Volunteer with Yad Ezra

Interested in Volunteering?

All volunteer hours must be scheduled in advance. Please do not show up without a scheduled volunteer session.

We have several ways to get involved with Yad Ezra. Please read all the information below before signing up.

Policy on minors volunteering: Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult during their volunteer session. All participants must sign a waiver. Children under 10 are encouraged to volunteer with the Giving Gardens and holiday food drives and distributions.

Getting Started

If you’re interested in volunteering, please review all volunteer opportunities listed below, then sign up on our volunteer platform by click the green button on the right side of the page.

If you’re volunteering with a friend or family member, each person must sign up separately.

New volunteers must arrive 20-30 minutes early for a brief orientation and to sign a waiver.

Group Volunteering

Group volunteer sessions must be organized in advance with our Volunteer Manager. Please email [email protected] to organize a volunteer group. Group volunteer sessions are available in our pantry warehouse and Giving Gardens year-round.

Court-Mandated Community Service

Court-mandated community service opportunities are available with our Giving Gardens. We cannot accept court-mandated volunteer opportunities in our warehouse at this time.

To apply for court-mandated volunteering, please send your paperwork and a picture of your ID to [email protected]. Your paperwork must include your identifying information and the court charge. Our vetting process may take up to two business days. Approved applicants will receive information and can schedule their hours via email. All volunteer hours must be scheduled in advance. Please do not show up without a scheduled volunteer session.

Volunteer Opportunities

Serving Sessions (Pantry/Warehouse)

Available Sessions:

• Mondays and Wednesdays: 10 AM – 12 PM
• Thursdays: 6 – 8 PM
• Sundays: 12 – 2 PM

Volunteer Roles:

Food Pantry Warehouse

• Sort food donations
• Stock shelves
• Sweep and clean
• Break down cardboard boxes
• Shop orders with grocery cart and list (most popular)
• Unload carts of food into clients’ cars and trunks

Must be able to stand for two hours.

Client Intake

• Sign clients in
• Calculate client’s points
• Register clients on the computer

Basic computer entry skills required.

Russian-Speaking Volunteers

• Assist with client intake
• Translation support
• Proofread Russian resources and communications
• Call clients

Fluent Russian speakers needed.

For more information on accessibility and volunteering, email [email protected]

Arrival & Logistics:

• New volunteers: Arrive 30 minutes early for orientation
• Regular volunteers: Arrive 15 minutes early
• Park in our parking lot off of Robina Avenue
  • Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/w89hzVe7tfe3Hphr7
  • Apple Maps: https://maps.apple.com/?address=1820%20Robina%20Ave,%20Berkley,%20MI%20%2048072,%20United%20States&ll=42.489268,-83.187799&q=Dropped%20Pin
• Please park towards the back of the parking lot
• Enter through the warehouse doors

What to Wear:

• Closed-toed shoes required
• Dress for the weather – our warehouse is typically cold

Giving Gardens Volunteering

Available Sessions:

• Sundays: 10 AM – 12 PM (year-round)
• Tuesdays: 6 – 8 PM (during harvest season, typically April – end of October)

What You’ll Do:

Outdoor Activities (at our garden 3 blocks from Yad Ezra):

• Weeding
• Harvesting and packaging
• Planting
• Pruning
• Spreading mulch/compost
• Other common garden tasks

Indoor Activities (in our greenhouse, year-round):

• Seeding
• Transplanting seedlings
• Filling dirt trays
• Watering
• Labeling
• Seed sorting
• Washing containers
• Tending to and harvesting plants
• Processing herbs for teas and spices
• Planting/harvesting microgreens
• Creating mushroom bags
• Other garden related tasks

Activities are tailored to a wide array of physical abilities with accommodations as needed.

What to Bring:

• Weather-appropriate clothing that can get dirty (including sun protection!)
• Closed-toed shoes
• Water

Arrival & Logistics:

• New volunteers: Arrive 10 minutes early for orientation
• The garden team will reach out about meeting locations

Group Volunteering: To organize a group volunteer session in the Giving Gardens, email [email protected]

Sunday Deliveries

Help us deliver food to clients who are unable to visit our pantry.

What You’ll Do:

• Deliver two boxes and two bags of food
• Each driver receives one location with 1-2 deliveries at that location
• Delivery locations range throughout the area including Oak Park, Southfield, Clawson, Troy, Westland, and Dearborn Heights

Requirements:

• Must be a licensed driver with a reliable car
• Must be able to lift 20 lbs

Schedule:

• Sundays at 10 AM
• Report to David in our warehouse to receive delivery information
• We typically need 2-3 drivers per Sunday

Sign up on our volunteer platform https://www.signupgenius.com/go/Deliveries#/

Special Events

Yad Ezra hosts three annual holiday food drives:

High Holiday Sorting Event Volunteers sort through food donations.

Thanksgiving Turkey Drive Hand out turkeys to client families.

Passover Drive Hand out food and essential Passover items to families.

Sign-ups are first come, first served and become available on our website 6 weeks before each event.

Our Commitment to Safety

Your safety is our priority. We maintain comprehensive security measures including:

• Locked entry points during sessions
• Security personnel as needed
• Increased police patrols during serving sessions
• Staff equipped with police alert systems
• CPR/AED trained and certified staff

Yad Ezra has maintained a perfect safety record with no security incidents or threats to clients, volunteers, staff, or our facility.

Thank you for your dedication to our community!