed In The Right Direction. I Called The Number On The Website To Ask What I Need To Register To Be Able To Pick Up Food But I Was On Hold For 10 Minutes. Never Had The Chance To Speak To Anyone. Really Wish Someone Could Reach Out To Me.

Our volunteers here once a quarter and it's always a good experience. We have participated in most of the rooms from sorting to admin work. We will continue to support Houston Food Bank

This was the first time I knew you can use the Food Bank Facility for your functions. I had always come for volunteering, but never knew about the large room. My Sorority Chapter had our End of the Year Award Ceremony here. The food was great and the facility was excellent. Ten stars.

Had a great time volunteering. There is so much good that happens here. I helped pack 6 pallets with senior boxes. The team is friendly and made work easy and fun. They have complimentary crocs&socks for those without closed toe shoes along with tea, coffee ans water foe volunteers They do have a mini mart where you can purchase snacks. Think grab and go like the airport. If you're looking to give back or give time, be sure to check them out for all their volunteer opportunities

An amazing organization that does so much good for the Houston area. It is a very easy process to come volunteer a few hours here as either an individual or group; I highly encourage you to volunteer at least once to see how such a large food bank functions. I have volunteered in their sorting room and packaging area, both are a lot of fun and, full disclosure, can be hard work - but it is so rewarding! Large parking lot on site. You are not allowed to bring anything in to the volunteer areas with you, so they have lockers to use for free during your shift.

The US biggest food bank and great place to have a volunteer activity in the community!! You'll get to meet other awesome people who have a good spirit of volunteering!! We try to come here on a regular basis! Come for those who wanna experience good for the people and community! :) Cheers

My kiddo and I volunteered at the HFB today and boy were my expectations raised for volunteer work! I was naturally dreading arrival this morning for our volunteer shift because volunteer work is typically associated with being boring. I was surprisingly wrong! Time flew by helping sort and check dates on food that was to be donated to the needy. The loud and hip music definitely helped and the amazing team leaders kept it fun by getting us all involved with the music while working. My kiddo and I were in the sorting area where it is set up like an assembly line and there are rows and rows of moving fixtures to transport new items to sort and to ultimately return the sorted items to the back. Everything was so nicely labeled and easy to sort - an OCD person's dream (my dream!)! Approximately 45 minutes until your shift is over, the team leader stops everyone to begin wrapping up and prepping the work area for the next person. The organization was amazing! HFB also has lockers to store your personal items for free. It was a bit tricky to figure out the system, but once we did, we were pros! The part of the warehouse/building that we saw appeared to be very clean as well. My kiddo and I will definitely be making the HFB a part of our routine volunteer work!

It is beautiful here and very well run! This is definitely the largest and most ornate food bank that I've ever volunteered for. I had an awesome time being of service to my community with my friends. The leaders were very helpful and explained things well and we were able to help ensure food security for so many people! I will definitely come back to volunteer frequently.

Awesome and beautiful people who treats us wonderfully and seeing volunteers from company to company this is the place I recommend going to. I should make a movie about it

I've been volunteering my time at the food bank for the last two weeks and I am enjoying my time here. This is not an easy moments in our lives due to the COVID-19 but I'm glad to see people still come out and volunteer. I recommend you guys to come out and volunteer and impact lives. This place is following CDC Protocols, when you enter the building they take your temperature and ask you questions as well, before you start volunteering they have you wash your hands, put on hand sanitizer & gloves. They provide mask if you don't have one and when you're finished with work they have Lysol and all the equipments to clean your area. If you guys are worried about working close together, they also have you 10 feet from one another when doing an activity. The stuff that they have you doing are not hard, the employees really accommodate you and make your experience worth coming back. I am definitely coming back because I love to help people out and it makes me happy to know that we fed a lot of families by doing this.

I like the measures they take to make sure everyone can still give safely during this pandemic. Drive up and they take out whatever you give from your trunk. My family and I give often and use the Houston Food bank to give back when dealing with perishables. God Bless this mission always.

I love this place. My partner and I moved recently and have been going through hard times as I've been without a job for going on a year now due to medical reasons. I'm not on disability nor do we receive any assistance or food stamps. This place has really saved us honestly. Don't know what we'd do without them. They provide nutritious healthy high quality foods donated by different people and organizations. The volunteers that work here are so nice. The lady that works here regularly and runs the shopping visits is so sweet and makes us feel welcomed. These people and this place is truly a blessing. Thank you so much for your wonderful service. God bless y'all!

