Volunteering at MANNA Amidst the Pandemic

Safety First: Increasing Our Safety Measures To Combat COVID-19

As MANNA, we are committed to a healthy workspace, so that we can continue to be there for so many families facing a crisis right now. That’s why we have put all CDC recommendations in place. These include:

• Requiring everyone to wear face masks.
• Mandatory hand washing when entering the Volunteer Center.
• Requiring all volunteers to wear gloves.
• Temperature checks when entering the Volunteer Center.
• Encouraging volunteers to sign in on their phones (to avoid having to touch communal items).
• Keeping our ceiling fans on at all times to increase air circulation.
• Constant sanitizing of work spaces and regular sanitary fogging of the entire facilities

We have also instituted additional protocols to help keep volunteers socially distanced as much as possible, while being able to help with the hands-on work of building family food boxes, repacking bulk product, and helping quality control fresh donations.

To avoid crowding, volunteers enter the building five at a time. This allows space to be maintained between volunteers washing their hands, signing in and putting on gloves.

Safety is always our top priority for volunteers and that is especially true right now.

What You Need to Know When Volunteering

Before arriving for a volunteer shift, there are some things that may be good to know.

• Please Bring Your Own Mask. To save resources, we strongly encourage everyone to bring their own masks. It is important that your mask, however, isn’t vented. Due to safety concerns with vented masks, we do not allow them in the building.
• Everyone Coming To Volunteer Must Register Beforehand. It is important for us to know how many people will be volunteering with us prior to the beginning of a shift. This allows us to properly plan projects for volunteers and make sure we are following legally mandated capacities. To register for a shift, visit MANNA’s homepage and click Volunteer Login.
• You Can Volunteer With Your Child. We love when parents bring their children to the Volunteer Center to help out! As long as your child is capable of wearing a mask, following our safety procedures, and can actively participate in the projects, they are more than welcome to lend a helping hand!
• Volunteers Must Wear Closed Toe Shoes. While this isn’t directly related to COVID-19, because you will be volunteering in an active warehouse setting, everyone is required to be wearing closed toe shoes at all times.
• We Are Not Currently Offering Orientations. Prior to the pandemic, new volunteers were required to attend an orientation at MANNA before volunteering. Due to safety concerns, volunteer orientations have not been taking place and therefore, are no longer required before volunteering. If you would like to learn more about MANNA, however, you can watch the video on our homepage.