Volunteer with Cooking Matters

18 Reasons offers free hands-on cooking and nutrition 6-week series to food-insecure Bay Area communities through our Cooking Matters program. We work in partnership with various community sites and schools and provide the program to kids, teens, adults, and families. The classes are facilitated by a teaching team of an 18 Reasons staff member and volunteers as the cooking, nutrition, and class assistants for the series. Volunteers are an essential part of our organization! 

We have volunteer opportunities available for community-minded helpers passionate about sharing their love of good food, home-cooking, and supporting our vision of creating more equity and belonging through food education. There is no professional experience required to volunteer to teach a Cooking Matters series. We accept volunteers on a rolling basis. 

Cooking Matters Volunteer Role Descriptions

Cooking Educator Role Description (In-Person) 
You are a cooking enthusiast! No professional experience required, just a love of sharing home-cooking and food. During class, you will lead highly participatory cooking lessons featuring simple, healthy recipes. You will demonstrate and practice basic cooking techniques and terminology, proper knife handling, and food safety and sanitation measures. You will work with the 18 Reasons Program Coordinator and class participants to select recipes for class each week. The coordinator brings the curriculum, food, and cooking equipment — no need to bring anything other than yourself and the instructor manual 18 Reasons will provide you. 

Nutrition Educator Role Description (In-Person) 
You do not need to have a professional background as a nutritionist or dietitian to succeed in this role — you just need a love of healthy eating and an eagerness to help others. Some of our nutritionist volunteers do have a background in nutrition, food science, dietetics, or a related field, but it is not required. Class topics include using MyPlate as a tool for healthy eating, planning balanced meals, eating healthier fats, food budgeting, serving sizes, reading nutrition labels, and physical activity. The classes are intended to be interactive, and the nutrition educator facilitates open-minded conversation in class using activities, lesson plans, and visual aids provided by 18 Reasons. 

Class Assistant Role Description (In-Person) 
Class assistants primarily help the teaching team with student engagement, classroom set-up, food preparation, and cleaning up. Class assistants support the cooking and nutrition volunteer and interact with students to help support their learning. Common class assistant duties include packing groceries for participants to take home, loading/unloading kitchen equipment, and washing dishes. 

How to Become a Cooking Matters Volunteer

1. Fill out our volunteer interest form
Please complete the short volunteer interest formAn 18 Reasons staff member will follow up with you within a week. 

2. Sign up for an open volunteer position in a series 
We post new volunteer positions as they become available, and we fill them on a first come, first served basis. To sign up, review our class schedule below and email us to let us know what series and role you're interested in. If nothing fits your schedule right now, please fill out an interest form to receive updates on future classes. 

3. Complete the self-led volunteer trainings online and familarize yourself with the curriculum 
The volunteer manager will provide trainings once your application is completed. 

4. Submit proof of the COVID-19 Vaccination and valid Food Handler card 
It is required that all in-person volunteers submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination and have a valid Food Handler card. Please submit here or email cookingmattersvolunteers@18reasons.org copies of these documents. The Food Handler Card through SafeServ costs $15 and takes about 1-2 hours to complete training, we are able to offer reimbursement if needed. All volunteers must be masked during class. 

5. Shadow a Cooking Matters class
When you visit an ongoing class series, the 18 Reasons Program Coordinator on site will walk you step-by-step through a typical Cooking Matters class. You’ll have the chance to observe other volunteers teaching and ask any questions you have about the program. 

Available Volunteer Opportunities

See below for our current and upcoming schedule of Cooking Matters series. Refer to the schedule to find a class to shadow or sign up for an open volunteer role for an upcoming series. We update the schedule on a rolling basis. Email cookingmattersvolunteers@gmail.com to sign up or with any schedule questions. *All in-person volunteer positions should plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of class time to help with set-up and plan to stay up to 30 minutes after class time to help with clean up. 

In-Person Volunteer Positions

San Francisco

Cooking Matters Para Adults *Spanish Series*
10 - 11:30 am Fridays April 28th - June 9 (Skip May 26) 
Community Well 78 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
All positions filled 

Cooking Matters for Adults
3:30 - 5pm Wednesdays April 26th - June 7 (Skip May 17)
Kain Na Food Bank, 1340 4th San Francisco, CA
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Adults
11-12:30 Thursdays April 27th - June 1st (5 weeks, skip may 18th)
Openhouse, 65 Laguna St, San Francisco, CA 94102
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Kids
2 - 3pm Thursdays April 27th - June 1st (5 weeks, skip may 18th)
Bayshore Elementary, 155 Oriente St, Daly City, CA 94014
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Kids
3:30 - 4:30 Thursdays April 27th - June 1st (5 weeks, skip may 18th)
Miraloma Elementary School 175 Omar Way, San Francisco, CA 94127
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Adults (Spanish)
10:30 - 12:30pm Fridays May 5th - June 16th (Skip May 26th)
MEDA (Mission Economic Development Agency), 2301 Mission St #301, San Francisco, CA 94110
All positions filled 