Great place to work and great place to volunteer!!! They really value the volunteers!!!

Yeah. It makes me feel good to volunteer. #ComcastCaresDay I was here with my company's volunteering project. By reading all the reviews from my Yelper friends, I got the feeling of feel good all over. Not much more to say about Houston Food Bank. I have to ditto everyone else's words. I'll be back to volunteer when there are less people here. I can't take 2000 plus people in a big room. Agoraphobia is not my thing. **27th review of 2018**

Volunteer every chance you get. Volunteer at the Houston Food Bank. It is fun. It moves quick. They play good tunes to tap a toe to. Speaking of, closed-toe shoes, people. There are lockers for small purses, funny packs, back packs. If it can fit in your pocket, you can carry it to the project. Take your family. Take your office. Organize the whole neighborhood to go with. You won't regret it.

I came this morning because the post office was hold a group interview for different locations all over the city. However I did notice the volunteers and was very impressed on how well they were working together. First off they was jamming all the good music and everyone looked happy. This just give me a great idea to come and volunteer with my coworkers for the holidays!

We love volunteering here at the Houston Food Bank. Texas has some serious bragging rights when it comes to this institution. It is the largest food bank in the United States. Since Harvey hit Texas, there have been over 17,000 volunteers that have gone through the food bank and helped out. That is higher in volunteer volume then a typical 3 month span. This place is great that you can bring your kids to help volunteer as well. Obviously not your infants or toddlers, but older children and teens. It's a great environment to show an example of selfless service and helping out the community. When we volunteer, we usually are designated to pack boxes to be filled with non perishable food items or toiletry goods for adults and bags for infants (diapers, etc). The rooms designated for volunteers to work are well organized and the people who lead the volunteers are helpful and show great team leadership. It's always best to go early before your chosen shift so that you may sign in quickly and also, get a good parking spot so you aren't in the overflow parking lot. The restrooms could use a good cleaning in a timely manner but also understand, everyone there volunteers. The priority is to help people and that is really wonderful.

Houston Food Bank is a great place to volunteer. You have different events to choose from, including helping with the teacher supplies, preparing food in the kitchen or helping sort donations. The coordinators are cheerful and they make the activity a lot more enjoyable. Volunteering shifts are 4 hours long, but time goes by fast because you get to chat with other volunteers. This place really helps the community. With only four hours of your day, every once in a while, you can help those in need. The best part is that kids can volunteer too. PS: They sometimes have good music on the speakers!

Rewarding volunteer experience for young and old. Minors need permission and accompanied by an adult with. Register online to select available schedule shifts and further instructions. The building is well organized with stations and Houston Foodbank employees provide a safety lesson, tours of lockers, work stations, and finally bistro area-- that sells beverages, yogurt, chips, etc. I highly recommend it.

We volunteer from time to time and one thing that is ALWAYS consistent is the friendly staff. They are great, upbeat and I highly recommend going to work with them (volunteer) you will have a great time.

Volunteer, Donate, make a difference in our community. My Children and I love, love, love volunteering at the Houston Food Bank. Children can start volunteering at the age 6 years old. Different sections: Keegan Kitchen Food Preparation (ages 16+) Portwall Warehouse Warehouse (6+ accompanied by adult) Sorting, cleaning, separating, boxing (6+ accompanied by adult) Senior Box Delivery Not sure if you need own transportation (ages 16 +) www.houstonfoodbank.org

We visited the Houston Food Bank with a large group from work to volunteer. Registering online was easy, all we had to do was fill out a form online, sign a waiver and remember to bring our barcode. When we arrived, thanks to our GPS, we parked in the larger parking lot in the back and walked through the building from back to front. I love the attention to detail in how they decorated the path. We were a few minutes late so we were assigned to work with another group in the produce area of the refrigerator. Our team helped sort out of date produce, yes it is as gross as it sounds, and produce that was still good. They provided gloves, coats, and instruction and let us work. We were there for a four hour shirt. I am proud to say, even with the ick factor I enjoyed how our smaller group pulled together and worked hard to go through a stinky pallet. I actually look forward to my next volunteer opportunity.

