Opportunities From: VolunteerME Mid Coast Maine

Tedford Housing’s overnight Warming Center serves as a safe space for our unhoused and unsheltered neighbors (including families and pets) in the Mid Coast region to stay warm during the winter months. This is a low-barrier program, which means the requirements to enter the center are minimal, we emphasize harm reduction principles, and uphold a high standard of safety. Using low-barrier and harm reduction principles allows us to provide a space for our most vulnerable neighbors by recognizing that many of our guests have complex needs and behaviors related to mental illness, substance use, trauma, and systemic injustice.  

As a Warming Center host, volunteers will support staff by attending to and serving the evening meal and addressing the needs of the kitchen. They will help set a tone of hospitality and create a welcoming, nourishing space as guests arrive. Volunteers will be based in the kitchen, while staff are in the common spaces assisting guests in getting settled for the evening. The role will require an orientation, provided by Tedford staff. 

Host Responsibilities Include: 

Representing Tedford Housing with professionalism, dignity, and pride 

Setting up and serving dinner and coffee 

Keeping kitchen clean and organized, including dishwashing, readying for the next day 

Other kitchen related responsibilities

Commitment: 

Seasonal (Nov 15-May 1) 

At least one 3-hour (approx. 3:45-6:45pm) once-a-week shift for the entirety of the season, preferably the same day 

Arrive on time 

Qualities: 

18 years or older 

Able to pass a background check 

Empathetic, non-judgmental, patient 

Solid understanding of the boundaries, confidentiality, and care needed in a low barrier setting 

Ability to de-escalate small conflicts and respond to guests with courtesy and empathy  

Tolerance for being around individuals experiencing symptoms of mental illness or substance use disorder including intoxication 

Work with an amazing group of volunteers & farmers who are passionate about reducing food insecurity through collecting & distributing excess produce to folks in need!

Volunteer opportunities 6 days a wek:

- Glean from farms or farmers markets

- Make deliveries

- Set up our Sharing Tables (anonymous, public tables of free produce)

- Help process fresh fruit & veggies for winter distribution

Contact our Food Bank Manager, David (dbaecher@mchpp.org) for more information! 

For more information or to submit a volunteer application, go to mchpp.volunteerhub.com or contact our Volunteer Manager at volunteer@mchpp.org or (207)725-2716 x307.

At Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) we are able to provide all families in our community with access to healthy food. Our Food Pantry is open on Tuesday 12:00pm-6:00pm, Wednesday 12:00pm-3:00pm, Friday 12:00pm-3:00pm, and Saturday 1:00pm-4:00pm. Our community members are able to walk through our grocery-store style pantry and pick from fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bakery items, dry goods, pre-cooked meals, and more!

Currently, the need for this service continues to grow in our community and we could also use more volunteer support assisting in the Food Pantry by; organizing incoming food donations, keeping the shelves stocked, packing to-go orders, managing the meat counter, greeting community members as they walk through our doors, and more! 

For more information or to submit a volunteer application, go to mchpp.volunteerhub.com or contact our Volunteer Manager at volunteer@mchpp.org or (207)725-2716 x307.

Responsibilities: help provide our community with groceries. 

Skills Needed: Ability to work well with a diverse group of people. Ability to stand and walk for several hours. Strong attention to detail. Excellent communication skills. Willingness to take direction from Food Pantry staff members and Crew Chief. Punctuality and reliability.

Time Commitment: required training includes attending one, one-hour Orientation with our Volunteer Manager. We then utilize a self-scheduling method on our website, so the time commitment is what you make it! While we are always looking for long-term volunteers, this is a position that can also accommodate short-term volunteers such as those fulfilling community service requirements.

We at Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program are extremely fortunate to receive generous donations from various community members. Most of our food is from grocery stores, farmers' markets, individual donations, as well as direct from local farms, and from food drives organized by schools and community members. Because the donations we receive are comprised of a variety of products, volunteers are needed to sort, date-check, and portion out items for our clients.

Currently, our greatest need is for the following shifts: Weekdays and Saturdays from 8:30 and 11:30, and Thursday afternoons from 1:30 and 3:30.

For more information or to submit a volunteer application, go to mchpp.volunteerhub.com or contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@mchpp.org or (207)725-2716 x305.

Responsibilities: Maintains quality control by checking for spoiled or damaged food. Weighs and records donations from individuals and organizations; provides a receipt for donation if requested. Sorts incoming donations and distributes them to proper storage areas. Greets and engages with donors in a friendly and courteous manner.

Skills Needed: Attention to detail and ability to read small print. Willingness to take direction from Food Bank staff members and Crew Chief Ability to work alone. Ability to lift up to 30 pounds (with assistance if needed) as well as the ability to stand, bend and carry comfortably. Ability to maintain a tidy and organized workstation. Punctuality and reliability.

Time Commitment: Training includes a tour of the Food Bank and directions from the Crew Chief or Food Bank staff person While we are always looking for long-term volunteers, this is a position that can accommodate short-term volunteers such as those fulfilling community service requirements. 

Because so much of Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program's food comes from generous local donors, volunteer drivers play an extremely important role in making more food available to neighbors in need.

Currently, we are in need of drivers in the mornings from Mondays through Saturdays (different days and locations have different pick up times, we'll work with you on details once you've applied).

For more information or to submit a volunteer application, go to mchpp.volunteerhub.com or contact our Volunteer Manager at volunteer@mchpp.org or (207)725-2716 x307.

Food Bank Pick-up/Delivery: Makes regular pick-ups of food donations from local locations, including grocery stores. Safely loads donations into agency vehicles. Returns to the agency with donations and assists in unloading them. Drives agency vehicle or one's own pickup truck or van.

