Sign Up to Volunteer at Loaves and Fishes Here!
As of 2026, volunteers NOT part of the sponsor group for the day will need to sign up in order to volunteer at Loaves & Fishes that day.
Loaves & Fishes 2026 Dates
-- Always the Last 2 Saturdays of the Month --
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, Trenton, NJ
January 24th and 31st
February 21st and 28th
March 21st and 28th
April 18th and 25th
May 23rd and 30th
June 20th and 27th
July 18th and 25th
August 22nd and 29th
September 19th and 26th
October 24th and 31st
November 21st and 28th
December 19th and 26th
First Time Volunteer?
Want to Sponsor?
Volunteer Expectations
As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to serve a diverse community of guests, spanning all ages and walks of life.
Some will be like you: a volunteer. Others just want to eat. Do not be surprised by the comfort level of our guests, their politeness, or their human greed. We want them to be our guests.
Sponsor Expectations
We ask our generous sponsors to prepare a meal "from soup to nuts" as the expression goes.
But if they can’t, at a minimum we would like a hot meal and a simple cold lunch sandwich to send home in the to-go bag. A more elaborate plan would include a fun dessert.
For the to-go portion, we recommend collecting items like toiletries, candy bags, snacks, fruit, and drinks.
Additionally, sponsors can collect and distribute socks, scarves, towels and soap, coats, sweatshirts, even men’s underwear is well received.
Approximate Schedule
Our typical day lasts from approximately 8:30 to 12:00. However, feel free to only come for a part of the time.
Hot drinks and cold drinks are served from 8:30 until the end of the meal
Pastries are served from 8:30 to around 10:30. Additionally, to-go bags are packed in the back room during this time
At 10:45, all volunteers gather in the back room for announcements. We recommend that you are present during this time
At 11:00, we serve the main meal. Volunteers will be asked to form a line, grab a plate, and serve to the customers
At 11:30, dessert is served. Shortly after, seconds will be distributed to any customers that desire
Once the meal concludes, to-go bags will be brought out and delivered to the customers, and the clean-up process begins
How To Sponsor
If you want to sponsor a meal, please contact B.A. Cagney at cagneybarbaraanne@gmail.com to chat and find a date. Please note that you do not have to sponsor the entire meal.
We still need sponsors for:
September 26th
October 24th
November 21st