Food Outreach Volunteer Program in Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City
Inspired to be a Food Outreach volunteer in Vietnam? International Volunteer HQ’s Food Outreach project is a great opportunity for volunteers to make a meaningful difference to the lives of people in Ho Chi Minh City who aren’t able to feed themselves and their families. Volunteers gain community outreach and cooking experience while working at a soup kitchen where low-income workers, the elderly and others choose to pay what little they can afford for a hearty lunch.
Highlights:
- Programs start every Monday
- Affordable fees from $300 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Serve cheap, nutritious food to locals who couldn’t otherwise afford it
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Get to know the friendly people of Vietnam
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Stay with other volunteers in a vibrant district of Ho Chi Minh
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
For many locals in Ho Chi Minh City, food is expensive and unaffordable. However, local soup kitchens are available to all and provide a high value meal every lunchtime. Volunteer assistance is important to help keep these kitchens open and serving meals to those who need them.
Meals are available for a fraction of the price of other options. Locals prefer to pay for meals, even if it’s a very low price, to avoid the stigma of accepting free food. The soup kitchen is popular and busy, serving up to 800 meals to low-income workers, the elderly and anyone else who requires lunch.
As a Food Outreach volunteer your role is to provide assistance with:
- Food preparation
- Cooking meals
- Serving customers
- Cleaning up after meal times
It is important to note that the Food Outreach project is disrupted from the 29th of January to the 24th of February due to the celebration of the Vietnamese New Year (TET) in 2024. During this time, volunteers will make food for the at-risk community (mainly young children in the community who have been diagnosed with cancer). The local team will arrange activities for the children including, dancing, singing, playing and the volunteers will also spend some time teaching them English.
The local team will buy all the food and materials for volunteers to help with preparation of the food, cooking the food and serving for that center. The center is about a 45 minute bus ride from the accommodation and you can expect to volunteer from 8am to 1pm. Alternatively, volunteers can use the time to travel and join in on the local festivities.
Why do Food Outreach volunteering in Ho Chi Minh with IVHQ?
When you volunteer in Vietnam you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving access to food sources for disadvantaged communities
- Supporting local initiatives to increase food security
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining cooking and food preparation experience
- Immersing yourself in Vietnamese culture
- Exploring Ho Chi Minh City
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- Volunteers aged 16-18 are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course creditRead reviews from Food Outreach volunteers in Ho Chi Minh
”As an older person in their 40’s I’d encourage others my age to not be afraid to explore and volunteer.”
Jeremy, American, 43
Read reviews from Food Outreach volunteers in Ho Chi Minh
Location
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is home to IVHQ’s Vietnam program. With high-tech industry, upmarket hotels, skyscrapers, shopping malls and buzzing nightlife, the city has a modern, dynamic atmosphere tempered by reminders of its history under French colonial rule and of its fall during the Vietnam War. While Vietnam has made great economic strides since then, the country is still recovering from the war and many people, especially ethnic minorities and those in rural areas, live without the basic necessities of life or find them difficult to access. Volunteers are needed to support efforts that help to further reduce poverty and hunger for these vulnerable people.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins every Monday, and volunteers need to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City on the Sunday before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Vietnam prior to your volunteer program, you will need to make your own way to the volunteer accommodation on the day before your program orientation.
There are two options for orientation in Vietnam, a One-day Orientation and the Introduction Week Orientation.
One-day Orientation: This begins on your selected start date and all volunteers will attend. It covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Vietnam, including an introduction to the Vietnam program, the local team, general rules and a class on the local culture and language. In the afternoon, you’ll learn about the local projects, go on a walking tour of the local area, and arrange your SIM card. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Introduction Week Orientation: The Introduction Week begins on your selected start date and runs for five days. This option is very popular among IVHQ volunteers as you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the Vietnamese culture, a true appreciation of local life and have extra time to bond with your fellow volunteers. You’ll also get to see some of Ho Chi Minh’s notable landmarks, visit markets and take a Vietnamese cooking class. Plus, it’s a great way to help settle the culture shock you can face when arriving in Vietnam.
Introduction Week does incur an additional Add on for $400 (approximately $400) to cover the additional costs. If you wish to participate in the Introduction Week, you can indicate this on your application form or let your Program Manager know once you have been accepted.
Volunteer schedule example
Weekdays
After the initial orientation day or week, you will work for approximately 4 to 6 hours per day. A typical schedule:
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast at the college restaurant. |
| 8:00 AM | Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch break. Lunch is served at the college restaurant or at the placement. However; volunteers are free to buy their own lunch at their expense, which will usually cost between $2 - $4. |
| 2:00 - 5:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing. |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer accommodation. |
Weekends
During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Ho Chi Minh City or Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh itself boasts an incredible number of things to see and do. You could find yourself gazing up at the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, or down at the lights of the city below from a bar on the rooftop of a towering skyscraper. You might pick your way through the local morning markets, sample the city’s mind-blowingly delicious street food, squeeze through the underground Cu Chi tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the war or admire a selection of ornate temples and pagodas.
Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to engage in tourist activities, such as trekking, joining Vietnamese history tours and visiting the Mekong Delta.
Accommodation and WiFi
You’ll stay in an IVHQ volunteer dormitory at a tourism college which is a 30-minute drive from the tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City.
You can expect to share a room with up to 8 other volunteers, all sleeping in bunk beds. Living conditions are basic; however, there is air conditioning and fans for the hotter months. The showers are with cold running water (nice and refreshing in the hot weather!) While bedding is provided, it is recommended that you bring your own sleeping bag/silk liner (these can be purchased in Vietnam) and a mosquito net if you wish to travel during the weekends.
WiFi is available in the volunteer dormitory, however the connection can be slow so we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Vietnam. The local team can assist you with this during your program orientation.
Some placements are located relatively close to the volunteer accommodation, however in some instances, volunteers may need to travel by public bus for 30 to 40 minutes to their placements. If this is the case, you will be accompanied by a member of the local team for the first 2 or 3 days to ensure that you know where to go and can find your way around easily.
Meals
Volunteers in Ho Chi Minh City are served three meals per day during the week.
Breakfast is usually toast, cereal, fruit, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner are typically traditional Vietnamese fare and include a wide variety of rice, noodle and soup dishes with plenty of vegetables, meats and fresh herbs. On the weekends volunteers are only served brunch and dinner.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when you apply for the program so we can make arrangements for you.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $300 Equivalent to $43/day |
| 2 weeks | $460 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 3 weeks | $620 Equivalent to $30/day |
| 4 weeks | $780 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 5 weeks | $940 Equivalent to $27/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,100 Equivalent to $26/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,320 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,540 Equivalent to $22/day |
| 12 weeks | $1,750 Equivalent to $21/day |
| 16 weeks | $2,170 Equivalent to $19/day |
| 20 weeks | $2,590 Equivalent to $19/day |
| 24 weeks | $3,010 Equivalent to $18/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, transport to and from your volunteer placement. criminal background check and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh generally find US$50 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
Free-time experiences & tours in Vietnam
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with IVHQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Vietnam! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Vietnam program.
Gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Vietnamese culture.
Gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Vietnamese culture.
Check what's required to visit Vietnam
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
| Capital | Hanoi |
| Population | 96 million |
| Languages | Vietnamese |
| Currency | Vietnamese Dong (VND) |
| Time zone | (UTC+7) |
Weather and climate
Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, with humidity averaging 84 per cent throughout the year. However, because of differences in latitude and diverse geography, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place.
