Become a Volunteer for Feeding It Forward
Give back while paying it forward and help our community.
Becoming a volunteer is easy with ChowMatch, our web tool and mobile app. ChowMatch matches food donations directly with food assistance organizations and then alerts volunteer food runners who pick up and deliver the food.
Volunteering as a food runner, you choose whether, when and how far to transport food — on a regular, weekly basis and/or just for a one-time food run.
Feeding It Forward needs you to be successful. Volunteers can:
- Pick up excess food from restaurants, grocers, companies, farms
- Deliver the food to outreach organizations
- Volunteer as an individual, with family, or with co-workers
- Share your delivery route with a friend
- Make a difference in our community!
To volunteer as a food runner, please sign-up on the ChowMatch application.
Volunteering at Special Events and other large food recoveries
We can use your help! Feeding It Forward recovers excess food from events and other generous food generators in Napa County. We can use people to assist with collecting, loading, unloading at distribution sites, and recoding the information while maintaining overall safety and food safety.
It takes many hands to accomplish this, so we hope you will join us as a volunteer for these opportunities!
We appreciate your consideration, and we hope to have you join us in our fight against food waste and food insecurity
Frequently Asked Questions by Volunteers
Frequently Asked Questions by Volunteers
Who can volunteer as a food runner?
We welcome individuals, families, and groups to volunteer as food runners if the driver is 18+ years, has a good driving record and auto insurance, a clean vehicle, and a few extra hours. Volunteers choose regular weekly food runs or one-time or occasional food runs to fit your schedule. You choose the distance in miles between your residence and food donors within Napa County in which you’d like to pick up food.
How do I learn how to handle and transport food safely?
Food Safety is critical for the well-being of all food recipients.
We ask that all volunteers review safe food handling guidelines. After reviewing, you will take a short multiple-choice quiz during the sign-up process. Once you successfully complete the quiz, Feeding It Forward will activate your account and you will begin receiving food run requests. If you don’t pass the quiz the first time around, please review the information and take it again.
How do I get a food run?
When a donor posts a donation, it is automatically matched to one of the Feeding It Forward network food assistance organizations. Then all volunteers with appropriately-sized vehicles and within the distance specified to donors will receive an email request with the details including timeframe, location, and any special instructions. The first volunteer to accept the food run will get it. As soon as a volunteer food runner accepts the run and all parties are notified with details and contact information.
TIP: Check for all available food runs in your web account or with your mobile app, in Your account>Volunteer>Available Runs.
What do I need and what is provided for safe food handling and transportation?
All regular active volunteers will receive a Feeding It Forward customized apron and placard clipboard. Please wear your apron during food runs. You can access the Food Donation Tracking Form online. On every food run, have the donor, recipient, and yourself sign the form to satisfy health regulations.
Download a list of items to take on food runs. Contact the FIFNV administrator to borrow thermometers, thermal blankets and produce crates for those who have regular weekly food runs. You may want to invest in an instant read thermometer (less than $10) if you regularly transport prepared foods.
Regular Food Runners
Each week you pick up food during the same time window and deliver it to an organization. Or, each week pick up food from the same donor and take it to the same recipient.
On-Call Food Runners
Our ChowMatch application will alert you of available food runs. We may also call, email, or text you to see if you can make a same-day pickup and delivery.