I came out here today to volunteer for their post-Ike efforts (btw, they''re always in need of help, not just during natural disasters or winter holidays). Registering online was a piece of cake: just fill out a form online, sign a waiver and you're good to go. So when we arrived, we checked in up front and waited in the front lobby with a continuous crowd of 30 or so. A friendly gentleman was randomly selecting people of various ages (nine-years-old and higher) to do tasks ranging from: signing receipts, sorting goods in the assembly line, wrapping crates, unloading trucks, distributing goods to locals ... you name it, anyone could do it: children, elderly, teens, handicapped. It was great to see so many people out there donating as little as 1 hour to an entire day. I do have to say that I got irritated with this one young fellow managing our team who kept shouting at others: "Hey girl! Say boy!" Really? This small group of five have been working with you for almost two hours and you can't call us by our names--at least "mrs.," "mr.," or "miss"? None of us liked that very much. I stuck it through, but by break time, I found a different station, and the rest of the staff and team leaders I came across were incredibly kind and professional. Tip: There were sooo many volunteers, that there were a few moments where a handful of us were standing around waiting to be instructed to assist with something else. I think it's best to ask a Food Bank rep what times of day are volunteers most needed. I heard one official say that weekdays, especially this coming Monday, are a good time to help out.

This is a great place to volunteer. My husband spent many hours here a few years ago volunteering. He found the system was organized and you really feel like you are doing some good. More recently, we have gotten involved with Food for Seniors through Interfaith Ministries http://www.yelp.com/biz/interfaith-ministries-houston. Sometimes we pick up food at the Houston Food Bank, which we then deliver to seniors on our route. The people at the HFB are always ready to go and organized. The boxes are always well packed and sturdy. If you are willing to put forth some hard work, this is a great place to volunteer.

i love giving back and helping the houston food bank BUT the instructor that we had Ashton WAS NOT organized and it felt like he was lost himself, like he volunteered too... there wasn't any morale or any initiative to engage the volunteers... then once it was time to clean up he told us to clean up then he left us in the room for about 10 minutes by ourselves with no direction. No bye or thank you or anything. If you are going to be in this type of field you should have some type of engagement or let us know the goal for the time or something to encourage us. we were suppose to be there until 9pm but left at 8pm, the night felt off.

What a great experience! This was my first time volunteering here and I was very impressed with how the team works together and gets all the volunteers in place & on the job! I attended with a group from work but there were hundreds of people there that day helping. The facility is large and super organized. We made packages for senior citizens and completed so many pallets. Definitely got my workout in for the day in that warehouse lol! It's a great idea to bring your family & kids and instill those lessons/values that they will never forget. It's a wonderful feeling helping others!

Do it. Do it. Do it. You can register online. They also do a lot of volunteer days where a bunch of people from different companies and organizations come. When we did it, was for 4 hours from 8 a- 12 p. The staff are wonderful and are very accessible. Dress comfortably - jeans, tennis shoes and I recommend leaving extra stuff in the car or at home. If you get there early, there is parking in the front, if not roll to the back. *also one thing I did not know is that they actually have inmates from the local jail there "working" It's a great thing to do. Donate. Volunteer. If your kids need volunteer hours, this is a great way?

Beware! If you donate to this organization, even when you donate online, you will be inundated with their letters in the mail - it seems like almost weekly - asking you for more money. It has been impossible to get off their mailing list! They wasted my donation by continually asking for more money. I now donate $ to the small food bank in my area, no additional mailings from it!

I wanted to do some volunteer work and came here with the bf. We signed up to work in the kitchen, but the time we got there they randomly selected people to work in the warehouse and that's where we went. The work was easy and we moved fast. It was a lot of fun and we were busy moving and making boxes and filling them with cans of food. The time went by really fast. Overall, it was for a great cause and it was after the hurricane so helping out felt great. There were so many volunteers coming together to help others. I would definitely come back and do it again.

Wow, volunteering here was easy to begin and a fun experience! The facility is huge with the capability to accomplish SO MUCH. I was really impressed. I'm not sure how anyone can poorly rate such a great organization, that has proven time and again to be in Houstonians' corners when we need it most. With online sign ups, well marked parking lots, and comprehensive but friendly guiding through orientation and each activity, I'm impressed at how well organized the HFB is. Every team leader while we worked throughout the afternoon was friendly, to the point, and working alongside us. It was also cool to hear a tally at the end of how many meals we were able to help provide (over 12,000! How awesome!) I also love that they incorporated kids of all ages into each activity, finding the job that they could do or pairing them with adults to help. It's great to see kids getting involved. Will be adding more volunteer days here as this is a worthy organization who values your time and effort, maximizing the volunteer hours to help our community. Kudos!

