FAQ

All your questions answered.

We are located at 179 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, 02130 just steps from Stony Brook Station on the MBTA Orange Line.  We also have a parking lot designated for volunteer use on a first-come first-served basis.

Weekdays

  • 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  • 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  • 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Volunteer tasks in our production kitchen include chopping, peeling, and processing produce; portioning out entrees, soups, salads, and snacks; and assembling meal bags for delivery to our clients’ homes.

Yes. We follow a strict kitchen dress code to ensure the safety of our volunteers and the quality of our food. Volunteers are required to adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Long-sleeved shirt
  • Long pants without rips or tears
  • Closed-toed shoes that completely cover the foot

We will provide hairnets, beard nets, aprons, and gloves on-site.

Volunteers must be at least 13 years old to work in our kitchen. All minor volunteers (under 18 years old) MUST have a youth waiver signed by a parent or guardian or we will not allow them to volunteer. We will not allow volunteers under 18 to use knives.

People under age 13 can help us by making cards for our clients. Please see the following Guidelines for Card Making to make sure your cards meet our needs.

No prior experience is necessary! We will provide new volunteers with a 15-minute orientation at the start of their first shift. Our team will show you exactly what you need to do in the kitchen.

We do not offer weekend volunteer opportunities at this time.

We expect volunteers to volunteer for the duration of their scheduled shift.

If you are interested in volunteering on a regular basis, please contact Stacey Terlik, Manager of Volunteer Services, at to set up a reoccurring volunteer schedule.

Yes. We welcome volunteers to help with our special events, Pie in the Sky (September – Thanksgiving) and LifeSavor (Spring).

We also need a few volunteers who can commit to delivering meals to our clients in the Greater Boston area once a week. Shifts take place on weekdays and require a 2-hour time commitment (minimum). Contact Stacey Terlik, Manager of Volunteer Services, at , for more information.

Yes! We can accommodate groups of up to 30 people during morning and midday shifts, and groups of 15 in the evening.

We also love hosting corporate volunteer groups in our kitchen. Our high-impact, hands-on volunteer experience is a great way to strengthen bonds between coworkers while giving back to our community.

Individual volunteering is free. Volunteers who would like to donate to support our meal program are welcome to do so online or on-site.

Opportunities for corporate kitchen volunteer shifts are available daily, Monday through Friday. We can accommodate groups of up to 30 people during morning and midday shifts, and groups of 15 in the evening. For corporate volunteer shifts, a minimum $75 donation per volunteer per shift is required. Donations provide two weeks’ worth of scratch-made medically tailored meals to our clients.

To learn more, contact Stacey Terlik, Manager of Volunteer Services, at or 617-522-7777 x 324.

To help protect our staff and our clients from illness, we ask that you refrain from volunteering if you are experiencing symptoms such as coughing, fever, chills, body aches, chest congestion, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, or diarrhea.

Masks are optional at Community Servings. We do not require volunteers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Yes. We are happy to provide documentation at the end of your completed volunteer hours. We ask that volunteers sign in and out for their shifts to keep an accurate hour count, and to communicate what kind of paperwork or documentation we need to provide in advance.

Yes. You will receive a 15-minute new-volunteer orientation led by the Volunteer Team staff prior to the start of your first volunteer shift.  The orientation will include an overview of our mission and a food safety training. For subsequent shifts, you will not need to repeat orientation.

  1. To sign up for your first shift, please see our online calendar. To scroll by month, click the arrows at the top of the calendar.
  2. Select the shift that you would like and click “sign up”.
  3. Enter your first name, last name, email, phone number, and check the box if you are under the age of 18.  Click “sign up” to submit.
  4. After you sign up for a shift, you will receive two confirmation emails:
    • One email will include a link to the waiver form which you should sign electronically before your first shift (or have a parent/guardian sign electronically if you are under the age of 18).  The email will also include a link to your personal volunteer portal page where you can manage your volunteer profile, sign up for other shifts, see shift availability, and track your service hours.
    • The other email confirms the date and time of the shift that you signed up for.
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