COVID-19 Safety

As cases of COVID-19 rise due to the Omicron variant, we are continuing to work to comply with the regulations and recommendations established by Cal/OSHA and local health departments. We will continue to monitor the situation and update our guidelines in the best interest of the safety of our staff, volunteers, and participants.

Volunteer Safety Guidelines

  • Masks are required indoors and recommended outdoors 

  • Social distancing of 6 ft must be maintained for all indoor volunteer opportunities

  • Volunteers must wear gloves

  • If you are experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19, please cancel your reservation. You can do so by logging into your profile, going to “Opportunity Responses,” and toggling the far-right pull-down menu to “Unregister.” 

Exposure Notice Guidelines

  • If a staff member or volunteer tests positive for COVID-19, as soon as we are notified, we immediately begin contact tracing. We follow all San Francisco guidelines involving COVID-19 and contact tracing in the workplace. To learn more, you can find our FAQ here.

  • If we are notified of a positive case at a volunteer site, all volunteers will be notified. Close contacts will receive a separate notice letting them know that they are a close contact.

COVID-19 Vaccination Status for Volunteers

As the State of California has eased health restrictions the Food Bank has worked to comply with the regulations and recommendations established by Cal/OSHA and local health departments. Following local recommendations, the Food Bank requires all volunteers to wear masks when indoors. As before, please cancel your shift if you are feeling unwell.

The Food Bank implemented the following changes in mid-July (this has been amended): 

  • The Food Bank is required to verify vaccination status of volunteers.
  • Volunteers must complete qualification to sign up for shifts. (Not required as of 7/21, though it may be required again later.)
  • Volunteers are welcome to serve regardless of vaccination status. (Partner Pantries may have differing requirements.)
  • All volunteers are required to wear masks indoors.
  • Masks are optional for volunteers and staff outdoors.
  • Social distancing is required indoors, but not outdoors.

Please see below for specifics and to learn how to enter your information.

 

Qualifying to volunteer

You will need to complete the Qualification in your profile only once, and you can update this qualification later if your status changes. The requirement is only to complete the question, full vaccination is NOT a requirement to volunteer.

Your vaccination status will be used only by the Food Bank in order to qualify for volunteer shifts - we will not share this information with anyone.

The verification looks like this:

The Food Bank is required to verify vaccination status of volunteers (per SF DPH). By checking, you acknowledge that you are providing accurate and truthful information regarding your vaccination status.

View Full Waiver.

    • I am fully vaccinated*
    • I have not been vaccinated
    • I decline to answer whether I have been vaccinated

*For purposes of this certification, you are considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks after completing the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after receiving a single dose of a one-dose vaccine (e.g.,Johnson&Johnson/Janssen).

 Other qualification questions are not required.

 

To fill out your qualification follow the directions below or go to sign up for a shift and the qualification will appear:

  • Log into your profile on the volunteer website.
  • Click on your initials or photo in the top right corner. On mobile, click the small gear box in the top right corner, then click "User Control".
  • On the drop-down menu, click “Qualifications”.
  • Find the first qualification "COVID-19 Vaccination Status for Volunteers" and make a selection. (You are not required to answer the other Qualifications.)
  • Click the green "Submit Qualifications" button at the bottom.

 

Signing up for Shifts

(as of 7/21 all volunteers can sign up without the qualification, though it may be required again later)

Once your qualification is complete, you will be able to sign up for opportunities as you have before. 

If you have not completed your qualification, the system will not allow you to sign up. Partner Pantries will be available, but you will need to follow their guidelines.

Teams: every member of a Team must fill in their own qualification before they are permitted to sign up.

 

Masking Requirements

Volunteers are welcome to serve regardless of vaccination status, the difference will be in whether masking is optional or required. See the table below for guidance on whether masks are required or optional.

Vaccination Status

Indoors

Outdoors

Fully Vaccinated

Mask Required

Mask Optional

Unvaccinated

Mask Required

Mask Optional

Decline to answer

Mask Required

Mask Optional

 

Thank you for continuing to volunteer with us! Please contact us at volunteer@sfmfoodbank.org with any questions. 

 

Updated 7/21/21