When my boyfriend decided he wanted to volunteer I was down for the cause, but I didn't expect the magnitude of what the HFB is doing. First of all this place is HUGE! They have enough parking don't worry! When you walk in the place is so nice and big and clean and the decor was rather lovely. We got there a bit late and so they just kind of put us some where convenient, there are so many people there to help its amazing to see. We ended working the packing area and just watching so many boxes of food that goes to help people, like it just takes you back. Im proud of Houston for having this for the people. This place works like a well oiled machine and it makes me proud as a Houstonian.

I love giving back and volunteering and HFB always provides opportunities for me to do that throughout the year. Whether youre in a group or riding solo, your contributions to serve at the Unites States' biggest food bank are vast and wide. There are various initiatives that the food bank contributes to such as senior citizen packages, disaster relief (i.e. Hurricane Harvey), and even emergency relief (for those who work but find themselves needing some assistance until the next paycheck. The HFB is a staple and substancial contributor to our community. The building is well designed and inviting to those visiting to park, register, and volunteer with ease by providing a refreshement bar, clean restroom facilities, and lockers for belongings like keys and jackets. However, my recent volunteer shift with Comcast Cares Day that included appearances some local state and national dignataries (not worth mentioning specfically, made this a very long morning. We waited over an honor for the press conference when we were asked as volunteers to start our shifts at 8 am...Once shifted to various areas and given directions for our areas, I think we started at 10. We did work right to noon and were fed nice boxed lunches for attendance, BUT I come to volunteer , not be the background of politocal photo opps. I prefer to go on a regular shift day to give my time and effort to help the community. Plus I could have used that extra 2 hours sleeping in on Saturday versus hurrying up to wait. Of course 5 stars if its just a regular volunteer day, be be aware if its an event hosted by a corporation--we even were told to not bring any bags or purses in the facility because of the large number of volunteers.

The Houston Food Bank is a fun place to volunteer. There are a wide variety of different tasks to help with when you come. The staff do a good job of explaining what you will be doing and who all in the community it helps and training for each station. Each time that I've been, everyone is always friendly and helpful. There is a cafe with free coffee and snacks/meals you can purchase during your break. They have lockers on-site to store your belongings in when you come to volunteer. Make sure to wear closed toed shoes when you comes, otherwise they will give you a pair of crocs to wear. All in all, it's great to give back to the community we live in and have fun doing it.

If this lets me I'm giving it no stars! I recently had to experience going to the Houston food bank to one of their truck locations that is provided in my area. It is the only one in approximately 30 mile radius that comes twice a month. It is supposed to be from 9:00 to 11:00. I got in line at 8:40 didn't get brought into the area for pickup until 10:45 when the truck arrived, I was told it gets later and later all the time! I was picking up for two adults and a two-year-old. When it was my turn at 11:15, they put a bag of oranges, a 4 lb green cabbage and a small box that contained six ready to eat meals.!! That was it when I got home I had to toss a few of the oranges and was modified to find the ready to eat meals. Where has all the millions of dollars gone that they have received publicly lately for them to turn around to a hurting community in pass out these type of things how did they expect us to use what they gave us it was only 2 day ration if that! It was a horrible horrible experience and they should be ashamed of themselves where is the accountability! Didn't allow no stars......

A GREAT place to volunteer!! The staff is very friendly and eager to help. Fun atmosphere, fun activities to choose from and it feels wonderful to help those in need.

Nothing like being able to give back to the community. We have been here a couple time as a company and really enjoyed it. The staff is great and always eager to show us how to serve. We definitely will be back.

People are always asking what can I do to help? Well YOU can take the time and help volunteer for such great cause such as the Houston Food Bank. They are a fantastic non-profit that helps feed over 130K people each week. During restaurant week $5 dollar of each of your meal goes to the Houston food bank, that is just a small amount, if you can donate your time it will go a lot further.

