Nourish Your Community and Yourself as a Foodwise Volunteer
January 17, 2025
The beginning of a new year is always a time for reflection, looking back on the past while setting intentions for the future. Whether your New Year’s resolution is to give back to your community, deepen your culinary skills, or make new friends, start achieving your goals by volunteering with Foodwise.
Our farmers markets and education programs rely on the support of volunteers to help San Franciscans access fresh, healthy food while supporting local farms. Foodwise volunteers go behind the scenes at the farmers market, make memories, and form a deeper connection with our diverse and exciting Bay Area food community.
Seven Foodwise volunteers share some of the unexpected benefits and valuable experiences they’ve had while working with us. Learn more about how you can get involved at our Volunteer Orientation next Wednesday, January 22, at the Ferry Building.
Making Farmers Market Memories
When it comes to volunteering with Foodwise, there are a variety of opportunities to take on tasks that fit your interests while supporting the farmers market community. You can learn from talented Bay Area chefs while assisting in our free public cooking demos, help children get excited about fruits and veggies through our Foodwise Kids program, make fresh food accessible by empowering shoppers with services like CalFresh and Market Match at the Info Booth, or lend a hand at Foodwise’s events.
Volunteer Yuki Tatsumi gets energized exploring the market with children in our Foodwise Kids program. “We encourage the kids to ask farmers questions directly and engage with them,” she says. “When we get back from shopping in the market, we have fun activities to learn why seasonal, local, and fresh fruits and vegetables are important for both people and the planet. Then we use the produce we got from the farmers market to cook or make something delicious!”
“It’s always so fun to see the kids’ pure joy and excitement,” she adds. “Their enthusiasm is contagious. There’s such an energetic and exciting atmosphere in the air.”
Christy Li has been involved with Foodwise since 2017, including supporting our public programs at the farmers market: “I have fun memories of preparing ingredients and following recipes for cooking demonstrations, and running farmers market educational activities like fresh fruit tastings and a herb-infused sparkling water station.”
She also enjoys being a part of the team during fundraisers like Foodwise Summer Bash and Foodwise Sunday Supper, where volunteers can go behind the scenes at a large-scale event to fill important roles like checking in guests, bid spotting, and setting up decor.
If you’re more artistically inclined, Foodwise’s education team often asks volunteers to lead craft activities at farmers market events. “I loved staffing the winter craft station at the Black Holiday Market, where we had ornament decorating as the activity. It was geared towards kids, but we had people of all ages join in, and everyone really enjoyed and appreciated the programming,” says longtime volunteer Chelsea Kaufman, “It’s a great example of how Foodwise engages and brings the community together in different ways.”
Connecting with a Vibrant Food Community
Just as planting seeds at the right time can lead to a bountiful harvest, supporting the farmers market community proves rewarding for volunteers who come back time and time again, whether that means meeting neighbors or getting cooking inspiration from the city’s best chefs.
“The most rewarding part of volunteering is developing relationships with both the staff and Foodwise Teens, but also the larger community as a whole,” says Michelle Kilkenny, who often supports our Info Booth and Veggie Valet at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. While she’s there, she answers visitors’ questions about what’s going on in the market or where to find certain vendors or products, which sparks great conversations with all of the people she meets.
“I’ve met people at the market that I didn’t realize were my neighbors in Cole Valley. I just love running into folks and being able to talk about what we’re all eating!” says Michelle, “I’ve met Pete Buttigieg, Daniel Lurie, and Joe Montana. I also love seeing what all the local chefs are buying, which allows me to develop my own menus at home using the same ingredients! I also ask them all for tips and hints on what to prepare.”
Nourishing Your Whole Self
However you choose to plug in to Foodwise’s various opportunities, volunteering has many benefits for yourself and your community. “Volunteering gives us the opportunity to give back and network, which is beneficial for our overall well-being,” says Wayne Lam, who has been supporting Foodwise since 2017.
“I believe I hold the distinction of volunteering for just about every activity, from event work and prep to Foodwise Kids to Foodwise Teens garden work to office work!” says Carol Henri, who began volunteering regularly during the pandemic and keeps coming back. Her advice to new volunteers is to lean into what they already enjoy, “Come in with an open mind and an awareness of your personal strengths and preferences, so you can gravitate to the tasks that best suit you.”
If you’ve resolved to break out of your comfort zone in 2025, volunteering with Foodwise gives you the chance to find something in common with people from many different walks of life.
“When I first started volunteering with Foodwise, I was shy and hesitant because I didn’t know anyone, aside from a few coworkers I occasionally convinced to join me,” says Audrey Wang, who insists that volunteering with Foodwise was a highlight of her time living in San Francisco. “I quickly discovered that the community of volunteers is incredibly kind and welcoming. There’s always something—a conversation, a small moment, or a shared experience—that inspires me to keep coming back. Volunteering with Foodwise has helped me through some tough times, and you never know what might be out there that could inspire you as well.”
Want to become a volunteer for Foodwise?
Learn more at our Volunteer Orientation on Wednesday, January 22, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Ferry Building. Stick around at the end to meet and mingle with staff and fellow volunteers and enjoy delicious food from the farmers market.