Big Tex hosts our largest canned food drive of the year, and we need your help! This is the most popular event of the year, and spots will fill up quickly! The North Texas Food Bank is the beneficiary of weekly promotions at the State Fair of Texas.
- Friday, September 26: Opening Day! Attendees can bring 2 jars of Peanut Butter and get in for $10.
- Every Wednesday of the Fair – October 1, October 8, and October 15 – attendees can bring 5 cans of food and get in for $7.
All food collected is distributed within our Feeding Network to feed neighbors across North Texas!
Groups: You are unable create a team and reserve spots for others. You are welcome to volunteer with a group, but each team member will need to sign up individually for the shift(s). Only one person from the group needs to attend orientation, but every volunteer needs to complete the orientation RSVP. At orientation, you can ask to be assigned to a gate with others. Groups larger than 3 individuals are not guaranteed to be assigned to the same gate.
Description:
- Volunteers will stand outside, collect food donations, pass out vouchers, and welcome attendees to the Fair.
- Volunteers will be expected to attend an Orientation prior to the day of their shift. See further details below.
- At Orientation, volunteers will receive a t-shirt to wear during their shift.
- Volunteers must be flexible with gate assignments.
- Please note, groups larger than 3 will be broken up so we may have enough volunteers at all the gates. Each individual must register at https://volunteer.ntfb.org/
Parking and Transportation:
Parking passes will be available for volunteers for only one parking lot. Volunteers will have to walk from the parking lot to their assigned gate - this could be up to a mile. Parking passes for handicap or premium lots are not provided. Please allow extra time to walk to your gate from the parking lot. The Dart is another great option to get to the Fair. The Dart Train drops off at one of the entrances to the gate.
Orientation:
All volunteers must attend an orientation prior to their volunteer shift at the State Fair of Texas. For a group of volunteers, one person may attend the orientation on behalf of the group. All volunteers need to complete the orientation RSVP link you receive in your email. The one person attending the orientation will need to know the t-shirt size and the transportation method of each volunteer in the group.
Orientation will include pick-up of your volunteer T-shirt, gate assignment, and parking information. The first three evening orientations are scheduled for 1.5 hours, but are not likely to last that long(it is dependent on the number of people at the orientation). Orientation will be held at NTFB Perot Family Campus(3677 Mapleshade Ln. Plano, TX 75075) in Plano on the following days and times:
Tuesday, Sept. 16: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 17: 12pm(noon) to 1 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 22: 6 to 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 24: 6 to 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 30: 6 to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 7: 6 to 7 p.m.
After you have you registered for a shift, an NTFB Staff Member will send you an email with a link to RSVP for an orientation date. The link will be sent twice a week. If someone is attending the orientation on your behalf, you will still complete the RSVP form.
Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to volunteer.
Time Commitment: Thank you for respecting other volunteers and the NTFB team by arriving at the agreed upon time. If you cannot stay the entirety of the shift, please do not sign up.
Extra details: We will be outside, rain or shine. If the forecast includes rain, please bring an umbrella or wear a rain jacket. Dress appropriately for the weather forecast.
