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Volunteers sorting food
Volunteers sorting food

Volunteers sort food for expiration dates and dents.

Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities Available

Volunteer at the Food Pantry
Food Pantry Volunteering

Volunteers are the heart of the food pantry. Without them, the organization wouldn't be able to make such impact!

Below you will find a list of volunteer opportunities that are typically available. Please complete the interest form to get started on your volunteer journey. 

In addition, volunteers are required to complete the necessary background checks to serve as a volunteer in the state of Pennsylvania. These include the Pennsylvania criminal background check, the child abuse clearance and a PennDOT record check. 

Finally, all volunteers should work with the volunteer coordinator to attend an orientation, held several times per month. Check out the Event Calendar to see when the next one is being hosted. You can sign up right from the calendar too! Thanks for your interest in helping us help our community!

  • Holiday Help

    The Open Link is looking for some Santa's Helpers to support several programs this time of year! Currently, we need volunteers to help in our holiday shop, with the Code Blue Shelter, at the Center with special events and as TAP Drivers. If you have some availibility this holiday season, please fill out the volunteer form. If you are a current volunteer, contact Katherine to sign up for available opportunities.

  • Code Blue

    Volunteers are needed to help operate the Code Blue shelter in the winter of 2024-2025 during Montgomery County Code Blue Declarations. There will be 4 shifts each evening Code Blues are declared - 7:30PM to 11:00PM, 10:45PM to 2:00AM, 1:45AM to 5:00AM, 4:45AM to 8:30AM. Volunteers will welcome guests, serve dinner, provide an intake, interact with unhoused individuals, oversee the rest period, serve breakfast and clean the shelter. Training will be provided. All volunteers will need clearances.

  • Pantry Support

    Volunteers help receive donations, weigh food, stock shelves, pick orders, and help clients put things in their cars. The pantry operates Monday through Friday and there are several shifts available.

  • Transportation Assistance Program (TAP)

    The Open Link is looking for some very special volunteers to help with the TAP program. This initiative provides rides to seniors to attend Dr. appointments and other critical appointments to their health and well-being. Typically, appointments are scheduled in advance, so you will have lots of notice before volunteering.

  • Meals on Wheels Packers and Drivers

    Volunteers help pack daily Meals on Wheels deliveries to about 40 seniors. This includes hot and cold item packaging and standing on your feet for about two hours. Drivers deliver to home-bound recipients Monday through Friday, providing much needed nutrition and a friendly face.

  • Tutors

    Volunteers help students prepare for their high school equivalency exams in Math, Science, English and History. Classes are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year.

  • Senior Center Ambassadors

    Vounteers help set-up and clean-up lunch and activities, serve lunch to our seniors, support activities and events and get to know the Center's guests. Help is needed Monday through Friday in various capacities.

  • Receptionist

    Volunteers answer the phone and greet guests at the Penn Street office. They help schedule pantry pick-ups, provide general information and referrals and act as the smiling face of The Open Link. Training is provided.

  • Communications and Fundraising Help

    Are you good with social media? Do you like activating people to help a cause? We could use your help with our new communciations committee! We are looking for people who have a passiion for getting the word out and helping others at the same time.

Our Impact This Year

  • Summer Kids Meals

    17,668

  • Volunteer Hours this Year

    6,104

  • Dollars Raised 2023

    $1,300,000

  • Pantry Pounds Distributed

    271,080

© 2024 The Open Link
Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

  1. What Information Do We Collect? When you visit our website you may provide us with two types of information: personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and website use information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse our website.
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  7. Notice of New Services and Changes Occasionally, we may use the information we collect to notify you about important changes to our website, new services and special offers we think you will find valuable. As a user of our website, you will be given the opportunity to notify us of your desire not to receive these offers by clicking on a response box when you receive such an offer or by sending us an email request.
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  9. How Do We Protect Your Information? Information Security -- We utilize encryption/security software to safeguard the confidentiality of personal information we collect from unauthorized access or disclosure and accidental loss, alteration or destruction. Evaluation of Information Protection Practices -- Periodically, our operations and business practices are reviewed for compliance with organization policies and procedures governing the security, confidentiality and quality of our information. Employee Access, Training and Expectations -- Our organization values, ethical standards, policies and practices are committed to the protection of user information. In general, our business practices limit employee access to confidential information, and limit the use and disclosure of such information to authorized persons, processes and transactions.
  10. How Can You Access and Correct Your Information? You may request access to all your personally identifiable information that we collect online and maintain in our database by emailing us using the contact form provided to you within the site structure of our website.
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Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

Donation Refund Policy

We are grateful for your donation and support of our organization. If you have made an error in making your donation or change your mind about contributing to our organization please contact us. Refunds are returned using the original method of payment. If you made your donation by credit card, your refund will be credited to that same credit card.

Automated Recurring Donation Cancellation

Ongoing support is important to enabling projects to continue their work, so we encourage donors to continue to contribute to projects over time. But if you must cancel your recurring donation, please notify us.

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