Food and Stock Management

Detailed duties — Food and Stock Management Volunteer

Toowoomba Homeless Outreach (THO) provides free breakfast, showers and laundry services at Clewley Park, Toowoomba, every morning of the year. We are seeking a reliable, organised volunteer, preferably a couple, to manage the food and supplies needed to maintain these services.

Duties include:

• Home freezer and OzHarvest deliveries: Keep a Prinetti freezer at home for food delivered there by OzHarvest. Select items suitable for THO’s breakfast service, manage their safe storage and stock rotation, and arrange transport to Clewley Park as needed.
• Bakery donations: Receive deliveries at home from volunteers who collect bakery items on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Individually wrap pastries in Glad Wrap and store them appropriately in the fridge or freezer for use at Clewley Park.
• Weekly baking donations: Receive baked goods from the bakery volunteer in a polystyrene box each week. Individually wrap each item in Glad Wrap and store it appropriately.
• Daily coordination: Liaise with the Senior Volunteer on duty each day to check food supplies and coordinate replenishment so the following day’s breakfast is adequately stocked.
• Weekly stock control: Check food, drinks, cleaning products and laundry supplies at Clewley Park each week. Maintain THO’s stock lists and identify items requiring replenishment.
• Purchasing supplies: Purchase the food and other supplies needed to maintain services, following THO’s approved budget and purchasing arrangements. Compare prices where practical and retain receipts for the Treasurer.
• Storage and organisation: Keep cupboards, shelving and other storage areas clean and organised. Put supplies in their designated places, check use-by and best-before dates, and rotate stock to reduce waste.
• Church donations: Advise each of the two supporting churches which items are needed for the following month. Coordinate receipt and storage of donations arriving at the end of the month or the start of the next month.
• Transport and records: Coordinate transport of supplies, keep purchasing records current and report supply problems to the appropriate committee member.

Suitable volunteers and requirements

The role is ideally suited to a couple with a heart for people experiencing homelessness who are reliable, organised, dedicated and committed to sharing the work.

Volunteers require a current Queensland volunteer Blue Card and a food handling certificate, together with space at home for the Prinetti freezer and incoming food deliveries. A current car driver’s licence and access to a suitable vehicle are required for transporting supplies. For a couple, at least one person must meet this driving requirement.

Time commitment and training

Hours will vary each week according to guest numbers, stock levels and incoming donations. The role requires regular weekly stock checks and daily communication with the Senior Volunteer on duty.

Practical training and a handover will cover food handling and storage, wrapping baked goods, stock rotation, purchasing, record keeping and coordination with donors and volunteers.