See our openings to
Volunteer
OPEN VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
Growing Gardens offers volunteer opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, marital status, family relations, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal or local law.
Please scroll down to see the available volunteer positions by season.
Upcoming
Ongoing
Community Outreach
Table at various events in the community on behalf of Growing Gardens to get people involved and speak to the importance of access to healthy, affordable food.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Special Projects
We often make the most of volunteer talent through special projects like:
– Database management – Carpentry – Graphic Design – Photography – Web Design
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Attend a School Garden Work Party!
Are you a parent, student, or community garden enthusiast? Please attend one of our partner school work parties or consider tending our school gardens this summer! We need help digging, weeding, repairing, and harvesting. For more information?
For more information or to sign up contact Amoreena
Office Projects
Ever wondered what happens on the inside at the Growing Gardens headquarters? Get a sneak peak of the less-glamorous-but-highly-essential work that makes all of our programs possible! Assemble Garden Manuals, address envelopes for Thank You’s, enter information into our database, write names on Graduation Certificates, translate documents into Spanish, and whatever else might be going on.
For more information or to sign up contact Jason
Board of Directors
The board as a whole has the responsibility for governing the entire organization. The board is responsible for determining agency policy in the following areas: Human Resources, Planning, Finance, Development, Community Relations and Operations. The process to become a Board Member is a bit different than that of becoming a volunteer.
Please take a look at our Board of Directors webpage for more information.
Spring
Spring Dig-in Team
Grab your favorite friends, family and coworkers and join our annual “garden-a-thon” and Earth Day celebration. Teams will receive training and support to compete in a grassroots fundraising challenge and celebrate with a community garden-build and after-party. Space is limited, sign up now to reserve your spot.
Captain training is Tuesday March 31st, 6-8pm. Event is Saturday April 25th, 10am to 2pm.
For more information visit Spring Dig-in
Garden Build Volunteer
We have a lot of gardens to build this year and we need your help! Come get your hands dirty and improve fresh food access in our community. No experience necessary. We build rain or shine! Space is limited.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Saturday April 11th 10am-3pm
Saturday April 18th, 10am to 3pm
Saturday May 2nd, 10am to 3pm
Crew Leader
Crew Leaders receive garden-building and leadership training and lead small groups of volunteers to build gardens at homes with participants in our Home Gardens program. Required: 6 hour training Saturday, April 4th, lead 2 of 3 installations (5 hours each) – the following Saturdays in April. Space is limited.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Garden Mentor
Garden Mentors work one-on-one with beginning gardeners enrolled in the Home Gardens program, offering knowledge and support to foster the development of vegetable gardening skills and confidence. Garden Mentors support one or more mentees throughout the growing season through garden site visits, by telephone, at workshops or in other ways possible and practical to both parties.
Both English and Spanish-speaking positions are available. 1-5 hours per month, March – October.
To learn more and apply visit our Mentor page *Approved for Master Gardener volunteer credit hours*
Spring Garden Club Volunteer
Would you like to teach a group of elementary school kids about growing food and encourage outdoor garden play? If yes then consider lending a hand to our after-school clubs at partner schools! Site locations include North, Southeast Portland, and Gresham. This fall we will be at Lent, Kelly, Davis, Cherry Park, Wood, and Scott schools. As a volunteer, you will be committing to one afternoon a week for an 8 week session.
The Spring term runs from April-June between the hours of 2-6 pm once a week. The exact times vary school to school, some are 3-5, some are 2:45-4:30, etc. For more information or to sign up contact Amoreena
Home Gardens Intern
Want to be a part of the team that makes the Home Gardens program possible? We are looking for a dedicated volunteer who wants to learn more about behind-the-scenes program coordination and gain professional work experience. We will provide training, a workstation, and soup on Wednesdays :). No experience necessary!
~5-8 hours a week in April and May.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Plant Distribution Day
Come help us set up and run our big event where participants in our Home Gardens program get to pick up plant starts for their gardens! Activities include receiving and picking up plant donations, labeling and re-potting plants, creating an inventory and varieties list, setting up tables and stations, making signs, helping gardeners pick out plants.
Space is limited. Friday May 17th (set up) and Saturday May 18th (event).
