In our current process, there are a number of unassigned administrative tasks that select people end up taking on informally during the week leading up to the Saturday pantry. For example

• checking the signup sheet to make sure we have enough people
• sending out email/slack/social media blasts
• texting people for roles

Currently, a lot of this is handled by @Nic G, but ideally this responsibility would be distributed so it doesn't fall on one person. In the past, CACs have handled this role, but CACs are already quite busy handling incoming aid requests, and are a bit stretched thin.

One thing that might make this process easier is if we created a formal "on-call" virtual point person (VPP). This person would serve a similar role to the VPP on Saturdays, except instead of coordinating the logistics for the pantry, they would focus on the monitoring and filling the signup sheet and enacting the cancellation policy (Pantry Cancellation Policy). This role would also rotate week to week, with the outgoing on-call person available to hand things off/answer any questions for the incoming person.

Given the limited and well-defined scope (signup sheet monitoring for one week at a time), I think a lot of people would be willing to sign up to be part of a rotation, and if even 10-12 people sign up, everyone would only have to do this once every 2-3 months. This is also a much lower commitment than being a CAC and will require limited to no training, as any questions can be asked to the outgoing on-call VPP, and we'll make additional documentation on Notion with all the responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Monitor the signup sheet on Monday and Tuesday, making slack/social media posts as necessary (or delegating those posts to someone else) to get people to sign-up
• Keep the cancellation criteria in mind:
  • Zero Pantry Tablers/Point person
    • If we have some people for one pantry, but not the other, we can cancel just that pantry
  • Zero Loaders
  • Less than 3 Sorters on Thursday
• Make a final push for volunteers if on Wednesday afternoon, the cancellation criteria is close,
• Once the cancellation determined, notify the following people of the change
  • The people who have signed up (Broadcast through volunteer sign up (email) and also via text) - can be done from google voice or personal phone
  • Slack Announce to Appropriate Channels
  • Social Media Blast
• Coordinate notifying neighbors at pantry on the day of (Saturday) in person
  • Any tablers/point people that were signed up for that location will instead be reassigned to go to the pantry location at 1:30 pm (half an hour before the pantry was supposed to start) and spread the word that the pantry will not happen that day
    • If there is no one signed up, try to reassign people signed up for other roles that day to instead go inform people
    • If that doesn't work, put out a general call via the usual channels
  • Text any existing phone numbers for neighbors we have to help spread the word.
• Hand-off any relevant info to the morning/afternoon Saturday VPP

Additional Possible Responsibilities