Skills Needed: As one of the public faces of the agency, volunteer drivers are required to be patient and courteous to those they encounter in the community. Familiarity with Brunswick area. Ability to lift up to 40 pounds without assistance. Excellent driving record. Ability to work alone or with another volunteer. Punctuality and reliability- deliveries and pick-ups need to be done at a specific time.

Time Commitment:  required training includes attending one, one-hour orientation with our Volunteer Manager, providing needed driver's license information, completing a short food safety training, and shadowing another volunteer. Delivery Driver Long-term or seasonal volunteers are needed, not one-time/occasional volunteers.

A long-standing volunteer effort at Tedford, volunteers or groups of volunteers provide an evening meal for the 16 guests at the adult shelter 365/days per year.  Volunteers bring a main course, salad/vegetables, and often bread or dessert to make it a full meal. Not a cook, but want to purchase a meal from a local restaurant to share with the guests? That's ok too!

FALL 2025 TUTOR TRAINING: 10/14, 10/15, and 10/16, 9:00-2:00 each day

Would you be interested in helping a New Mainer learn to speak and understand English? Or helping an adult who has struggled with reading their whole life improve their literacy level? Midcoast Literacy is looking for volunteer tutors to work with adult learners who want to improve their reading ability for goals like getting a drivers license or high school equivalency exam, or to work with immigrants learning to speak, read, and write in English.

We ask all tutors to make an initial commitment to working with a learner for at least 12 months (with some periodic breaks for vacations, etc.). Tutors working with adult learners must be at least 18 years old. Tutoring sessions are held in a variety of public locations convenient to both tutor and learner, such as public libraries, YMCAs, community centers, or coffee shops. 

Volunteer tutors come to Midcoast Literacy having had a wide variety of professional, educational, and personal experiences. Many of our tutors are retirees but others are younger people, working and raising families. What connects all the tutors who come to Midcoast Literacy is that they want to help people in our region improve their lives through literacy, one person at a time. We hold tutor trainings periodically throughout the year to train new volunteers to become tutors - no prior teaching or tutoring experience is necessary!

To find out more about the next training opportunity, contact Adult Literacy Services Coordinator Diana Krauss at 207-443-6384 or als@midcoastlit.org. You can read more about becoming at tutor at: https://midcoastliteracy.org/index.php/volunteer/become-a-tutor

FALL 2025 TUTOR TRAINING: 10/14, 10/15, and 10/16, 9:00-2:00 each day

Would you be interested in helping a New Mainer learn to speak and understand English? Or helping an adult who has struggled with reading their whole life improve their literacy level? Midcoast Literacy is looking for volunteer tutors to work with adult learners who want to improve their reading ability for goals like getting a drivers license or high school equivalency exam, or to work with immigrants learning to speak, read, and write in English.

We ask all tutors to make an initial commitment to working with a learner for at least 12 months (with some periodic breaks for vacations, etc.). Tutors working with adult learners must be at least 18 years old. Tutoring sessions are held in a variety of public locations convenient to both tutor and learner, such as public libraries, YMCAs, community centers, or coffee shops. 

Volunteer tutors come to Midcoast Literacy having had a wide variety of professional, educational, and personal experiences. Many of our tutors are retirees but others are younger people, working and raising families. What connects all the tutors who come to Midcoast Literacy is that they want to help people in our region improve their lives through literacy, one person at a time. We hold tutor trainings periodically throughout the year to train new volunteers to become tutors - no prior teaching or tutoring experience is necessary!

To find out more about the next training opportunity, contact Adult Literacy Services Coordinator Diana Krauss at 207-443-6384 or als@midcoastlit.org.

You can read more about becoming at tutor at: https://midcoastliteracy.org/index.php/volunteer/become-a-tutor 

FALL 2025 TUTOR TRAINING: 9/22, 9/24, and 9/26, 9:00-1:00 each day

Help a child become a better reader! Midcoast Literacy is looking for volunteer tutors to work with children ages 6-14 who are struggling to read at grade level and for children from immigrant families who are learning to speak, read, and write in English.

We ask all tutors to make an initial commitment to working with a learner for at least 12 months (with some periodic breaks for vacations, etc.). Tutoring sessions are held in public locations convenient to both tutor and learner, such as public libraries, YMCAs, community centers, and at local schools. 

Tutors for Read Together must be at least 18 years old; participate in the training for volunteer tutors; undergo a background check to work with children; and be able to make a minimum one-year commitment. 

To find out about the next training, contact Program Director Katie Clark at 207-443-6384 or k.clark@midcoastliteracy.org  

You can read more about becoming at tutor at: https://midcoastliteracy.org/index.php/volunteer/become-a-tutor  

FALL 2025 TUTOR TRAINING: 9/22, 9/24, and 9/26, 9:00-1:00 each day

Help a child become a better reader! Midcoast Literacy is looking for volunteer tutors to work with children ages 6-14 who are struggling to read at grade level and for children from immigrant families who are learning to speak, read, and write in English.

We ask all tutors to make an initial commitment to working with a learner for at least 12 months (with some periodic breaks for vacations, etc.). Tutoring sessions are held in public locations convenient to both tutor and learner, such as public libraries, YMCAs, community centers, and at local schools. 

Tutors for Read Together must be at least 18 years old; participate in the training for volunteer tutors; undergo a background check to work with children; and be able to make a minimum one-year commitment. 

To find out about the next training, contact Program Director Katie Clark at 207-443-6384 or k.clark@midcoastliteracy.org  

You can read more about becoming at tutor at: https://midcoastliteracy.org/index.php/volunteer/become-a-tutor