Evening Volunteer FAQs & Signup
What about COVID?
The July 17, 2021, Los Angeles County mask mandate requires masks for all people indoors in public spaces, regardless of their personal vaccination status.
All volunteers must sign in and have their temperature taken, and are required to wear a mask, gloves, and disposable aprons, which we provide.
Volunteers with any flu-like symptoms are not allowed to come to the kitchen. If you are not feeling well, please let us know and stay home until you feel better and have tested negative for COVID.
Should a volunteer test positive for COVID within 4 days of volunteering with us, we should be notified immediately so we can inform staff and volunteers who were in the kitchen during the same time.
Masks are distributed to each guest every night, and guests are require to socially distance. To-go meals are distributed quickly to avoid people congregating.
Do you have to be a certain age to volunteer for Meal Service?
Yes. During COVID, volunteers must be at least 15 years of age.
Where do I park?
After 5:00 pm, volunteers signed up for Meal Service shift are allowed to park on the campus. An option is to use Uber/Lyft.
Where should I show up and when?
MEAL SERVICE WEEKDAYS –
The Meal Service Shift begins at 5:30 pm at our kitchen. Monday through Friday, we pack and serve our to-go meals at the kitchen.
MEAL SERVICE WEEKENDS –
On Saturday and Sunday, we pack the meal at the kitchen, load the meals into our van and drive to our distribution point on Orange and Romaine. Volunteers can join us at the kitchen at 5:30 pm to help pack or at the street at 6:20 pm to help set up and serve.
What do I wear/bring?
- Comfortable clothing
- Closed-toed shoes
- Hat (for long hair bring a tie back)
- We provide gloves, aprons, and all items used to prepare the meal
- During COVID, please bring your own mask, although we can provide one if needed
What will I be doing?
- Lifting and moving items
- Dishing up and packing hot food
- Adding packaged cold food to to-go bags
- Greeting guests
- Providing hand sanitizer to guests
- Handing out meals and distributing clothing or other items
- Helping clean the kitchen, including wiping tables, sweeping & mopping, helping wash & dry dishes, and putting away all items used during Meal Service
Do I have to stay for the full shift?
We ask people to try to stay for a full shift, but we understand that sometimes people have to leave early. Meal Service is only a 2.5 hours shift.
We ask people to stay through clean-up, though if we have enough hands, some people can leave earlier. It takes many hands to do this each day. We really count on our volunteers to help keep the kitchen clean and running smoothly.
Can I edit or cancel my SignUp?
Yes. You can edit or cancel your signup by logging back into SignUpGenius with the original email and password you used for your signup.
Once you have logged in, navigate to SignUps, then the “Invited To” section where you should see any shifts you are currently signed up for. You can edit the details of your signup (number of attendees, comments, etc.) by clicking the pencil icon to the right, or cancel your signup by clicking on the X icon.
What if I’m running late or need to cancel at the last minute?
If you need to cancel, please contact your kitchen lead, or call our kitchen line at 323-462-2032. As a last resort, you can always email us at