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Summer
Garden Visit Volunteer
Do you love vegetable gardening? This position allows you to visit a handful of our new home gardeners during summer while providing them your green thumb knowledge. We are looking for both English and Spanish speaking volunteers. Schedule flexible. July & August: 5+ hours total.
*Approved for Master Gardener volunteer credit hours*
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Chef In My Garden dinner series
Do you love food, gardens, and supporting the work of Growing Gardens? Help out at our annual fundraising dinner series in July and August as a greeter or server. Meet and work with some of Portland’s top chefs and get a taste of their specially prepared menu. Volunteer shift is Sunday 2pm to 10pm.
For more information or to sign up contact Tracy
Fall
Crew Leader
Crew Leaders receive garden-building and leadership training and lead small groups of volunteers to build gardens at homes with participants in our Home Gardens program. Required: 6 hour training first Saturday of October, lead installations (5 hours each) on following Saturdays. Space is limited.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Dawn of the Bed Team Captain
Grab your favorite friends, family and coworkers and join our annual “garden-a-thon” and Halloween and Día de los Muertos celebration. Teams will receive training and support to compete in a grassroots fundraising challenge and celebrate with a community garden-build and after-party. Space is limited, sign up now to reserve your spot.
Captain training is Saturday September 29th from 10-12pm. Event is Saturday October 27th, 10am to 2pm.
For more information visit Dawn of the Bed
Fall Garden Club Volunteer
Would you like to teach a group of elementary school kids about growing food and encourage outdoor garden play? If yes then consider lending a hand to our after-school clubs at partner schools! Site locations include North, Southeast Portland, and Gresham. This fall we will be at Lent, Kelly, Davis, Cherry Park, Wood, and Scott schools. As a volunteer, you will be committing to one afternoon a week for an 8 week session. The Fall term runs from October to December between the hours of 2-6 pm once a week. The exact times vary school to school, some are 3-5, some are 2:45-4:30, etc.
For more information or to sign up contact Amoreena. To apply for fall term fill out the online Youth Grow Application.
Garden Build Volunteer
Come help build backyard gardens and learn the process to build a garden of your own! Volunteers will meet at a neighborhood park (either in North, outer Northeast or outer Southeast Portland) and carpool out to sites. Saturdays in October 10am to 3pm. Rain or Shine! Space is limited.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Winter
Plant Start Growers!
Calling all farmers, gardeners, hobby greenhouse enthusiasts! Growing Gardens is looking for volunteers willing to grow and donate plant starts that will be distributed for FREE to gardeners, schools, and partner organizations in our programs! We can provide the seeds, soil, pots, and trays, but you need to provide the space, care, and expertise for raising plant starts.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Community Outreach
Do you love meeting people who are excited to grow their own food but are looking for extra support? Do you love talking about the *free* resources that are available through Growing Gardens’ programs? Sign-up to do community outreach at various community events around town!
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Office Projects
Ever wondered what happens on the inside at the Growing Gardens headquarters? Get a sneak peak of the less-glamorous-but-highly-essential work that makes all of our programs possible! Assemble Garden Manuals, address envelopes for Thank You’s, enter information into our database, write names on Graduation Certificates, translate documents into Spanish, and whatever else might be going on.
For more information or to sign up contact Jason
Seed Sorting!
It might be winter, but there’s still plenty to do in the office to get ready for Spring! What we need the most help doing right now is sorting through seed donations, making an inventory of what we have, and re-packaging bulk seeds into smaller bags. We will have snacks, tea, and coffee. It’s a great time to hang out with friends or get to know new folks. We will schedule these days based on volunteer availability.
For more information or to sign up contact Emily
Winter Garden Education Volunteer
Would you like to teach a group of elementary school kids about growing food and encourage outdoor garden play? If yes then consider lending a hand to our after-school clubs at partner schools! Site locations include North, Southeast Portland, and Gresham. This fall we will be at Lent, Kelly, Davis, Cherry Park, Wood, and Scott schools. As a volunteer, you will be committing to one afternoon a week for an 8 week session. The Winter term runs from January – March between the hours of 2-6 pm once a week. The exact times vary school to school, some are 3-5, some are 2:45-4:30, etc.
For more information or to sign up contact Amoreena