Northumberland Food For Thought
Eat, learn, succeed!

That’s what student nutrition programs in Northumberland County are all about.

Hi! My name is Beth Kolisnyk and I am the Community Development Coordinator for Northumberland Food for Thought.

Last year close to 6000 students in Northumberland County benefited from a breakfast, lunch, or snack program at school. These programs are open to all and promote healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

Looking for a way to help your local school community? Interested in spending time with a fantastic group of dedicated volunteers? Then contact me to find a school in your area!

By coming together with a common goal... we can make sure that students in Northumberland County receive the food they need to be ready to learn.

Donate Now
All donations are made through Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.  The Health Unit provides NFFT with in-kind accounting services.  All donations are used by NFFT to assist Northumberland County Student Nutrition Programs.donatenow4 (2)

Volunteering

NFFT has created a Volunteer Resource Kit and a Quick Reference Guide to support Student Nutrition Programs in Northumberland County.  Below, we have broken up each section of the Resource Kit for your convenience.


Volunteer Recruitment
Volunteer Orientation
Volunteer Training
Volunteer Retention
Volunteer Recognition
Sample Forms

 

Volunteer Recruitment

Recruitment is an on-going process. Always be on the lookout for people who have the skills, interest and desire to support the program.

Four recruitment methods

Direct ask – to ask another individual or a group in a face to face situation.

Indirect ask – to use a letter or the media or a newsletter to get a message out.

Delegated – to use other volunteers to seek new recruits or post available positions in the school newsletter or bulletin board.

Targeted – to take the position description and the skills that are identified and target someone specifically who has those skills.

For more tips on recruiting, check out this Volunteer Recruitment factsheet.

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Volunteer Orientation

Orientation gives people the information necessary to make them feel comfortable and knowledgeable about the work they are about to start.

In an effective orientation a volunteer should:

  • begin to feel part of the team
  • have decreased feelings of anxiety about joining a new group
  • have been impressed with a positive first impression
  • have renewed their commitment
  • be knowledgeable about the goals and expectations of the program
  • be comfortable to ask questions

What should the orientation cover?  How do I conduct an orientation?  Check out this Volunteer Orientation factsheet.

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Volunteer Training

Volunteers should have specific training on:

  • School Safety and Emergency Procedures
  • Safe Food Handling
  • Nutrition and Menu Planning
  • School Student Behavior Policy

Check out this factsheet on Volunteer Training.
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Volunteer Retention

Create a quality volunteer experience so that volunteers will keep coming back to help out:

  • Meet volunteer expectations
  • Provide the right amount of supervision, support and recognition
  • Make volunteers feel part of a team
  • Give volunteers respect and involve them in decision-making
  • Provide meaningful work
  • Ensure their time is well spent

For more tips on retaining volunteers check out the Volunteer Retention Factsheet.
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Volunteer Recognition

Recognize and reward volunteers for their time and experience. How you recognize volunteers is an important ingredient in retaining them. Recruitment, recognition and retention are all tied together.

Recognition can be both formal and informal.

Recognition should be consistent, appropriate and meaningful.

Recognition is individual.

For more tips check out the volunteer recognition factsheet.
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Sample Forms

A sample volunteer checklist, volunteer registration information, work schedule, and a volunteer contact sheet are created to help you with your volunteers.  Feel free to modify them to suit your needs.  Click here to download the sample forms.
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