Frequently Asked Questions about Volunteering at Feeding South Dakota
I want to volunteer! How do I sign up to do that?
Excellent! The first step in volunteering is to register for an account on our Community Connect site. Please see our welcome page for step-by-step instructions and how to get help registering. Middle and High School students who register on our site will need to use a non-school issued email address.
Registering as a volunteer is crucial to our ability to plan for your workday and keep you safe in our buildings. Once registered, you can then sign up online for our volunteer opportunities.
I want to volunteer with family, friends, or coworkers. How do I get us all signed up together to help?
We love volunteer groups large and small!
If you're volunteering and want to bring along more than just yourself - just click on the "RESPOND AS TEAM" button on the opportunity page and register as a team. You can reserve slots on a shift for your team members, even if they don't have their own email addresses or you don't know who they are yet. Here is a great video tutorial on how to RESPOND AS A TEAM and another video on HOW TO MANAGE your team. Please note: Reserved team slots not claimed will be released to the public one week before your volunteer opportunity to ensure all shifts are full to complete projects on time.
It's important that we know how many people will be arriving for shifts so we can have accurate numbers for safety and project planning. If you'd like to volunteer with a friend or a family member, please register individually and take separate slots in the shifts or sign up as a team. Please don't write in the notes section that you're bringing along a buddy or relative as we don't always see that info immediately - especially for last-minute registrations.
Our welcome page gives some great tips on how to create and manage teams, and here's a great help article!
Can I just show up? Why not?
In order to create a safe and enjoyable volunteer experience, every volunteer needs to register in advance and sign up for an opportunity that has available slots in a shift. This helps our staff to be better prepared for everyone and to ensure we don’t have too many people in our buildings at one time.
What forms do I need to complete?
You’ll need to review and sign our volunteer waiver and privacy statement before volunteering. This waiver will need to be updated yearly. Also, please read our Volunteering Guidelines before you arrive. If you're a volunteer team leader, please make sure your team members see these guidelines as well.
How far out are you booking volunteer opportunities?
Volunteer shifts are posted quarterly throughout the year. If you're interested in booking a volunteer date for your team at any of our locations in Sioux Falls, Pierre, or Rapid City and the month or week isn't yet shown on the website, please send an email to info@feedingsouthdakota.org and it will be routed to the appropriate volunteer coordinator for your area.
Where are you located?
We have three locations across the state of South Dakota where volunteer opportunities take place. Some volunteer opportunities are located off-site, and those locations will be noted in the volunteer opportunity information.
All listed volunteer shift times are local - for those who may be traveling from outside South Dakota to volunteer on mission trips, etc., please note that Sioux Falls and Pierre are in the Central time zone, and Rapid City is Mountain.
Sioux Falls: 4701 N. Westport Ave., north of the Sanford sports complex and south of J&L Harley-Davidson.
Pierre: 20562 Grace Ave., off Highway 14.
Rapid City: 1111 N. Creek Dr., off I-90 E near Rushmore Crossing.
How old do I have to be to volunteer?
Our volunteer projects take place in an active warehouse environment or off sight at our mobile food distributions. Our priority is to keep everyone safe. Youth under age 18 must have a volunteer waiver signed by a parent or guardian before volunteering. Youth aged 14-17 can volunteer independently with a volunteer waiver signed by a parent or guardian. Youth aged 11-13 must have a signed waiver and volunteer with a parent or guardian.
Youth volunteers who have a non-school issued email address can register online. Once the registration is complete and waiver has been signed by the youth volunteer, an email will be sent to the parent / guardian email address to e-sign, granting permission for the child to volunteer. If online registration is not an option, please print this volunteer waiver ahead of time and bring along to the volunteer opportunity.
Should I volunteer if I have food allergies?
Feeding South Dakota asks volunteers with food allergies to use their best judgement when determining to participate in food packing. We cannot guarantee an allergy-free environment and strongly advise that volunteers with severe or life-threatening food allergies do not attend food packing events. Since much of the food we pack is donated from various sources, it is possible that the food has been in contact with certain food allergens. We are also unable to notify our volunteers what products we will be packing until the start of the volunteer shift.
What is my time commitment?
The commitment is completely up to you! You may volunteer for one shift or as often as you wish. You may volunteer as a part of a group and then decide that you would like to continue volunteering as an individual. We are delighted to work with you to fit your needs and schedule.
Do you have weekend volunteer shifts?
Right now, the majority of our volunteer opportunities are weekdays, we do have some weeknights at all three locations, and their are limited volunteers opportunities to help with our mobile distributions on the weekends.
What kind of work will volunteers be doing?
Tasks vary depending by location, volunteer schedule, and the work that needs to be accomplished to end hunger across the state of South Dakota. Work may include sorting perishable or non-perishable food, packing food into boxes for distribution, repackaging bulk food, labeling packaged food items, packing food bags for the BackPack Program, and distributing food to people in need.