Cooking Matters for Adults
1:30 - 3pm Tuesdays, May 23rd - June 27th
DISH SF at Empress, 144 Eddy Street San Francisco, CA 94102
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Adults
3:30 - 5pm Tuesdays May 30th - July 11th (Skip July 4)
Casa Adelante 2828 16th Street San Francisco, CA, 94103
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Adults
2:30 - 4pm Thursdays, May 25 - June 29th
Project Access Senior Center 3595 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Families
2:30 - 4pm Wednesdays, May 31th - July 12th (skip July 5th)
Canon Barcus Episcopal Community Services 670 Natoma St, San Francisco, CA 94103
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Adults - One time event **Class taught in Spanish**
12 - 1:30pm Tuesday June 6th
San Franisco Public Library Mission Branch
Held at 18 Reasons at 3674 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Class assistant needed 

Cooking Matters for Adults (Class taught in Mandarin)
2 - 4pm Wednesdays, June 7 - June 28th *4 weeks*
North East Medical Services (NEMS) 1520 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
All positions filled 

Cooking Matters for Adults - One time event **Class taught in Spanish**
12 - 1:30pm Thursday June 8th
San Franisco Public Library Mission Branch
Held at 18 Reasons at 3674 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Class assistant needed 

Cooking Matters for Kids
12:45 - 2pm Wednesdays June 7- July 14th (Skip July 5th) 
Beacon at Flynn Elementary 3125 Cesar Chavez St, San Francisco, CA 94110
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Adults (Taught in Mandarin)
2 - 4pm Wednesdays June 7 - June 28th (4 weeks)
North East Medical Services (NEMS), 1520 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
All positions filled

Cooking Matters for Teens
1:30 - 3pm Tuesdays June 20th- July 24th (Skip July 4th) *5 weeks*
Southeast Asian Development Center 166 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Cooking volunteer needed

Cooking Matters for Adults - One time event **Class taught in Spanish**
12 - 1:30pm Friday June 23rd
San Franisco Public Library Main Branch
100 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Class assistant needed 

Alameda County 

Cooking Matters for Families
1:00-3:00pm* Fridays, June 2 - July 17 (Skip July 7)
Lifelong East Oakland, 10700 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605
All positions filled

Contra Costa  

Cooking Matters for Parents 
2:00 - 4:00pm* Thursdays, May 11 - June 22 (skip 5/18)
East County First Five, 355 E Leland Rd, Pittsburg CA 94565
Cooking Volunteer, Nutrition Instrucror and Class Assistant needed 

Cooking Matters for Families
6:00pm - 7:30 pm Tuesdays, May 30 - July 11 (skip 7/4)
SAHA - Arboleda Apartments, 1550 Third Avenue, Walnut Creek
Cooking Volunteer needed

Cooking Matters for Adults
11:00am - 1:00 pm, Thursdays, June 1 - July 13 (skip 7/6)
SAHA - Veteran's Square, 901 Los Medanos Street, Pittsburg
Cooking Volunteer, Nutrition Instrucror and Class Assistant needed 

Cooking Matters for Adults
1:00pm-3:00pm Wednesdays, June 14-July 26 (skip 7/5)
SAHA - Tabora Gardens Senior Apartments, 3701 Tabora Drive, Antioch 
Cooking Volunteer, Nutrition Instrucror and Class Assistant needed 

Time Commitment

Cooking Matters classes meet once a week for six weeks. and we ask that volunteers are able to commit to a full 6 week series. Classes are held anytime between 9:00am and 8:00pm, Tuesday-Friday.
 Each week, Cooking Matters classes require a time commitment of class time, plus 30 minutes of prep time before class, and up to 30 minutes of clean-up after class (so that's 3 hours per week).
 In addition, communication (via email) with the Cooking Matters Program Coordinator about class scheduling, curriculum, etc. is expected. 
Volunteers are encouraged to contribute to all aspects of the class, including set-up, clean-up, and food preparation. If you need support around transportation, please reach out. 

Volunteer Benefits

We love our volunteers! In addition to creating and empowering community through food, volunteers receive a complimentary 18 Reasons membership, one meal per class, training and coaching, and are invited to volunteer appreciation celebrations! Volunteers earn a complimentary ticket to their choice of 18th Street Kitchen class after volunteering for 3 Cooking Matters series in year!