Banco de Alimentos (Food Bank Foundation) - Volunteer Opportunity
Buenos Aires - Argentina

Name: Fundación Banco de Alimentos (Food Bank Foundation)

Telephone: 4724-2334 (calling from Buenos Aires)

Contact Name: Solange Basso

E-mail: rrhh@bancodealimentos.org.ar

Web Address: www.bancodealimentos.org.ar

Address: Luis María Drago 5530, Villa Zagala, Partido de San Martín, C.P. 1650 Provincia de Buenos Aires

Country: Argentina 

Organization Type: Non-profit-organization

Mission: To help those who suffer from hunger, applying for, storing and distributing consumable foods. To provide education regarding the nature of the problem of hunger and malnutrition.

Issues: Fight against hunger.

Type of Work: Other: The work carried out by volunteers takes place in a warehouse. Commercial companies and/or producers donate food products that need to be classified by volunteers. Listening to the “cumbia”-music, volunteers classify the donated products together with employees of the Food Bank and all kinds of local volunteers. Expiration dates need to be checked, products have to be separated, bags and boxes have to be prepared. Most frequent products are tinned vegetables, yogurts, oranges amongst others. There is always work to do, therefore volunteers can work at any time convenient for them, as there are no fixed schedules. It is a great chance to get to know locals without having the perspective of a tourist and the Food Bank appreciates a lot any help in the fight against hunger en Greater Buenos Aires.

Project / Work Description: The Food Bank's main activity consists in applying for consumable foods, which the companies for different reasons don't commercialize. These products include surplus stock, products with mistakes in the wrapping, products that have been unsuccessful on the market, products that will expire soon or that don't conform to the technical or quality specifications imposed by the companies. The objective is to generate a large amount of food to be distributed amongst the soup kitchens within the Food Bank’s network.

Hours per Day: The Food Bank is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. There are no fixed schedules for volunteers.

Areas with Current Projects: The Food Bank is in San Martín, in the Buenos Aires providence, but its food is distributed to all parts of Greater Buenos Aires.

Public Services in Work Area: Usual Services

Climate: Similar to the climate of Europe/North America with opposite seasons.  

Requirements: There are no restrictions of any kind, everyone can help!

Minimum Commitment: There is no minimum!

Cost to volunteer: There are no costs!
Benefits: There are no meals provided but Volunteers can bring their own food and make use of the kitchen.

Accommodation Provided: There is no accommodation in the Food Bank.

Accommodation Available in Area: It is common to stay in Capital Federal (Buenos Aires) and to go to the project with public transport which takes ~1hour.

Previous volunteers: The Foundation has been working with volunteers for seven years and some hundreds of volunteers have already worked in the Food Bank.

English?: The main language is Spanish, but usually there is someone who can translate into English. Volunteering is possible with no or little knowledge of Spanish.

How to Get to the Project: Buses N° 127*, 140*, and 333* pass by the entrance of the Food Bank. You need to stop the bus at the corner of Luis M. Drago and Av. Fleming (in Munro). The Food Bank is located in a joined territory with other companies, you need to enter by a grey door where there is a sign “La Fortezza” and ask for “Banco de Alimentos”. It is also possible to take buses N°s 41* or 130* that pass only five blocks from the Food Bank. You have to get off the bus in the corner of Vélez Sársfield and Domingo Matheu and follow D. Matheu straight until arriving at the Food Bank in Luis M. Drago.

You can also take the train to Villa Rosa in Retiro (Línea Belgrano Norte) and get off in the “Munro” station. It is about 15 blocks to the Food Bank; you can take the 41 close to the train station. If you want to go by subway, take the green line “D”, get off in the last station “Congreso de Tucumán” and take the 41 to Munro in Av. Congreso.

*127: from Boedo, Almagro, Villa Crespo, Villa Urquiza

*140: from Microcentro, South of Palermo, Chacarita

*333: from San Isidro, Olivos

*41: from Once, Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano, Núñez, Saavedra

*130: from La Boca, San Telmo, Microcentro, Retiro, Recoleta, North of Palermo, Belgrano, Núñez