Volunteer
“I volunteer for GardenShare because I believe that good food… and access to it… is at the core of so much that is important in the lives of individuals, communities, and ecosystems. GardenShare is important because we endeavor to build community, promote small and sustainable efforts, and also because I love to eat good food and want to share that joy with others.”
Do you have some time to support the work of GardenShare? Here’s how you can help:
Board of Directors
The day-to-day work of GardenShare is handled by a small, dedicated staff working closely with the Board of Directors.
Drawn from the local community and serving renewable three-year terms, Board members share GardenShare’s commitment to food, hunger, and farming issues, and represent a balance of skills, experience, geographic representation, and perspectives. The Board meets monthly, and Board members serve on at least one committee.
GardenShare Committees
Committees support the staff in areas of Outreach and Education, Development, and Finance. Committees generally meet once a month, though the work of the committees is ongoing at all times of the week, months, and year.
Outreach and Education Committee: The Outreach & Education (O&E) Committee works to educate the community about issues surrounding hunger and local food/agriculture. Activities include attending events such as GardenShare’s Orchard Adventure Day as well as festivals, fairs, and other public events. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, tabling at local venues, event planning, and spreading the word about GardenShare’s efforts.
Development Committee: The Development Committee oversees and assists with GardenShare’s fundraising efforts, including our Dinner Series. In addition to those events, efforts include direct mail and grant writing and management advice and support.
Finance Committee: The Finance Committee is responsible for providing short-term and long-term financial guidance for GardenShare. This includes financial planning, developing operating budgets, and ensuring accountability.
Dinner Series Subcommittee: This subcommittee is responsible for planning and running GardenShare’s Dinner Series showcasing local food producers. Subcommittee members are responsible for finding local food businesses and venues for the three dinner events.
Farmers Markets
GardenShare is always looking for volunteers in all of our locations – Canton, Potsdam, Gouverneur, and Hammond. If you are interested, please contact us and let us know where you’d like to volunteer. We will provide orientation and training and the Market Managers will provide ongoing support throughout the season.
Mailing Team / Office Help
GardenShare often needs assistance from volunteers for our mailing team. These opportunities are on-call to help us fold, stuff, and label bulk mailings. This is more fun than it sounds, and a great opportunity to socialize around the table with a wonderful group of people! These “Mailing Parties” happen several times a year and GardenShare will reach out to invite you in advance.
Interning with GardenShare
GardenShare works with the local universities to offer meaningful internship opportunities during the academic year and over the summer. Discuss the options with your advisor or your school’s community-based learning office. Please contact us to talk about the possibilities!