I volunteered here at the Houston Food Bank Once and it was for a class trip. I had never been to this place before, but I always imagined it to be a huge place and it was. I had a great time volunteering here with my classmates. I did so many things, but what I enjoyed the most was probably packing up all the food in the box. The reason why I enjoyed this part was because I liked how fast paced it was, and they put great music there as well to keep you moving and motivated as well. Something else I also enjoyed from volunteering here was how friendly the staff were there. They make you feel very welcome and that is something I really like. It feels good to know that by volunteering here you know you are helping those in need in our community because it is tough out there. I definitely recommend coming here even if it is just for a few hours, at the end of the day you feel like a completely different person, and it is a good feeling. I will definitely come back and perhaps I'll bring a friend with me, because it is double the fun to help out with the companionship of a loved one right beside you.

I admire what the Houston Food Bank has done and continues to do for the community in which they serve. You all have helped millions of people with so many things from providing food, tips on a healthy life style and job training. You guys never stop helping those in need and I thank you for that. My family and friends have volunteered with you guys during the holidays and I know we all hope to help y'all the best we can with donating food or whatever areas needs assistance. Thank you for keeping Houston Strong and going.

I volunteered at the HFB this past weekend for Houston Cares. It was my first time volunteering in Houston and I was eager to do something meaningful. I brought several friends along with me and we had a great time. The registration process went relatively smoothly, we were assigned to an assembly line and the process was relatively easy to learn. The staff was friendly, the facility was cool in temperture and they played decent music as well. At one point, I forgot I was volunteering I was having so much fun. If you've ever considered participating in an event at Houston Food Bank, do it! Bring some friends and make it a social event. Also, be sure not to wear open to shoes and leave your belongings in your vehicle.

The Houston Food Bank has a phenomenal new facility on Portwall that is equipped to host events. I'm not exaggerating when I say with the help of their caterers and event contractors that they put together a conference for us that rivals hotels and clubs as a venue for corporate events. In addition to the conference we were able to organize a team building portion where our group volunteers with the Food Bank. The development team was organized and helped to make sure all the necessary waivers were filled out so that the day of we could launch into volunteering. It was so smart of the Food Bank to add some event space to rent out for some extra revenue, and they did a great job with this facility. It's a great place to host an event and to volunteer. I will be back on my own time to help out for sure!

Okay so... I will be starting my final semester of undergrad in a couple of weeks. With that being said for my last school winter break ever, I knew I wanted to volunteer while being back home for an entire month. My experience here has been great the past few weeks I have been coming. I absolutely adore the staff and a few actually remember my face by now. Every time I come, I end doing something different which I love. There's so many areas around the warehouse that you can help but it all depends on what exactly they need volunteers to work on that day. Either way I ALWAYS enjoy myself! Also, they are always jamming good music which makes it even more enjoyable! I would definitely recommend visiting the HFB to volunteer. I have met some really great people here in a very short amount of time!

This place is horrible all the food is spoiled beyond the dates here these people could care less about if people who come here in need of food get sick or not. My boyfriend got so sick from this place i had to rush him to the hospital he was so sick at the stomach he thought he was going to pass out. These workers probably take all the good food and then leave all the out dated dood at this pantry so others in need of food can pick up this garbage you call food I think it's ridiculous and something should be done about it which I know it won't because bu body gives a damn. If you have to go here please check your dates on your food even if the date looks good it's still not safe to eat from this place

Very nice facility.... Helpful Volunteers at Reception Desk. Received my donation quickly.

Hello Fellow Houston Cougars and Supporters, We hope this message finds you and your family safe and dry. It has been amazing to see so many people come together in helping others find normality after Hurricane Harvey's run through our Houston Community and surrounding areas. The effects to our community may take some time to repair and we're here to make a mark in the help. Our UH Bauer Alumni Association will be at the Houston Food Bank for our 6th Annual Day of Service to help in disaster relief efforts and we hope you'll join us as well! Please register online with our group this Saturday. Bring your family and friends. Please dress comfortably and wear close toed shoes. Please spread the word and share with your network. Any inquiries please email baueralumni.community@gmail.com. Go Coogs! #HoustonStrong #GiveBack #JoinUs #HoustonCommunity #CougarsCare #VolunteerEfforts #ComingTogetherForAGoodCause #HelpingOthers #StrongerTogether #HoustonFoodBank #Houston #TexasStrong #GoCoogs #SeeYallThere #RegisterOnline #ThisSaturday #KidsWelcomed #FamilyFriendly

