On The House: Nourishing Communities, Reducing Waste |
At On The House, we harness the power of community to create meaningful change. Our mission is built on three interconnected pillars:
1. Reducing Food Waste
Every day, businesses discard tons of perfectly good food. We:
- Rescue this food from going to waste
- Carefully sort and distribute it
- Prevent unnecessary waste while giving back to our environment and community
2. Feeding Those in Need
We believe everyone deserves access to nutritious food. Our comprehensive approach includes:
- Operating pop-up Free Stores across the community
- Providing individuals and families with free, nutritious food
- Supporting foodbanks and community groups with surplus food from our central Hub
- Ensuring access to healthy kai, regardless of circumstances
3. Building Community Through Connection and Participation
Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our mission. They:
- Sort food at our central Hub
- Help at our Free Stores, filling reusable bags with essentials
- Forge friendships and share experiences beyond their volunteer work
What sets us apart is the sense of community we foster. It's not just about giving—it's about:
- Growing together
- Sharing joy
- Making a lasting impact
Join us in this rewarding journey. Together, we can create a stronger, more connected community while addressing crucial issues of food waste and hunger.
| Join the Team. We'd love to have you |
On The House Values:
- Treat everyone with kindness, compassion, and respect
- Non-religious and apolitical
- No judgement of others
Requirements:
- Reliable,
- Responsible,
- Able to lift up to 20kgs,
- 16 years of age or older
Commitment:
At least 12 shifts over 6 months
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More Information on the Roles Available at On The House
Free Store Setup
As a Free Store Setup volunteer, you'll play a crucial role in preparing our pop-up Free Stores for operation. Your responsibilities include:
- Setting up tables and organizing the space
- Assisting drivers with unloading food deliveries from the Hub
- Allocating food boxes to appropriate tables
- Bagging loose items for distribution
- Preparing the area for Service volunteers to take over
This role is perfect for early birds who enjoy hands-on work and creating order from chaos!
Shift hours:
Mondays and Thursdays: 2pm-4pm
Wednesdays Over 65s: 12:30pm-1:30pm
Wednesdays Stratford: 2pm-4pm
Note for shift:
- Wash your hands
- Tie long hair back
- Wear closed toe shoes
Free Store Service
Free Store Service volunteers are the heart of our distribution process. In this role, you will:
- Receive reusable shopping bags from customers
- Fill bags with a variety of rescued food items
- Return filled bags to customers
- Assist with packing up tables and cleaning at the end of the Free Store session
Ideal for those who enjoy customer interaction and have a knack for efficient packing!
Shift hours:
Mondays and Thursdays: 4pm-6:30pm and 4:30pm-6:30pm
Wednesdays Over 65s: 1:15pm-3pm
Wednesdays Stratford: 4pm-6:30pm and 4:30pm-6:30pm
Note for shift:
- Wash your hands
- Tie long hair back
- Wear closed toe shoes
Customer Engagement
As a Customer Engagement volunteer, you'll be the friendly face of our Free Store, responsible for:
- Explaining our coloured stick system to new customers
- Managing the bag drop-off and pickup process
- Answering customer questions and addressing concerns
- Ensuring smooth operation of the customer queue
- Maintaining a positive atmosphere in the waiting area
Perfect for outgoing individuals who excel at clear communication and enjoy problem-solving!
Shift hours:
Mondays and Thursdays: 4pm-6:30pm
Wednesdays Over 65s: 1:15pm-3pm
Wednesdays Stratford: 4pm-6:30pm
Note for shift:
- Wash your hands
- Wear closed toe shoes
Free Store Driver
Free Store Drivers are essential in bringing food from our suppliers to the Free Stores. In this role, you'll:
- Use your own vehicle to collect donated food from partner caterers
- Follow a designated route to pick up supplies
- Deliver collected food to the Free Store location
- Work with Setup volunteers to unload donations
Ideal for those with a valid driver's license, reliable vehicle, and a desire to see the direct impact of their efforts!
Shift hours:
Mondays and Thursdays: 1:30pm-3pm, 2pm-3:30pm and 2:30pm-4pm
Note for shift:
- Wear hi-vis vest or jacket and name tag
- Follow instructions on route sheets
Food Hub Sorter
As a Hub Food Sorter, you play a vital role in preparing rescued food for distribution. Your responsibilities include:
- Receiving food donations at our central Hub
- Weighing and sorting incoming food items
- Packing food into banana boxes, ensuring each weigh no more than 15kg
- Preparing banana boxes for collection by foodbanks and community groups
- Organizing banana boxes for delivery to our Free Stores
- Maintaining a clean and organized workspace
Ideal for detail-oriented individuals who enjoy hands-on work and are passionate about reducing food waste. You'll be working alongside our Hub team to ensure efficient food distribution to those in need.
Shift hours:
Monday to Friday: 11:30am-2pm
Note for shift:
- Wash your hands
- Tie long hair back
- Wear closed toe shoes
What is our Mission? Think of 3 core pillars:
Reduce food waste
Feed people who need it
Build community through connection and participation
