At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!
Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is!
House of Friendship’s Emergency Food Hamper & Neighbourhood Food Programs walk with our community to prevent and reduce the impacts of poverty, food insecurity and isolation in Waterloo Region. Through these programs we contribute to a healthy, resilient community where all can belong and thrive. This position involves interacting with the public in a friendly manner while supporting food programs through helping to lead weekly food distribution, assisting with food ordering, shipping and receiving of food supplies and picking up and delivering food donations.
This is a contract, part-time position (15-25 hours per week), from approximately July 7, 2025 to July 3, 2026. Work schedule generally within Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm; 3-6 hour shifts. Valid G class driver’s license required for frequent travel throughout Waterloo Region and other townships. Successful completion of a Police Records Check (Vulnerable Sector)
required.
Key Responsibilities:
· Assist Community Development Worker (CDW), Program Leaders, teammates and volunteers to facilitate food distribution programs at various sites
· Interact with participants and support CDW with crowd management
· Work as a team to support de-escalation of participants experiencing heightened emotions with a trauma informed approach
· Responsible for pick-ups of donations for House of Friendship food programs from various donors and community partners
· Maintain consistent communication and safety check-ins with supervisor while out in the community
· Responsible for safety checks, mileage log, and reporting needs for repair of HOF vehicles
· Assist with the set up and maintenance of program space and program supplies
· Assist with general cleaning and organizing of program spaces
· Receive, sort, organize and store food and non-food items
· Load & unload food trucks operating the forklift
· Maintain warehouse flow in an efficient and safe manner through guiding volunteers, maintaining a clear and safe work area and regularly checking warehouse equipment
· Carry out regular tasks associated with food safety
· Assist with duties related to Christmas Program as well as other program related projects throughout the year
Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:
· Ability to work independently in a busy environment
· Interest in food issues and knowledge of community resources
· Strong ability to receive and follow instructions
· Knowledge of food products and food safety issues is an asset
· Knowledge of social work principles and/or food security issues would be an asset
· Basic Computer and Microsoft office knowledge and experience is required
Education/Experience:
· Minimum high school education is required
· Experience in a warehouse environment would be an asset
· Knowledge and experience in shipping and receiving is an asset
· Previous experience in pick-ups and deliveries is an asset
· Experience and training in operating a forklift is an asset
· Food Handler Certification an asset
Critical Skills:
· Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship;
· Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem solving skills required;
· Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants and community members;
· Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs;
· Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach to consultation, program design, evaluations of processes and service delivery;
· Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude;
· Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental illness and other life challenges;
· Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping;
Compensation:
At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to thrive, succeed, and have a positive work experience.
House of Friendship compensation practices including our pay grid, have been developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector including Pathways to Decent Work (Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network. We value the experience that new team members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous related experience for placement on our pay grid.
We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:
· Time off includes vacation pay and 2 personal days per year
· Employee & Family Assistance Program
Rate of Pay:
At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of “grades” and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate’s past related experience will be taken into consideration.
Grade: 3
Min: $20.08
Mid: $21.80
Max: $23.51
Working Conditions:
· 15-25 hrs per week – generally daytime, weekday hours; occasional evenings and weekends
· Must be able to lift between 20-40 lbs and stand for 3-4 hours at a time
· Programs are facilitated at community centres throughout the Region of Waterloo and House of Friendship Emergency Food Hampers
· Travel throughout the Region of Waterloo and surrounding areas
· Time off/vacation is not permitted during the Christmas season (November and December)
· May encounter participants at program sites who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness
House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.
House of Friendship supports justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We strive to be a workplace free of harassment and discrimination and we are committed to removing barriers and being an inclusive, work environment. House of Friendship is a place where each person can bring their true selves and feel that they belong. We aspire to be an organization that is anti-racist and anti-oppressive so that our team, and therefore our community, can truly belong and thrive.
We invite applications from all qualified candidates and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to accessing employment including, but not limited to Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
If you require accommodations to be able to participate fully at any stage in the recruitment process, including applying for this position, please let us know so that we can discuss accommodation options. Accommodations will be provided upon request.
If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let’s talk.
To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:
https://house-of-friendship.hirehive.com/warehouse-and-program-helper-efhp-waterloo-region-on-nHPfT2
By end of day June 13, 2025.
