New volunteering opportunity for drivers: door to door food pack deliveries

Food from the Heart started its partnership with courier uParcel in April 2020 to deliver food packs to the doors of needy households. This was due to Self-Collection Centres and schools pausing operations to abide by safety measures in line with COVID-19 controls.

Concurrently, Food from the Heart also received an influx of requests for assistance due to the pandemic’s impact on jobs and livelihood. We also supported some beneficiaries who were under the care other Social Service Agencies. Between April to September, our volunteers have helped us deliver more than 9,700 food packs door-to-door.

As Food from the Heart’s logistical fleet is limited and used for the daily bulk deliveries to the Self-Collection Centres and schools that are currently operating, volunteers are required to have access to their own vehicles to do the deliveries.

This operation model is similar to how our Bread Run programme is run, but on a more granular level; each volunteer picks up food packs from our warehouse and delivers them to individual households. This face-to-face interaction gives volunteers the opportunity to put a face to their efforts and even enjoy a bond with the beneficiaries. "When you see the conditions of others, you also realise how lucky you are", says volunteer Tarun.

As the COVID-19 situation transitions into the new normal, many of our volunteers who once had the time and flexibility to help us with such door-to-door deliveries find themselves no longer able to lend their support. We urge more volunteers who have access to their own vehicles to step forward to experience a meaningful volunteering journey with us.

Getting Started

To volunteer as a delivery driver for door-to-door food pack delivery, 1) follow the steps in our food pack delivery guide and 2) sign up as a volunteer with Food from the Heart if you aren't yet a volunteer.'

Attention, Volunteers!

Simple things like paying attention to our beneficiaries' general well-being and home environment can make a huge difference in the support given.

For example, food given to a beneficiary who is too unwell to cook will be wasted. In more severe cases, beneficiaries might even need extra assistance beyond food delivery. Volunteers can play a part by being an additional pair of eyes on the ground to observe and report anything that looks amiss.

This article was first posted on 12 April 2020 and last updated on 26 January 2021.