Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering for Meals on Wheels West and for your compassion in helping the vulnerable populations we serve. We are in need of volunteers more than ever.

We are Delivering More Than a Meal on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Pickup time from our office in Santa Monica is between 10:45 am – 11:45 am depending on the route.  We deliver to Santa Monica, Venice (west of Lincoln), Marina del Rey, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu. There is Hidden Hunger in even the most affluent communities. Delivery time can take approximately 1 – 2 hours and each route has between 8-14 clients.

 

Meals on Wheels West deeply values the dedication of our volunteers. While we welcome any time you can give, we are especially seeking volunteers who can commit to serving with us on a consistent basis, such as weekly or every other week. This consistency helps us build stronger relationships with our clients and ensures the reliable support they depend on. However, we still appreciate those who can only volunteer occasionally and are grateful for your contributions whenever you’re able to serve your community.

If a volunteer has to cancel their shift, we expect them to make up the shift at a future date. This helps us continue to meet the needs of our clients without disruption. Please call or email staff to your availability or any changes in your volunteering schedule in advance.

Below are our available opportunities:

 

DELIVERY VOLUNTEERING

Make neighborhood deliveries in Santa Monica, Venice (west of Lincoln), Marina del Rey, and Malibu. You must have a valid driver’s license and car insurance. To protect our clients and other volunteers, everyone must pass a background check. Delivery opportunities are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Arrive at our Pico Neighborhood Santa Monica office between 10:45 am – 11:45 am to pick up meals for delivery to 8-14 people. Deliver meals to clients, have a brief friendly conversation including an informal Wellness Check, and return to the MOW West office. A delivery route usually takes under two hours.

 

For any questions regarding Delivery Volunteering, contact Jen, the Delivery/Operations Volunteer Manager at (310) 394-5133 x2 or volunteer@mealsonwheelswest.org. To sign up, click here. 

 

OPERATIONS VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer with Meal on Wheels West to assist with packing and distributing meal kits to those in need. Operations volunteering is available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm.

  • Pack supplemental food (fruit) into grocery bags for the day’s delivery
  • Set up pop-up canopy and tables for delivery
  • Unload and load meal delivery bags from delivery truck
  • Assist volunteers with their meal delivery bags
  • Clean returned meal delivery bags

Requirements:

  • All volunteers undergo a mandatory background check prior to volunteering
  • Must be able to stand and work for 5 hours
  • Must be able to lift 50 pounds
  • Must wear closed toe shoes

For any questions regarding Operations volunteering, contact Jen, the Delivery/Operations Volunteer Manager at (310) 394-5133 x2 or volunteer@mealsonwheelswest.org. To sign up, click here.

 

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS FRIENDLY CALLING VOLUNTEERING

You work from your home or office making friendly calls to our homebound clients, including Wellness Checks and referrals to other social services they may need. You will receive training and learn about our user-friendly Mon Ami software. Every volunteer will complete an online background check and fill out a non-disclosure agreement to protect the privacy and safety of Meals on Wheels West program participants. Each volunteer will receive guidelines & a sample script for the calls. Each volunteer will receive two clients to call once a week. Each call typically takes 5-10 minutes. You will collaborate with our Volunteer Department and our Health & Wellness Coordinator.  

Calls are made on Tuesdays between the hours of 10:30am-2pm and/or Thursday between the hours of 2-5pm or as agreed upon with the client. 

To start the volunteering process there are 2 simple steps:

  1. To complete mandatory background check, contact (310) 394-5133 ext 2 or email volunteer@mealsonwheelswest.org.
  2. All Friendly Calling material will be sent via email once you sign up
Thank you again for your interest in volunteering with us and I look forward to speaking with you soon!  Please feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions.

Volunteers are key to keeping our community nourished so to show our appreciation we have:

  • Same day text-reminders of volunteer shifts
  • Meals on Wheels Scheduler, our online program for delivery volunteers
  • Mon Ami online program for Community Connections Friendly Calling volunteers
  • Tracking of all volunteer hours available