The Houston Food Bank is a very valuable contributor to the community around me. They come to volunteer at my community park every tuesday and thursday to help those in need of food and water. The line literally curves around the corner and far down the street just to get served and I can guarantee you, everyone in that line gets served over and above. Around my neighborhood we have 3 food banks set up sites that are easily accessible to the public and I have seen it truly lift up many families in times of need, including myself. The wait in the line might be for a few good minutes but they do their best to get each and every car in and out with more than enough food to get by for the week. Not only am I pleased with the service provided, I'm also pleased with the positive spirits of the volunteers serving. A positive spirit can go a long way for a lot of people, especially me. I always look forward to seeing that line every tuesday and thursday because I know somebody's life is going to be blessed just because of the simple idea to volunteer. Not only that but I know this organization changes because I got to see how the business works inside the building and on the outside where I am the one in need of assistance. Inside the organization's facility they take pride in putting a smile on a family's face. For them it's quality over just quantity. They want to give you the best just like if you were to go shop in a grocery store and buy something fresh off the shelf. They care! You are the priority and main focus point. Teamwork and kindness is a must in the facility, because you never know what the people next to you could be going through. They just might be the same people to get served in a line of cars you serve. I know this for a fact because I was that person. That person would stand in a line full of cars waiting to be served and it felt very good to be greeted by such uplifting spirits that want to help you and are willing to use time out their day to serve you. It takes a special person to give in a time of need even if they are the ones who really need the help and security at the time. I once met a homeless person who turned their life around and gave back to the same community center that gave to them when they had nothing. And just from the strength of that, I appreciate this Houston food bank more than anything. So, I just want to give a huge thanks and send so much love to those volunteering right now because you have truly changed my viewpoint and appreciation for giving charities. Anything helps and yall do it best! Thank you very much!

What a great Non-Profit organization that helps provide food for the families in need. Spent the day sorting and preparing boxes of food for delivery. The staff was very friendly and professional. Everyone should do more of this across the country in their communities.

I volunteer at The Houston Food Bank every year and this is my favorite place to volunteer. They have incredible staff and plenty of different areas you can assist with volunteering. I love what they do around Houston and just happy to say that I contribute to helping others.

I know I will come off as a total jerk, I am ok with that ... maybe the lady that was in charge of handling my group was having a bad day, maybe some one did piss in her cheerios ... who knows but the b was m'fn rude that is for sure Listen I am not here to complain about the hard work, the maggots in boxes, the dead rats, nope none of that ... since I routinely volunteer for other organizations, all I ever look for is a smiling voice, yup that's is all I need to make me feel good about my time well, the lady in charge had no smiling voice, instead she barked orders, interrupted professional conversations and was all around disorganized on who to go to disseminate information. So no I will not volunteer here again, I will instead work on getting my company to volunteer for a different organization for the next time. Of course I will still donate food to the organization

This is a great place to give back to your community, and our community always needs the help as Farrah mentioned, not only in time of natural disasters or holidays. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never really volunteered. Well, not counting the community service I HAD to do in high school. With that said, I thought the work here would be a little intimidating. It wasn't. I spent two hours with three others (we all actually had a lot in common) stuffing boxes in a box crusher. Fun and dangerous. Here are some tips I picked up on my short time there: I highly recommend filling out paperwork and signing the waiver online. It will cut back on the amount of time that you spend in the waiting room. There were a few of us that momentarily got stuck behind a group of ten high school students until the people signing us in realized we had already filled out paperwork. I arrived around 3:30pm on a Sunday, and was told that was a great time to show up as most volunteers left around 4pm. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes that you don't mind sweating in. Also, closed-toe shoes. Anything you bring with you must fit in your pockets or be left in your car. No bags. There is a break room that is air conditioned. They had a cooler with water, plus snack machines, and tables. The employees are a bit brusk and to some extent the operation is organized haphazardly. (In the long run, everything seems to work out really well.) Just remember that these people have so many volunteers they need to organize on a daily basis; it can get a little hectic for them. As an example, I spent two hours helping load boxes into a box crusher. Three people (other than the original instruction-giver) stopped us to tell us that plastic did/did not get mixed in with the paste board boxes. We went with "did not belong." If you don't like the area you are in, or have nothing to do in said area, ask if they need help anywhere else. They don't want you to misspend your time, either.