Opportunities for Teens

There are many ways teens can volunteer at AFAC. Teens younger than 14 must volunteer with a parent or guardian. Teens under 18 must bring a signed copy of the Minor Hold Harmless form when they volunteer.

We are happy to help teens earn required service hours.  We can write letters and sign school forms. Teens, if you have a service requirement, please plan ahead!  There are very few last-minute or weekend opportunities.

Volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes to work in the warehouse.

Here are some ways teens can help:

Sponsor a food drive

Getting more food is AFAC's most urgent need. Plus you can help when it fits your schedule.

Have a neighborhood food drive
Give empty grocery bags to be filled to your neighbors or teammates. Cover a larger neighborhood by getting your friends to help.  Click here for a sample flyer to attach to the bag. 

Organize a school food drive
Put a collection bin in your school or community organization.  Click here for more information on organizing a food drive.

Collect food at a grocery store
Most grocery store managers will give you permission to collect food for AFAC. Make flyers to pass out to shoppers and collect the donations as they leave the store. Contact Carlton Crockett at AFAC (carlton.crockett@afac.org) to get food drive boxes and arrange to drop off the donations.

Come to AFAC's Bagging Nights

Bagging nights happen the first, second, third and fourth Wednesday of each month. If the month has a fifth Wednesday, we won't be bagging.

AFAC buys bulk chicken at discounted prices. You'll re-bag the chicken into family size portions. Wear your old duds and we'll provide the aprons and gloves. You must wear closed-toe shoes to volunteer.

The bagging nights start promptly at 6:30 and ends between 7:30-8pm.

Join a weekend bagging team

On Saturdays from 12:30-2:30pm year round and Sundays from 1:30-3:30pm in the summer and fall, volunteers come to AFAC to help in the warehouse. In the summer and fall, teams bag produce donated from farmers markets. In the winter and spring, they bag oatmeal, rice and beans and do other behind-the-scenes tasks. Once you submit a Volunteer Profile form, we will send you the link to sign up to volunteer on the weekends.

Summer Teen Program

From 9:30 to 12:30 each weekday during the summer, teens age 14 and older volunteer in AFAC's warehouse and office. Teens may sign up to volunteer 1 or 2 mornings per week. We are very flexible so you can fit your volunteering in around camps and vacations.

You can read more about the program and find the applications forms on this webpage - summer teen program.

Sponsor a walk or run for AFAC

Two Yorktown students organized a 5K for AFAC and raised over $300.  Email Charlie Meng, our Executive Director at charles.meng@afac.org, to learn more about organizing a similar event.

Hold a bake sale or yard sale

and donate the proceeds to AFAC.

Start a garden at your school. 

Go to the Plot Against Hunger website for more information.

Volunteer at big food drives, over the winter holidays or spring break.

Help publicize big food drives

Having trouble fitting volunteering into your busy schedule? Here's a project you can do on your own schedule. Go with friends to distribute flyers to all the houses in your neighborhood. We need help leafleting and making posters in May before the Letter Carriers food drive and in November before the Boy Scout food drive. We'll provide the flyers so please email us at volunteer4afac@afac.org if you’d like to help.

 

For more information, please contact one of our volunteer coordinators,
Puwen Lee, Mona Bormet, Laura Jackson or Danielle Rampton
at volunteer4afac@afac.org or (703-845-8486).

AFAC's fax number is 703-845-8491.