Ravenswood Community Services runs on volunteer power, and we would love to have you join us.
Information for Volunteers
New volunteers are required to complete a volunteer waiver form here:
In order to volunteer with us, you must complete the following steps:
- Fill out the appropriate volunteer waiver (found to the left).
- Scroll to the bottom of this page, and add your email to our mailing list in order to receive our volunteer sign ups. In order to volunteer, you must be signed up for a shift. Volunteer sign ups will be available in our monthly newsletter. Shifts tend to fill up fast! When there are volunteer spots still available for a given week, we will send out an email on Monday with the sign up link to volunteer the following day at our Tuesday Pantry and Community Kitchen.
The minimum age to volunteer is 18 at our Tuesday opportunities. Volunteers 17 and under accompanied by an adult are welcome to join us at our Weekend Pantry.
Groups looking to volunteer are encouraged to join us at our Weekend Pantry. Contact us to schedule your group.
All Tuesday programs take place at All Saints’ Episcopal Church (4550 N. Hermitage Ave.) unless otherwise noted.
Contact us or call 773-769-0282 for more information on any of these opportunities.
Please read through our volunteer options and see what might work for you:
Weekly Opportunities
Each Tuesday RCS hosts a Food Pantry & Community Meal Program, serving between 250-300 neighbors.
Where: All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 4550 N. Hermitage Ave.
When: Tuesdays, shifts available between 4:00pm – 7:45pm
Tuesday Night Volunteering
On Tuesdays, RCS offers two main shifts for volunteers: 4-6pm and 6-7:30pm. Volunteers will help set up, assist with the distribution of groceries in our client choice style pantry, package to-go dinners, and clean up at the end of the evening. If you are interested in volunteering on a Tuesday night, please sign up to receive our email communications (you can do so by scrolling to the bottom of this page). Volunteer sign ups will be available in our monthly newsletter. If there are unfilled volunteer slots on any given week, you will receive an email on Monday morning with a link to the sign up featuring that week’s available opportunities. If there are no available volunteer spots for a given week, we will not send out a Monday email. Please also be sure to fill out a volunteer waiver. Volunteers should be comfortable lifting 20lbs and going up and down stairs.
Volunteer Waiver
All volunteers are required to complete a volunteer waiver form here. Please click on the appropriate form link to complete:
Monthly Opportunities
On the second Saturday of each month we host an outdoor, market-style pantry at Ravenswood Elementary School, 4332 N. Paulina St.
Where: Ravenswood Elementary School, 4332 N. Paulina St.
When: Second Saturday of the month from 8:15am – 11:30am.
Weekend Pantry Volunteering
The volunteer time is from 8:15-11:30am, and in that time volunteers unload pallets of groceries from the Greater Chicago Food Depository, set up the pantry, and distribute groceries. This pantry is outdoors year round, rain or shine, so volunteers are encouraged to come prepared for the weather. Volunteers of all ages are welcome (volunteers who are 17 y/o and under must be accompanied by an adult.) In order to volunteer, you must be signed up for a shift. To get notifications about when volunteer spots are open for this pantry please sign up for our weekly newsletter (you can do so by scrolling to the bottom of this page), When spots are available, you will receive an email on Wednesday with a link to a digital sign-up for the following Saturday. Please also be sure to fill out a volunteer waiver. We require all volunteers to wear masks.
Volunteer Waiver
All volunteers are required to complete a volunteer waiver form here. Please click on the appropriate form link to complete:
Occasional Opportunities
The All Saints’ Cafe is on continued Covid-19 hiatus. The Ravenswood Run is an annual event and volunteer shifts become available in the weeks leading up to the event.
All Saints’ Café
Twice a year RCS hosts the All Saints’ Café, a restaurant-style meal for our neighbors, complete with waitstaff, menus, flowers, and live music. There are many different volunteer jobs: food prep, washing dishes, serving and bussing tables, putting plates together on the food line, and more. The volunteer time is 4-8pm. For safety, all volunteers must be 10 or older and volunteers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Ravenswood Run
Each April, RCS hosts the Ravenswood Run in partnership with All Saints’ Episcopal Church and RAM Racing. This neighborhood 5k attracts 3,500 runners and there are opportunities for volunteers both in the weeks leading up to the run and on race day. Volunteers post signs, visit businesses along the route, help with race day set-up, tear-down, and much more.
Additional Opportunities
Volunteer Groups
All inquiries for group volunteer opportunities should be directed here. Some customizable group volunteering options are available. Along with your inquiry please share your group size and your timeframe. Tuesday Pantry groups of up to 5 people. The Saturday Pantry can accommodate groups of up to 10 people.
All volunteers are required to complete a volunteer waiver form here. Please click on the appropriate form link to complete:
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Groups and individuals may also volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD is a major food bank which supplies local food pantries like RCS) on behalf of Ravenswood Community Services. Volunteer time at GCFD turns into food credit for our account – you must designate “Ravenswood Community Services A00462″ for the credit to apply. We pay just pennies per pound for food from GCFD, so any volunteer labor credit helps us in a big way! For more info, visit the Greater Chicago Food Depository website here.
Contact us or call 773-769-0282 for more information on any of these opportunities.
