Volunteer
Give back to your community, support a healthy food system, and gain valuable skills by volunteering with Foodwise. Volunteers are vital members of our team who perform a wide range of duties such as assisting customers at our farmers markets, supporting chef demos, teaching kids to cook, and helping out behind the scenes at the Foodwise office. Make new friends and get hands-on culinary, event, and nonprofit experience by sharing your time and talents with Foodwise.
Individual Volunteering
To get started, please complete our online application and read through our volunteer handbook. You will also need to attend an volunteer orientation (which we host every three to five months) or watch a recording of one.
Our next volunteer orientation is on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 5:30 pm, at the San Francisco Ferry Building; please sign up here. If you are not able to attend or want to get started sooner, email for a link to the latest recording.
Have questions? Please contact us:
Volunteer Opportunities
Here are brief descriptions of some of the opportunities available at Foodwise. For more details, download our handbook.
Farmers Market
- Information Booth Volunteer: Assist farmers market shoppers, answer questions, and promote programs and events.
- Veggie Valet Volunteer: Provide temporary storage for market shoppers’ purchases.
- Food Access & Outreach Volunteer: Raise awareness about CalFresh and promote budget-friendly eating within the farmers market.
Education
- Foodwise Kids Volunteer: Support and facilitate farmers market field trips and cooking classes for kids.
- Foodwise Teens Volunteer: Support cooking classes for teens at the market.
- Education Programs Volunteer: Assist in preparation, promotion, and management of formal education programs.
Events and Outreach
- Events Volunteer: Assist with preparation, promotion, and execution of fundraising events.
- Outreach Volunteer: Represent and engage the public in Foodwise mission at fairs and festivals.
- Communications Volunteer: Assist in the promotion of farmers markets and education programs. Special skills include writing, photography, or graphic design.
Administration
- Database Management Volunteer: Assist with data entry and database management.
What’s it like to volunteer with Foodwise? Meet some of our dedicated community members as they describe their experiences and share why they give their time.
Internship Opportunities
Foodwise offers both paid an unpaid internship opportunities to support and participate in our programs more deeply.
Group Volunteering and Corporate Team Building
Enjoy a curated team-building experience that supports employee retention, fosters health and wellness, and puts your corporate social responsibility goals in action. Foodwise coordinates activities for groups of 10 to 20. Participants enjoy an experience that builds community within their team, deepens understanding of sustainable food systems, and ends by sharing fresh and delicious food from the farmers market. In a single shift, you’ll be helping to feed and educate hundreds of people in our city!