White River Junction — On any given day at Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction, a visitor might see meals being prepared for homeless people, food-insecure families picking up staples from the food pantry, people harvesting from the garden or schoolchildren laughing their way through afternoon programming. Each of those programs is made possible by volunteers from the Upper Valley.

“The volunteers are dedicated to the community and people in need; many of our programs could not run without them,” said Kerri Weeks, volunteer services coordinator for the Haven.

With winter looming, the Upper Valley Haven is looking to recruit new volunteers to help in its mission by providing food, shelter, education and other support to community residents struggling with poverty.

The Haven is looking for volunteers to help with the food shelf, which supplies essential food items to 1,400 families each month. Volunteers help stock shelves, unload donations and guide customers through the food shelf to shop. Shifts at the food shelf run weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 12-4:20 p.m., and 4-6 p.m.

Cooks are also needed to prepare meals at the adult shelter seven nights a week, making a meal that will feed about 20 people. This is a good volunteer opportunity for teams of two to six people, Weeks said.

People interested in hospitality will enjoy working in the Caruso Cafe, which provides drop-in meal services and hot drinks Monday through Friday.

“Cafe volunteers cook delicious healthy meals for lunch, and guests rave as it’s eaten,” Weeks said.

Weeks said that with so many volunteer slots available, she likes to talk with volunteers about their interests and hobbies to help decide which role would be the best fit for them and their schedules.

“Some people volunteer once a week, others volunteer three times a week,” she said. “Some programs require training, so we ask for a longer commitment, and other volunteer opportunities can be one day or a group service day.”

No matter which role a person falls into, Weeks says volunteering for the Upper Valley Haven is a fun and rewarding way to connect with the community at large.

“You will hear laughter in the food shelf as people work together each day to unload produce, stock shelves and build friendships,” she said.

For more information on volunteers in the Upper Valley Haven, visit https://uppervalleyhaven.org/volunteer or contact Weeks at 802-478-1865.