Serving our community in two locations
Volunteering is at the heart of Fish of Laurel. More than 300 volunteers support our 365-day operation. Beginning fall 2024, Fish of Laurel will serve daily evening meals at the Laurel Multiservice Center's Community Kitchen in addition to Elizabeth House. We need your help to fill volunteer positions in both kitchens and prepare meals.
Browse the current volunteer opportunities below and submit a volunteer inquiry form to get started. Individuals, students, families, and groups are welcome to join our team of volunteers. Students/children must be of middle school age or higher to volunteer.
Elizabeth House
Laurel Multiservice Center
204 Fort Meade Rd
Volunteer Opportunities
Daily Evening Meal ServicE (Elizabeth House & Community Kitchen)
Two volunteer shifts help prepare and serve meals.
Student Community Service Hours
Students who need to fulfill their community service hours can assist either established kitchen crews who prepare evening meals or crews who serve the clients and clean Elizabeth House afterwards. Simply come to the back entrance of Elizabeth House at either 4:30 pm or 6:00 pm and ask to speak to the shift supervisor. The supervisor will let you know if they need extra volunteers that evening.
Food pantry (Elizabeth House Only)
Devote a morning to stocking our pantry and meeting face-to-face the families we help. Twice a week, food pantry volunteers prepare and distribute bags of grocery items for pantry clients. A team lead coordinates volunteers during each shift. All pantry volunteer positions require some heavy lifting and ability to go up and down stairs.
Host a food drive
Can you or your organization host a food drive that will help keep our shelves stocked with nonperishable food items for our clients? If you organize a large food drive that requires a truck or van delivery, please contact the pantry coordinator to schedule a drop off. We can give you a list of desperately needed items.
HOST A diaper DRIVE
We have a great need for diapers (especially sizes 3, 4, 5, and 6) and baby wipes. Please contact our pantry coordinator to schedule drop off.
Prepare Bag Lunches
We need families, groups, or organizations who can prepare 100-120 bag lunches for our meal kitchen clients. If you can commit to providing these once a month or once a quarter—whatever you can do—that would be greatly appreciated! Please contact our pantry coordinator to schedule drop off.
Thursday shifts | 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Saturday shifts | 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Team Leads (1 per shift): Coordinates volunteers and provides client support.
- Sorters (2 per shift): Check all donations and put them in their proper place. Carry groceries upstairs.
- Baggers (2 per shift): Set up bags to replenish what was used and assist runners and sorters, if needed.
- Runners (2 per shift): Assist clients with their groceries.
- Drivers: Occasionally, volunteers are needed to deliver groceries to some of our pantry clients tomorrow. The groceries will be available for pick up at Elizabeth House and shouldn't take more than an hour.
NOTE: All volunteers at the Laurel Multiservice Center's Community Kitchen will need to complete a separate volunteer application form and be able to pass a background check if over the age of 18. Please fill out our volunteer interest form and our team will follow up with you.
Opening Shift | 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
2-3 volunteers are responsible for preparing the evening's meal and making bagged lunches, when supplies allow. Opening shift volunteers also prep the kitchen for the closing shift by restocking serving supplies and organizing any deliveries for distribution.
Closing Shift | 5:45 p.m. - 8 p.m.
3-4 volunteers are responsible for serving evening meals and bagged lunches, when available. Closing shift volunteers interface with customers and clean up at the end of the night.
Team Leads | Both Shifts
A team lead coordinates volunteers during each shift.
Other ways you can help
Hunger isn't seasonal, which is why year-round food drives are so important. Our clients depend on your generosity.