Food bank volunteer opportunities near St. Louis

Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near St. Louis using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Grace House Dinner Drop-Off
- Organization: St. Patrick Center
- Read more on website

Regional Director-St. Louis Joplin Springfield MO
- Organization: CitiIMPACT
- Read more on website

Garden Volunteer
- Organization: The Fit and Food Connection
- Read more on website

IVC seeks Active Seniors in St. Louis
- Organization: Ignatian Volunteer Corps
- Read more on website

Food Pantry Helpers
- Organization: St Louis Dream Center
- Read more on website

Help us Prep our Unique Artisan Crafts for Delivery
- Organization: Ten By Three
- Read more on website

Spread Love, Joy & Frosting as a Volunteer Baker in North County, MO
- Organization: FOR GOODNESS CAKES
- Read more on website

Monday Grocery Box Packing
- Organization: Food Outreach, Inc.
- Read more on website

Pantry Truck Drivers(no CDL required) and Receiving Helpers
- Organization: RITENOUR CO-CARE FOOD PANTRY
- Read more on website

PR/Marketing Internship
- Organization: The Borgen Project
- Read more on website

Feed the Need - Feed My Starving Children MobilePack
- Organization: Feed My Starving Children MobilePack
- Read more on website

Searching for a Board Treasurer.........
- Organization: Idealist.org
- Dates: Nov 26 to Nov 27
- Read more on website

Meals on Wheels Delivery Driver Volunteer - St. Charles
- Organization: Aging Ahead
- Read more on website

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.