Food for Good
Join our program in São Miguel Island and help provide essential meals to low-income families and the unhoused community. From preparing nutritious food to maintaining kitchen hygiene and assisting with meal distribution, your support will bring comfort and nourishment to those who need it most.
Join the Food Rescue Program in São Miguel!
Make a direct impact by helping prepare, cook, and distribute meals for vulnerable communities in São Miguel Island. Volunteers will work alongside a dedicated nonprofit, ensuring that families and individuals in need have access to nutritious food in a safe and welcoming environment. Depending on the project you’re involved with, your responsibilities may vary. In some projects, you may have the opportunity to engage in all aspects of meal preparation, cooking, and distribution, while in others, you may focus on collecting food from local restaurants and distributing it directly to families in need. Regardless of the specific tasks, every meal served is a step toward fostering dignity, stability, and hope for a brighter future.
What to Expect:
- Meal Preparation: You’ll be actively involved in preparing and cooking meals, ensuring they meet the nutritional needs of low-income families and individuals.
- Food Collection: In some projects, you may help collect donated food from local restaurants or food establishments to ensure it reaches those in need.
- Meal Distribution: Help distribute meals to families or individuals in need, either directly or through designated distribution points like Social Canteens.
- Community Support: Assist in creating a welcoming, safe environment for everyone involved, ensuring that the meal service fosters dignity and respect.
Daily Tasks:
- Prepare and Cook Meals: You will be involved in meal preparation, ensuring that meals are nutritious and support healthy eating for the vulnerable communities.
- Support Kitchen Maintenance: Assist with maintaining hygiene and organization in the kitchen, ensuring a safe and efficient food preparation environment.
- Logistics of Meal Distribution: Help with the distribution of meals, whether it’s packaging, serving, or organizing food delivery to families in need, ensuring it reaches the right people at the right time.
Ready to Serve with Heart?
Included
- Airport pickup on Sundays, straight to your accommodation
- Stay in a hostel—female, male, or mixed dorms
- Access to a common room and free Wi-Fi!
- Three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner)—veggie, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options available upon request
- Orientation on arrival: culture, volunteering, program details, and safety
- We’ll hook you up with an impactful non-profit project and handle the coordination
- Guided city tour with top tips for exploring
- Ongoing support throughout your stay
- 24/7 emergency support, just in case
FAQ
What is the minimum age to participate in this program? 18+
The minimum age to participate in this program is 18 years.
Do I have to pay money for volunteering?+
You are not paying for your volunteer work itself but for your stay with us overall. The costs for your program further include various elements that are part of your stay such as your accommodation, food, transportation from the airport, guided city tour, local coordination and 24/7 support for emergencies. Check the "Included" section of the program you want to choose for complete information!
How and when do I need to pay for my volunteer program with ImpacTrip?+
The payment of your volunteer program is done by bank transfer. We will kindly ask you to pay 50% of your bill at the time of your booking to secure your spot! The other 50% will be due at least one month before your arrival!
How much money should I bring to my program?+
Once you've booked your program, be sure to reach out to your local coordinator to get the scoop on the cost of living in your destination—it can differ quite a bit! And don't forget to budget for public transportation, emergencies, airport drop-off, snacks, fun activities, and a bit of local shopping. Happy planning!
How many people will be I be volunteering with?+
Depending on your program and project, you might be joined by other ImpacTrip volunteers, but usually, you’ll either be on your own or with local volunteers. It's a fantastic opportunity to connect with locals and immerse yourself in the community and its lifestyle!
In case of need, how do I get health care?+
All volunteers must arrive with private health insurance that covers the costs of any health service that may arise in their program destination.
With this insurance you can be treated at any private or public medical center. The medical expenses will be paid by you and when you return to your country you will have to present all the invoices to your insurance so don't forget to budget medical emergencies.
In the case of European volunteers, to facilitate the process, it is advisable to come with your European Health Card.
Do I need to speak the local language?+
No, you don't need to have any previous skills in the local language! All of our programs are run entirely in English and our guides and staff are all comfortable speaking English as well. However, we always encourage our participants to get acquainted with some of the most basic terms and expressions, as even just a simple "Good morning!" in the local language can be a great icebreaker to start interacting with the locals! There are also language lessons available for volunteers that can be booked before or upon arrival.
Will I have time for some sight-seeing as well?+
Of course! We want you to really get to know your natural and cultural surroundings and will provide you with useful tips and tricks that will help you discover the location of your stay like a local.
Your shifts will generally last between 3 and 5 hours per day and will take place either in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening, which will leave you with plenty of free time to go explore, take a stroll around your surroundings, catch the most important sites, interact with the locals or simply go and relax! And of course, you will have your weekends off as well!
How and when do I get my volunteer certificate?+
You can request your volunteer certificate to ImpacTrip or the local coordinator at the end of your program.
