Lunch prep and service at Outside In youth shelter
Help prepare and serve lunch for young people at Outside In's drop-in center in Northwest Portland. Shifts are three hours on weekday mornings.
Why we picked this
Outside In serves young people who are houseless or in transition — this shift is kitchen-focused, so you're making real food for real people without needing any prior experience with the population they serve.
Outside In runs a drop-in center for young people ages 14-24 who are experiencing houselessness or housing instability. Meal volunteers work alongside staff in the kitchen from 9 AM to noon, prepping ingredients, cooking a hot lunch, and serving it cafeteria-style before cleaning up. No culinary training is required — staff lead the cooking and volunteers assist with chopping, portioning, heating, and serving.
The kitchen environment is warm and busy. Outside In serves a diverse community and asks that all volunteers complete a brief online orientation before their first shift — this covers the organization’s trauma-informed approach and basic guidelines for interacting with guests. It takes about 20 minutes and is available on their website. After that, you can sign up for available kitchen shifts directly through their volunteer scheduling system.
This is a recurring role, not a one-off. Outside In asks for a commitment of at least one shift per month so they can rely on their volunteer roster. If your schedule is unpredictable, their one-time volunteer days (usually scheduled around the holidays) are a better fit. Street parking on SW 13th is free on weekends; weekday volunteers typically use a nearby garage for about $5.