Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm Volunteer
ORGANIZATION: WesleyLife Meals on Wheels
Please visit the new page to apply.
The Meals on Wheels Hydroponic Farm is a 3,000 square foot indoor farm capable of producing 20,000 pounds of leafy greens a year. Our farm provides some of our most at risk populations in the metro a source of fresh healthy greens year-round. We also provide greens to other WesleyLife and local communities.
Training will be provided for every task. We do not require a background in gardening or farming, and only ask that you have an open mind and drive to help feed others. Come help us grow nutrition for those who need it most.
The tasks on our farm includes:
- Seeding: This task is what it sounds like, seeding all of our baby plants! This task is good for someone who likes to sit and enjoy the peace that comes with putting a seed in a hole. This is done over 1 to 2 days during the week.
- Harvesting: This is when our plants begin to become salad! This will include removing rafts from the system and cutting the heads from the roots. There will also be plenty of cleaning and working alongside the packing team as needed. This is done over 1 to 2 days during the week.
- Packing: The packing process is when our lettuce heads get washed, dried, and packed into bags. Often done in tandem with harvesting, this is the step that prepares our food to go! This is done over 1 to 2 days during the week.
- Cleaning: The most important of all tasks! Cleaning ensures our facility is both healthy for our plants and those we serve. This includes cleaning hydroponic systems, kitchen ware, floors, walls, etc. This task is done daily and anyone who comes to the farm should be ready to clean.
Once you express interest in volunteering at the farm from this listing, you will receive separate communication from Aaron Thormodsen, Meals on Wheels very first farmer. You can also reach out to him directly at athormodsen@wesleylife.org
Volunteering at the Meals on Wheels hydroponic farm only takes place Monday thru Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm.
3 Shifts
- morning / 09:45 AM to 11:45 AM CST - FULL
- afternoon / 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM CST - FULL
- afternoon / 02:00 PM to 04:00 PM CST - FULL
2 More opportunities with WesleyLife Meals on Wheels
Opportunities
About WesleyLife Meals on Wheels
Location:
3206 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311, US
Mission Statement
Every day, WesleyLife Meals on Wheels directly supports the health and independence of nearly 1,000 adults in the Des Moines Metro through delivery of nutritious meals to their front doors. We deliver nearly 230,000 meals every year! Here are a few things you should know about us: Our menu offers a wide variety of heart-healthy, low-sodium options. Our dedicated team of drivers and volunteers delivers meals between 10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, with frozen meals also available for clients to enjoy whenever they please. Our drivers deliver so much more than a meal! They're trained to offer each client a warm "hello!" while checking on his or her safety. Because a driver may be the only person a client sees during the day, he or she can be a vital lifeline in the event of a medical emergency.
Description
The WesleyLife Meals on Wheels history dates back to 1967 when the Des Moines-Polk County (DMPC) Home Care/Homemaker Services program was created with the goal to provide one nutritionally balanced, fresh meal every weekday at noon to help individuals maintain independence.
Meals on Wheels (MOW) serves 800-900 clients each day in Polk County, five-days a week. Employee drivers pick up hot meals from our new campus (3206 University Ave, DSM, IA) where all the meals are prepared, packaged, and ready to be picked up and delivered to client’s individual homes. Drivers deliver anywhere from 20-45 meals in one route. Our goal is to deliver the meals to clients as close to the noon hour as possible, which is where our volunteers come in handy!
We have several apartment complexes with multiple clients (6-21) living in them and receiving meals from us. To assist our drivers with meeting the goal of delivering meals closer to the noon hour, our volunteers deliver meals within those highly populated apartment complexes.
Drivers drop off a hot box, cold box & route sheet to the lobby of the apartment & volunteers hand out the meals to clients within that building. In addition to a hot meal, our clients enjoy the visit and check in from someone each week day. We hope you join on this important mission!
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
3206 University AveDes Moines, IA 50311
DATE POSTED
October 15, 2024
SKILLS
- Food Service
GOOD FOR
- Teens
- People 55+
- Public Groups
REQUIREMENTS
- Must be at least 16
- Orientation or Training
- While there are multiple shifts per day, we are flexible if you'd like to work over the set 2 hour timeframe.