What skills are required?
No specific skills are needed, just a willingness to work and a positive attitude. Feeding South Dakota has staff in our facilities who will provide brief orientation to the work at hand. Safety is important to us, and we value your time as a volunteer!
What do I need to bring and wear?
Closed-toe/closed-heel comfortable, safe footwear is required. Anyone wearing open-toe/open-heel shoes, sandals, Crocs, Keens, flip-flops, or slides will not be allowed to volunteer in the distribution center or at our mobile distributions.
We keep our warehouses at a cooler temperature for food safety, so wearing comfortable clothes in layers is a good idea. You’ll likely be moving around a lot. Some volunteer opportunities take place outside, so be prepared and dress in layers if the volunteer opportunity states that you may be outdoors.
We will provide gloves for you to wear, and if you're helping direct traffic and/or load food into vehicles for a community food distribution, we'll provide you with safety gear.
Please leave valuables, purses, or backpacks locked in your vehicle for your safety and security. Feeding South Dakota is not responsible for lost and/or stolen items brought into our facilities.
What will happen before and when I arrive at the Feeding South Dakota building?
Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time. You will sign a log book recording that you have entered our building – that’s for our warehouse safety records. You will then check-in for your shift using our Kiosk check-in or through the CauseConnect app. You will fill out a name tag, wash your hands, and wait in our volunteer area.
When everyone is ready, a Feeding South Dakota staff member will introduce the shift’s project and give a brief orientation to the work and you’ll get started.
We will ensure regular volunteer breaks throughout the shift for water and restroom and to clean and sanitize work areas.
How do I cancel my volunteer date?
Log in to your Community Connect account to cancel your volunteer date. You may also use the link provided in your confirmation email.
Volunteer teams that wish to cancel or reschedule their volunteer day should do so using Feeding South Dakota's Community Connect site.
We know it's not always possible, but we request that groups please provide at least one week's notice when canceling or rescheduling to allow us to make contingency plans.
If you're not able to use the site to cancel or reschedule, please call 605-335-0364 or email info@feedingsouthdakota.org.
How do I track my hours?
By checking in with our Kiosk or the CauseConnect app, our volunteer management site will log your volunteer hours.
How can I print out and share my volunteer hours?
You can export your hours from the Track Hours tab in your volunteer profile, or you can download your volunteer resume that highlights your volunteer activity for a selected date range.
This print-out includes graphs showing volunteer hours by month and what types of volunteer work has been done. The data shown on the resume is pulled from your responses and submitted volunteer hours. Check out this help article on how to access and use the volunteer resume.
I know I completed volunteer hours in the past, but there's no record of them. Help!
Good news! You can log past volunteer hours completed even weeks and months ago by clicking the Add Hours button on the top of your screen.
Just fill in the boxes with the requested information, and when asked for the staff who can confirm the hours completed, enter 'Jennifer Stensaas' and 'jennifer.stensaas@feedingsouthdakota.org'. Your hours will be approved shortly.
Here's a help document on how to use Add Hours.
Can you sign my form showing that I completed volunteer hours?
Please bring your form with you to your volunteer shift and present it to a staff member after your shift is complete. Any Feeding South Dakota staff member can sign it to verify you completed the hours. Note that if you need documentation for court-ordered community service hours, you will need to complete a community service volunteer agreement before staff can sign off on your hours.
Do you provide water?
Water in plastic disposable bottles is available for volunteers. You can also bring your own water bottle if you wish. We also have water fountains available for volunteers, visitors, and staff.
Unless you are working with a group that informed you they will provide it, food is not available for volunteers. You may bring your own food that can be eaten in designated volunteer areas.
What type of restroom facilities are on site?
We have restrooms available for volunteers to use at any time during their shift.
What if someone is not comfortable during their volunteer shift? What if I get sick during my shift?
Please inform a Feeding South Dakota staff member if you are uncomfortable with the task that you have been assigned or for any other reason. If you feel ill while volunteering, please let a staff member know immediately so we can help you.
Do you accept court-referred community service volunteers?
Court-referred community service volunteers can complete the Court-Referred Community Service Volunteer Agreement or send an email to info@feedingsouthdakota.org to request one. Once approved, the community service volunteer will create a profile through our Community Connect volunteer management site and will register for shifts in advance. Once the volunteer has met the total hour requirements determined by the court, the volunteer will notify the site volunteer coordinator and a certificate of hours completed will then be issued.
Do you accept matching grants from my company for volunteer work?
Yes! Remind your volunteers to take advantage of matching-grants or gifts their organization offers.
How can I donate funds to help Feeding South Dakota's mission of ending hunger?
You can donate online here or call 605-335-0364 to speak with a member of our development staff.
