Join the Small Revolution of Kindness
Our Vision for Volunteers
Volunteers play a key role in the small revolution of kindness. Common Heart wants to provide opportunities for volunteers to joyfully serve with love and compassion and to be an inspiration for others to do the same. Serving with Common Heart is also an opportunity to create positive relationships both with fellow volunteers and with the neighbors being served, recognizing the value of others.
Volunteer Opportunities
Each month, Common Heart has roughly 600 volunteer slots available in our Indian Trail and Marshville locations as well as at food pantries hosted multiple times per week throughout Union County. In 2022, our average number of volunteers per month was 326. We have room for you!
We do a lot of different things, so we need all kinds of volunteers…
- Morning/Afternoon Cupboard Volunteers
- Volunteers assist in the pantry areas to weigh and sort food donations, help pack food items, stock shelves, and put food away in refrigerators and freezers. Volunteers will also help keep the pantry clean and organized.
- Evening and Mobile Food Pantries
- Volunteers join us at food pantries hosted throughout the county where they assist in distributing packs of food items to our neighbors.
- Learn more about the Pantries.
- Grocery Rescue Team
- Volunteers drive to local stores and restaurants, pick up surplus food items, and deliver them to Indian Trail and Marshville Cupboard locations. Grocery Rescue supplies a significant amount of the food Common Heart distributes to our neighbors.
- Cupboard Ally Volunteers
- Volunteers deliver food items once a month to neighbors who are unable to get to the regular food pantry events.
- Learn more about the Cupboard Ally Program.
- Emergency Box Drivers
- Volunteers who are on-call to deliver food to neighbors in immediate need.
- Administrative/Virtual Volunteers
- Volunteers who help with administrative/office tasks either at a Common Heart location or remotely.
- Special Events Volunteers
- Volunteers assist with the planning and execution of Common Heart’s fundraisers and special campaigns.
These opportunities to serve occur several times throughout the week, with morning, afternoon, and evening hours. If you wish to participate, we can find something that works with your schedule.
All ages are welcome to volunteer, however any volunteer under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Volunteers 12 and up can volunteer by themselves, but if they are under 18 then a parent/guardian must cosign the terms and conditions in their volunteer profile. Only volunteers 12 and up are allowed to volunteer at mobile pantries.
Please note: Help stop the spread of COVID-19.
- If you feel unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 during the past 14 days, please cancel your registration and stay home.
- You must sign in upon arrival.
- If you have been fully vaccinated, unless otherwise directed by the pantry manager, you may go without a mask while volunteering. This goes for both indoor and outdoor volunteering events.
- Pantry volunteers are required to wear gloves. We provide both masks and gloves.
- If after volunteering you develop symptoms and/or have a positive test for COVID within 5 days of volunteering, please notify us immediately.
Please contact us with questions or notifications by emailing volunteer@