Clothing drive volunteer
Role description
New Zealand Red Cross and Uber are again holding an annual clothing drive on Saturday 17 October, 2026 to accept quality, pre-loved clothing donations for resale in Red Cross Shops.
Get involved with the community and help divert goods from landfill by volunteering at this one-day outdoor event. You can help support this drive by being part of a team, receiving donations of clothing at our collection points.
These donations are processed and sent to our Red Cross Shops.
Donations collected will help Red Cross Shops raise funds for our humanitarian work, supporting people facing vulnerability, disaster and crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand and across the world. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of people who need it most.
Last year's drive collected more than 64,000kg of donated clothing and we are encouraging everyone to get on board and make this year the biggest, most impactful drive yet!
Your tasks
To volunteer at this event, you should be over 18 years and able to lift or carry bags/boxes of donated clothing from vehicles for the duration of your shift.
You will help with:
- Set up (morning shift) or pack down (afternoon/evening shift) of the event
- Removing donations from cars onto trucks or shipping containers onsite
- Removing donations from trucks and into a shipping container onsite
- Directing traffic
Location
There will be 11 collection sites to choose from. Six in Auckland, two in Christchurch and three in Wellington.
Use the drop down menu to see sites closest to you.
Volunteer requirements and training
Requirements
All event volunteers need to be:
• 18+ years of age
• Fit and able to lift and carry bags/boxes of donated clothing from vehicles for duration of shift
As tasks involve standing or moving for long periods of time, you'll need to be physically fit to undertake this role.
What do I need to bring?
• A reusable water bottle to limit single-use plastic
• Wear closed-in, comfortable shoes
• Wear comfortable clothing (keep in mind it may get dirty)
• Own dietary-specific snacks if required
• Personal sun protective gear (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen etc)
• Personal rain appropriate gear if needed (please check weather forecast ahead of the event)
• We will provide masks and gloves but if you prefer you can bring your own
We will provide some refreshments.
Training
No experience is necessary, you will be provided with training on the day.
You’ll receive on-the-job training and we will provide you with support in this role. Any hours spent volunteering with New Zealand Red Cross can contribute to the Voluntary Service section of the Duke of Edinburgh's Hilary Award. Volunteering as a Clothing Drive volunteer is a great way to support our teams to improve the lives of vulnerable people.
New Zealand Red Cross welcomes volunteer applicants of a diverse range of backgrounds, ages, and abilities.
Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW)
- Make sure your actions (or lack of actions) don’t harm your health, safety and wellbeing, or harm anyone else
- Take part in a HSW induction, training, programmes and activities
- Follow all instructions given to you about health, safety and wellbeing
- Follow all NZRC HSW policies, standards and procedures about health, safety and wellbeing
- Make sure you have the right training for any activities you are doing
- Use personal protective equipment (PPE) for any work activities that may need it to stay safe
- If you spot a hazard, or you are involved in an incident or near miss, report this straight away
- Take care with manual handling of donations
- ID verification
"I really loved being part of this fast-paced day and seeing how everyone worked together as a team to keep things moving!"
"It was a great day, and it was amazing to see the incredible support from our volunteers and the generosity of the donations we received."
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