Job Description
The Warehouse Assistant manages food assistance distribution for low-income families, the elderly, and those with disabilities in Southwest Florida. Volunteers coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups for fresh produce and non-perishables, ensuring no waste through partnerships with local farmers. Resources like plastic palettes and pallet jacks support efficient sorting and staging of items such as toiletries, canned goods, and frozen foods for delivery trucks.
St. Matthews House fosters a community approach in Southwest Florida where people experiencing hunger, homelessness, or addiction receive pathways from crisis to contribution. The organization partners with local groups to grow its mobile food distribution initiative, aiming for inclusive support through donations and outreach.
Tasks include greeting families at the pantry, setting up production lines for volunteer shifts, and maintaining inventory rotation to prevent expiration. The assistant cleans and preps areas daily, including restocking shelves with utensils and shifting palettes by hand. Interactions occur with volunteers, guests, and managers, with a challenge being the need to lift over 50 pounds while ensuring cleanliness and safety protocols.
Location involves on-site work at the warehouse and pantry in Southwest Florida. Flexible hours vary based on operations, with a focus on daytime shifts from Monday through Friday. Benefits include training in organizational skills and a positive team environment that aligns with the organization's core values of acceptance and support.
Responsibilities
- Supporting Volunteer groups as they are scheduled at the FAP Warehouse
- Recycle and manage all waste, coordinate with local farmers for no waste
- Assist with Inventory control, organization in the warehouse, cleaning, and prepping for the next day
- Assist in Oasis program at the pantry
- Greets and helps families that are shopping at the pantry
- Set up the volunteer production line and assist with daily counts of items going to designated sites for food assistance
- Assist Warehouse Manager and Operator with staging the floor
- Secure plastic and wooden pallets for pick-ups and collection
- Assist with Inventory management, cleaning, and prep
- Assist in maintaining the daily cleanliness of the pantry, informing guests and volunteers of appropriate procedures, and verifying the completion of all daily cleaning tasks
- Assist with truck deliveries, packing and stocking the shelves
- Complete daily cleaning tasks and maintain a cleaning schedule to safeguard regular detailing of equipment including, but not limited to interior and exterior of the pantry
- Assures proper storage and rotation of inventory – including but not limited to: Accepting deliveries and donations, managing the care of fresh/frozen foods, receiving, sorting, and storing deliveries in a timely manner, rotating inventory, and checking for expiration dates
- Packing and sorting toiletries and other items by categories as they come through donations
Requirements
- High School diploma or equivalent preferred
- No experience necessary, will train
- Ability to work under a deadline, both with others and independently
- Excellent customer service, communication, organizational and time-management skills
- Must be able to operate a regular standard pallet jack
- Ability to stand for several hours
- Work or life experience that demonstrates willingness to work within SMH Core Values and mission
- Genuine interest in helping people who are experiencing homelessness and/or going through food insecurity
- Patience, great team approach, positive, flexible and a good sense of humor
- Must be able to lift and carry more than 50lbs
- Work with confidential information
- Normal mental and visual capabilities
- Flexibility in work hours