Volunteer With Us

Feed the Region provides hot, take-away, family-sized meals to whoever needs them free of charge. We serve Northwest Indiana, cooking and serving in a centralized location, Valparaiso, IN.

It takes a community to serve a community. We not only feed our neighbors, but we give our neighbors a way to give back to their immediate community in real time. Whether you’re wanting to see donated dollars go directly to help those in your community, or feeling called to serve the community in person, Feed the Region has a need for your gifts and talents.

Please see below for the many ways you can help us Feed the Region!

  • Likely the easiest way to support Feed the Region. People on support team are great listeners. They pay attention to their friends and neighbors and when they see someone having a hard time, they commit to bringing them a meal whether hot or frozen.
    We want to be the best reason for you to check in on your neighbors!

  • Whether you are clearing out your own pantry, or being a hub for donation drop offs from your friends and family, the donation team is a VITAL part of our mission. A great way to get kids of all ages involved. Start Immediately! See what we need for This Week’s Meal, collect donations, and schedule a drop off with our team. Would your team or organization want to sponsor a drive to cover a week of meals or a Canstruction event to cover a month? Click here to learn more about Leading a Donation Drive.
    Fresh Ingredients, packaging, and operational costs all take funds. Visit the shop to donate to each of these categories.

  • The On-Site team requires training and scheduling. It is by far our most popular way the community is showing up for us. However, volunteers will need to flex in and out of these roles and the need to have trained volunteers to back them up is high!

    Time: Thursdays at 5 for cooking, 6:30 for everyone else.

    Cooking Team- Prep, Cook, Bake

    Packaging Team- ensure even orders, ensure proper safety seal, ensure, proper labeling especially for allergens, ensure proper cooling for frozen meals.

    Serving Team- Greet and thank our guests. Ask how much food they need and if any of their people have allergies. Ask if they need any plates/utensils/water.

    Cleaning Team- clean dishes while cooking team works and afterwards. Clean the spills immediately, ensure a clean kitchen during down time. Help leave the kitchen even cleaner than we started.

  • Are you an artist that can add food related art to our retail section?

    A local band that can do a benefit concert?

    Are you a leader in your community that can facilitate a donation drive?

    There is no limit to the talents found in the people of The Region, there is also no limit in how you can use your varied talents to support our mission!
    The Creative Team Lead will help you source all you need to accomplish your fundraiser.

    Currently we have: local bands putting on a benefit concert, kiddos planning lemonade stands, the dinner for the raffle fundraiser where the winner will get a private chef catered dinner party in their honor, and we’re collecting participants for our Local Artist Silent Auction.
    Click here to sign-up to help with the Local Art Show and Silent Auction. Now accepting artists, makers, bakers, chefs, and volunteers.

    Click here to sign up to help with the decorations for the Private Chef Experience.

    Contact us today to share your ideas.

  • Budgeting mastermind? Coupon Queen? Just really good at picking out produce? We need you!

    Our shopping team ensures that our fresh ingredients are bought with both quality and budget in mind. The budgeters meet to discuss the next week’s meal and where the best deals are. The shoppers go physically pick up our fresh ingredients and ensure they are delivered to Nana Clare's Kitchen every Wednesday evening while keeping time and temperature control safety top of mind.

  • Our Creative team is doing what they do best: Creating fun and engaging fundraisers!

    Current fundraiser: Local Artist Art Show and Silent Auction.
    Local artists will donate a small piece of work to be featured at the Art Show and attendees will bid on a chance to take home their favorite pieces. While attendees browse the local visual talent, they’ll be served samples from local restaurants and independent chefs from the Region.
    Signups for artists, chefs, and volunteers are open. Please click here to sign up.

    Looking forward to:
    Local band benefit concert
    Rage Room
    Lemonade stands by our Littlest Volunteers.
    Whatever you’re thinking of right now.

  • Because we are a community organization that is ran by the community itself, we require micro-donations to keep us moving. You dictate where your money goes. Will you help us with kitchen rent, fresh ingredients, packaging? Pick where you’d like to support that week’s meal. Once your order is placed, you’ll be invited to our weekly Virtual Impact Forum where you’ll learn exactly how your dollars immediately helped your neighbors.

    Currently we have a high need for donations for Fresh Ingredients. Donate here: FeedtheRegion.org/shop

  • The yummiest way to support Feed the Region!

    At Chef Steph, scratch made comfort food is flash frozen for you to pull out at home any time you want a flavor-packed comfort meal made with love.

    Every single purchase supports Feed the Region’s long term goals and weekly meals.

    Pierogi: Classic Potato and Sharp Cheddar is always on the menu, but the second flavor rotates. Grab the last of the Mushroom + Petite Sirah + Cheddar before they’re gone for good. Pre-order NOW for the next winner of our test kitchen.

    Now available: Pierogi Dressing Kit.All the trimmings to serve up our pierogi as the ancestors required: sautéed with onion in real butter and served with sour cream and green onion.

    Mom’s Stuffed Mushrooms: Chef Steph honors the woman who raised her to show love with great food by re-creating one of her crowd pleasing recipes. Pre orders open now for the next batch.

    Click here to Order Now.

Our Process

Engage the Community

We know that the best way to help the community is by small, consistent, contributions from our neighbors. We engage directly with the community to source donations, volunteers, and to spread the word. Click here to Get Involved.

Train Volunteers

Volunteers are trained with our mission in mind. Not only do we feed our neighbors, but we treat them with dignity. Volunteers are trained to be safe and helpful but also to know that we are all one community who succeeds together. Click here to see Upcoming Volunteer Orientations.

Feed the Region

Each week we gather at Nana Clare’s in Valparaiso Indiana to cook for and serve our neighbors. We do so with joy and love so that the food nourishes bellies and hearts alike. Click here to see when the next Feed The Region meal will be served.

Repeat!

We encourage small, continuous involvement so that we can continue to fight food insecurity in The Region until it is eradicated completely from our community. Check out our FAQ for more information.

Let's Talk!

Have Questions? We’d love to hear from you. Please allow 24 hours for response.