philanthropy manager

research assistant

food service worker

driver

warehouse associate

Food Bank

A typical day started with an arbitrary instruction like "organize the cabinet, keep only the important" without defining "what is important" to an employee being there for less than three months.

What I learned is that appearance can be very deceiving. Food Bank users can now be some able body who has a job, a home, and a car but simply could not make ends meet because after housing and transportation there is not enough cash left for food.

Management are made of extrovert executives. They are not about to slow down to evaluate their provision does not measure up to their expectation. There are not enough competent middle liaison (like deemed "a 540 gram of tomato sauce is a little over a pound as a made-up story") to carry out the daily tasks.

Co-workers are full of politics and petty competitions (like which one shared an office which has a window with whom etc.). Walking around egg shells all day, to afraid to talk too much or too little or too flattering or not flattering enough. (be careful about a casual although sincere compliment like "you look good today" which may get an echo by someone saying "really, but she looks good everyday").

The hardest part of the job is facing people who are in need but being angry with everyone including those who are trying to help. Occasional verbal insults are part of the job. There is a culture of rejecting accountability as an extra workload like making a note of the reason why a donor's account is deactivated was ordered to stop doing so.

The most enjoyable part of the job is when after all the hard parts, once a while you got a chance to say something encouraging that "your situation is only temporary. let us help you now and when you get back on your feet, remember and support us" and they have the most touching feedback.

My student placement, while in college, at the 191 Toronto St. location was the absolute worst working experience I've ever had. 

The staff depend on volunteers to do most of the gritty work of setting up the food bank itself. The administrative staff are really insular and unfriendly. Administrative staff have a difficult time giving specific instruction and often miss or delay meetings, so that projects and task completion is constantly late and stressful. Volunteers, student workers and frontline staff are expected to complete very physically taxing tasks in unsafe conditions, without the necessary equipment, with minimal supervision, leadership or positive feedback provided. 

It is also a very disorganized workplace. The food gets sorted nicely but the daily tasks needed to run all of the services there do not. Policies are written down but rarely followed. Administrative staff prefer to attend only to administrative matters, that enforces a divide between the staff and volunteers who do the menial tasks and results in very little cohesion and solidarity between the people that work, volunteer, or provide student labour to the food bank.     

It would have been fine if it were only a day of that type of experience, but I was there for months. I realize poverty-relief is a tough field, but the staff seemed miserable and I often witnessed conflicts between them that became unprofessional therefore I felt uncomfortable. I was often put in no-win situations that made me frustrated and without guidance or support.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Team work and inclusivity provides a safer space for learning and self contribution to organizational goals.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It's knowing that 1 out 10 people in Toronto need food but the funds are not enough for everyone.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It's a diverse culture where every employee is assessed by the team. The team work at departmental level provides a strong ground for better performance to other teams.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Qoeking on the day assignments, attending meetings to keep on track.

What is the best part of working at the company?
I feel fulfilled working in this company. I have learnt a lot of things and am still learning. They absolute amazing people. Giving back to the community is a privilege.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Nothing is stressful here. They are normal work which everyone doing it derives joy.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Perfect. Amazing, very conducive, no discrimination, and no disruptive behaviour

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
The environment is good, conducive and a pleasant people around

I either sorted incoming donated food, checked for due dates and breaks in packaging, or i was one of the two who distributed food to the clients.

Clients get a set amount of food depending on how many are in their household. Shelves are stocked every morning and continue being stocked throughout the day.

I learned how to apply customer service and also a kind ear. Co-workers and management always treated each other as peers and not a pecking order.

The hardest part of the job is when we are low in food or can't meet the needs of the client, (allergies).

Working with clients can feel rewarding even though it’s an extremely top down organization that’s not at all progressive or inclusive. Under it’s current leadership it has become increasingly middle class and created more distance between themselves and the client experience. There has been a focus placed on aesthetics and building up the organizational profile. At the same time they have divested from their previous focus on working directly with those who have lived experience. 

I found working at Daily bread next to the instructures on a one on one bases. Helped me to improve my skills and gave me the edge to improve in my career inbecoming a chef. Yes things got hard at times but it was the amazing instructures at the daily bread training program that reminded me that if i want to be a chef i have to indure all that is in a kitchen to make it out there and they where right, being apart of daily breads food bank training program. I found my passion was in baking. I am now,futher my career inbecoming a baker or pastry chef.

I was only a volunteer at the food bank over March Break 2013. Although it was not payed work, I still enjoyed meeting new people, helping fill boxes of food, clothing and other supplies for the less fortunate. The Coordinators of the food bank were very kind and helpful. The hardest part of the job was occasinally having to put in heavy products into numerous boxes-more like a factory setting. However, I would easily work at a food bank again becauase it is quite rewarding in the long run.

In contact with over 150 clients on a daily basis at the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Helped in building my communication skills and understanding the culture of the people. 
What i enjoyed most is the fact that i get to help our clients. Putting a smile on every client's face is our major priority. Sometimes having a heart to heart discussions with them and referrals.
The Daily Bread Food Bank is a place full with positive vibes and perfect energy, with helps in making work very easy. 
Also, we take team work very seriously.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Warehouse, good employee cooperation, the company avail learning platform and show there skills as there is room for improvement 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
For the time I have been working there nothing has really stressed me

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The people in the company are welcoming and cooperative 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
When there is alot of orders to pick it's  mostly Thursday

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Philanthropy manager 2 salaries reported	$66,500 per year
Research assistant 4 salaries reported	$18.71 per hour
Food service worker 1 salary reported	$47,925 per year
Driver 2 salaries reported	$29.94 per hour
Warehouse associate 1 salary reported	$54,000 per year

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