Lobby:
Mon. – Fri.: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Donations:
Mon. – Fri.: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
We are closed Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans Day.
Lobby:
Mon. – Fri.: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Donations:
Mon. – Fri.: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
We are closed Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans Day.
Life's most persistent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'
If you, your place of worship, your business, school, or social club would like to volunteer, please contact Hollie Johnson, Volunteer Manager at 401-846-4828 x103 or [email protected] or click the button below.
Start your day off right with the most important meal of the day at the MLK. Our breakfast program serves some of our community’s most vulnerable friends and neighbors with a hot and hearty breakfast six days a week. Be a part of serving over 36,160 hot morning meals a year by cooking or serving in our Breakfast Program.
In our restaurant-grade kitchen, cooks prepare breakfast by making eggs, chopping fruit and vegetables, and cooking classic morning staples. No prior kitchen experience is needed. Make your short-order breakfast cook dreams come true by volunteering.
Available shifts: Monday – Saturday, 6:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
If cooking isn’t your favorite, you can still help our Breakfast Program by serving our clients the most important meal of the day. Help set up and clean up the dining room and provide cafeteria-style dining service.
Available shifts: Monday – Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
The MLK Food Pantry helps thousands of families in Newport County get enough food each month while providing unhoused residents with nonperishable food weekly.
Pantry stockers work within our Food Pantry and receiving bay to organize incoming donations, stock the pantry shelves, assist with preparations for offsite programs, and other tasks that keep this program running smoothly.
Qualifications: Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
Shifts:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday:
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
If you are interested in this role but your schedule doesn’t align with a particular shift, you can reach out to our Volunteer Manager to ask about flexible scheduling. Click here to inquire.
Our on-site Food Pantry and the North End Food Pantry locations are set up like a grocery store to serve people with dignity and respect, prevent food waste, and make receiving assistance a more positive experience. As a guide, you will accompany clients through our food pantry, letting them know item limits, what we have in stock, and being a friendly helping hand.
Shifts:
MLK Community Center Food Pantry
Monday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday: 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
With over 25 programs, the MLK can get very busy. Lobby attendants work alongside our receptionist by greeting and directing clients as they arrive, managing the queue for Food Pantry shopping, calling waiting numbers, and informing clients about upcoming news and events.
Shifts:
Our Produce to the People Program runs year-round to provide free, fresh produce to our community. As a volunteer, you will help set up the produce stand with buckets of produce, assist clients as they choose what they need, and break down the stand after the program is over.
Shifts:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Food 2 Friends is a monthly service for our homebound neighbors and people who are otherwise unable to come to the Center for our Hunger Relief Programs. *Shifts are preassigned at the beginning of the month based on your availability, instead of having the same shift every week.*
Each month, our Food 2 Friends clients order what they would like from the Pantry. Food 2 Friends shoppers take these orders and gather the items from the Pantry so they are ready for delivery.
Shifts: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Drivers take the orders prepared by shoppers to our clients. They call their assigned clients when they are on their way and engage in a friendly visit during the delivery. Many Food 2 Friends clients look forward to these visits!
Qualifications: Valid Driver’s License with a personal vehicle.
Shifts: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Our Midday Meal program ensures Newport County residents have access to a delicious, hot lunch throughout the week. Volunteers help prepare the dining room, serve a cafeteria-style lunch, and then clean up afterward.
Shifts:
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1st Wednesday of each month: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
We receive a portion of our donations from local grocery stores, bakeries, and even other nonprofits to ensure we have a variety of different items for our Food Pantry and other Hunger Relief Programs. We rely on the assistance of volunteer drivers to bring a large portion of those donations to the Center so we can distribute them to our guests.
Qualifications: Must have a valid driver’s license.
Shifts:
Shifts vary based on needs. This could be ideal for schedules that need flexibility.
This program brings our Food Pantry to 16 locations throughout Newport County, ensuring greater access to healthy food in our community. Volunteers help unload the Mobile Food Pantry truck, set up pantry items, and assist clients as they select their food. This role requires moderate physical exertion and is held outside year-round.
Qualifications: Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
Shifts:
Shifts vary from month to month, but they generally fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Some shifts might fall on Wednesdays.
The Kids’ Wonder Lab is a sensory learning program for children aged 18 months to 4 years of age. It is open to community members on Mondays, and it is offered to our preschoolers on Thursdays. Volunteers assist by setting up the activities, helping the children work through the activities, and breaking down the setup afterward.
Qualifications: Must be comfortable working with young children.
Shifts:
Mondays: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Thursdays: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
*please note that unlike many other roles, this program requires a weekly commitment for the duration of the 10 week session.*
Our Rinse & Renew Shower Program offers weekly showers and hygiene resources to our community’s most vulnerable friends and neighbors. As a volunteer, you will help with check-in, hand out fresh clothes and hygiene kits to each guest, and clean the shower stalls after each use.
Shifts:
May – October (This program is held during warmer months).
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
