Become an Adult Volunteer

Delivery Angels

We always need Delivery Angels. If you are interested, please see the JOB DESCRIPTION on our Delivery Angel Resources page and apply below or email Sophie@nullteenkitchenproject.org.

This is one of the most essential volunteer positions at Teen Kitchen Project, because the Delivery Angels are responsible for making sure that the meals our teens prepare are delivered promptly and with love to our clients. 

Responsibilities: 

• Being prompt and responsive to emails and calls from our staff. 
• Keeping confidential all information about Teen Kitchen clients. 
• Reflecting the Teen Kitchen culture of love, respect, and nurturing to our clients and  families. 
• Being dependable in your commitment, including being on time on delivery days. 
• Being flexible, having a good sense of humor and an inclination to persevere. 
• Providing a copy of your driver’s license and proof of insurance. 
• Willing to use Onfleet, a mobile delivery app on your phone, for deliveries. 
• Communicating clearly with TKP staff with issues or questions regarding the deliveries. 

An overview of what this job entails: 

Delivery hours are 12:30-3pm Monday through Thursday.

Before delivery day: 

• The Delivery Angel signs up for delivery shifts on a spreadsheet using the link provided. 
• You will receive your delivery information in the Onfleet app by 6 p.m. on the Saturday before the week before you will deliver. If you signed up, please assume you will deliver unless we notify you otherwise. 

On delivery day:  

Meals Pick-up: A staff member or volunteer will be there to greet you and distribute the meal bags. Please go to the front door of the Soquel location or to the TKP van at the Watsonville location. 

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays you will pick up your meals at the Soquel kitchen: • 2890 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95062 

• Accessible via Bostwick Ln. off of 7th Ave.
• We share the space with Kitchen 831
• Please arrive between 12:30-12:45pm

On Tuesdays you will pick up your meals at:

WATSONVILLE: 95 Alta Vista Avenue in Watsonville between 12:30- 12:45pm. This is the Lutheran Community Church.

Grocery Bagging Volunteer

Located at our office at 8061 Aptos St., Aptos, CA 95003

The Grocery Bagging Volunteer helps pack our medically-tailored grocery bags with shelf stable goods and fresh produce. Must be committed to a regular weekly schedule and communicate with Grocery Program Manager Brittney Ruiz and team. 

Monday-Thursday 

10:00-11:00am  

(Volunteer chooses one or more day) 

Duties: 

• Bag grocery items in bags according to standard weekly menu 
• Restock items on shelves 
• Some basic organizing of shelves and cleaning  
• Requires ability to lift boxes and flats of food, up to 25 lbs. 
• Some Volunteers may also be needed to help with product pick up from Grocery Outlet (primarily Mondays) 
• (Thursday) De-icing produce and packing produce bags, placing specific number of fruits and veggies into plastic bags and storing them in fridge 
• General cleaning each day including breaking down boxes, sweeping, mopping, sanitizing tables before leaving

Kitchen Mentor  

Located at our Soquel kitchen, 2890 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Weekly volunteer times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 12-3pm, 3-6pm OR 6-8pm. A regular commitment is ideal, but please let us know if you are available for short-term volunteering.

Responsibilities

• Assist kitchen team in creating weekly menus for upwards of 280 clients served throughout Santa Cruz County.
• Assist with kitchen operations including: kitchen set-up, cleaning throughout shift, prepping, cooking, assembling, and packaging meals, and kitchen clean up at the end of the shift.
• Participate in a culture of youth ownership and leadership
• Ensure that all meals leaving the kitchen are beautiful, delicious, nutritious, and adhere to nutritional and portioning guidelines.
• Help ensure compliance with all health and safety procedures.

An overview of what this job entails:

Support our kitchen staff and teens to prepare hundreds of meals to be delivered to your neighbors experiencing critical and chronic illness in Santa Cruz County. You will be washing, chopping, cooking vegetables and meats (3 out of 4 of our main dishes are vegetarian), using a variety of cooking techniques, package meals, wash dishes and (of course), cleaning.

Qualifications:

• ServeSafe Food Handler
• Cooking skills
• Leadership skills and a capacity for mentorship
• Ability to stay calm and keep your sense of humor in a fast-paced environment
• Has a good awareness of self
• Ability and desire to be in a work environment that values working as a team, relationships and giving and receiving honest feedback
• Reflecting the Teen Kitchen culture of love, respect, and nurturing to our teens.

Labelling Volunteer 

The labelling volunteers put stickers on our meal containers for our client bags. We have a few people who come on Thursday mornings to do labelling, but have flexibility if another day Monday-Wednesday works better.  

2 hours once a week. 

Task involves repetitive movements, can be seated or standing.

Office Support Volunteer 

The Office Support Volunteer helps with client services tasks such as client phone surveys, end of service and welcome packet creation, holiday call lists, and other miscellaneous tasks. Seeking both English and Spanish-speaking volunteers.

1-2 hours a week 

Flexible Monday-Thursday 9:30am-4:30pm.