Needs From: MC Serves!

Rainbow Community Development Center is an all-volunteer organization. The goal of the food pantry is to reduce hunger; provide food from all 5 food groups to help maintain a healthier lifestyle. Many low-income families can’t provide fresh produce and dairy products, essential to the well-being of children especially. We serve thousands of families every week, working in partnership with many other food providers to help families in need. 

Adult volunteers are needed Tuesdays and some Saturdays to help with unloading trucks, moving pallets, stocking shelves, and packing bags of food for distribution, and moving food carts from the packing area to the warehouse.

Safety protocols required: Must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.  Social distancing and masks are also required. 

Background Check: Our volunteers must pass a background check before we can schedule them.

The typical need is for 4 volunteers to work in 3-hour shifts between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Volunteers will unload trucks, move pallets, stock shelves, pack bags of food, and move food carts from the food packing area to the warehouse. Some volunteers need to be able to lift 50 pounds, others for stocking shelves and packing bags won't need that. 

2nd and 4th Saturdays: Typical need is for volunteers to work between 9:00 AM and Noon.  Volunteers will move food carts from the food packing area to the warehouse. 

Questions? Call 301-625-2561 or email volunteering@rainbowcdc.org

 

Before COVID-19, clients brought their own bags but we are now pre-bagging items and putting them in grocery store carts to minimize contact. We have been helping to serve 60+ households on 2 or more days each week. We need NEW bags and additional items to distribute supplies to our clients. 

DONATE:

Face shields (our volunteers are close to the clients when getting their info or loading for those who need help.  We had several cases this week where the families that came had Corona Virus or a relative in the house with them picked up for them.   Masks are not enough in these cases.) NEW or unused reusable grocery bags: Paper grocery bags (preferably 69# weight but will take any of them), Plastic grocery store bags (used to double bag so the weight of the groceries don't break the bags)

Diapers all sizes but especially size 4 anad 5

Adult diapers size XXL

Personal hygiene items

Grocery store gift cards in increments of $20 or more (we use these for special needs like Ensure, boost, vegan food items)

Please contact Pat Drumming at pdrumming@rainbowcdc.org or on 301-625-2561 or 240-628-9154 if you can help. She will share information on where and when drop-offs are being accepted. 

Thank you for helping us help our neighbors in need! 

Our wholesale food partners delivers produce to us on a regular basis, and we share it with 2 other community organizations in Silver Spring/Burtonsville. We need volunteers with vans or trucks that can transport 600 - 2,000 pounds of produce from our main location to the other food pantries. A truck or panel van with load capacity of 1,000 pounds is ideal for smaller loads. For larger loads, a 10 foot box truck with a lifegate that can handle 2-4 pallets of produce and other food is best. 

Drivers are needed around 11:30am every week on Tuesdays, and the 2nd Friday of every month. We also need drivers to be on call for "short-notice" deliveries from wholesale partners that can happen at any time. 

We will provide cloth masks and gloves for volunteer drivers (if needed). 

If you can help, please email pdrumming@rainbowcdc.org  or call the pantry cell at 240-628-9154.  

Rainbow Community Development Center provides groceries and hope to more than 1,000 people every week. We need your help to continue serving our growing community of clients.  To make a contribution, please visit us at www.rainbowcdc.org or on Facebook at Rainbow_CDC.  You can also send a check to:

Rainbow CDC
2120-A Industrial Parkway
Silver Spring, MD  20904.

Thank you for your generosity!