2023 Season:
Volunteer Orientations Run March thru October!
Volunteer Orientations are held the second Saturday and fourth Tuesday of the month at the Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave, Somerville.
Sign up through the form at the bottom of this page, email Morgan at volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org, or just show up!
Orientations give new volunteers a general history of the space and detailed instructions on stewardship and volunteer "jobs." Newly oriented volunteers come away with loads of information, with follow-up packets emailed after the fact, at which points you can choose which teams to join. (And that can always change around!) They last about 80 minutes.
Remaining 2023 Volunteer Orientation Schedule:
Saturday, September 9 ~ 9:30-11:00 am
Tuesday, September 26 ~ 5:30-7:00 pm
Saturday, October 14 ~ 9:30-11:00 am
Tuesday, October 24 ~ 5:30-7:00 pm
Upcoming Committee Meetings:
30th Anniversary Storytelling Team Meeting
Thursday, Sept. 14, 6-7 pm (over Zoom)
This new team is forming this fall to work with volunteers on collecting oral histories, the "stories" of the 30 years of the Growing Center, which could turn into an online and possibly traveling exhibit. We're happy to take on new team members interested in planning and also helping to implement text, visual, audio and/or video components, etc. Contact lisa@thegrowingcenter.org for more info on this meeting.
Salvage Sale Planning Meeting
Next meeting will be the week of Sept. 18 (over Zoom)
We would LOVE to involve more people in the Salvage Sale Committee!
Email Betsy for the link: betsy@thegrowingcenter.org
Read more about the Salvage Sale (to be held Sat., Oct. 21, noon-5 pm) on our Yard Sale page.
Site Committee Meeting
Next meeting will be late September / early October. If you would like to be part of supporting increased access, biodiversity of plants, welcoming signage, orchard development and other important site related issues, contact paula@thegrowingcenter.org.
Current Opportunities:
Tabling at the Union Square Farmers Market
Saturday, September 9, 8:00 am - 1:30 pm
Help with tent and table set-up, greet shoppers or come at the end for clean-up! We will have a community information table for the duration of the 9/9 market. Email Lisa: lisa@thegrowingcenter.org
Gathering of the Fairies
Saturday, September 16, 2:00-5:00 pm (Rain date Saturday, September 30)
We are looking for volunteers to help with our most popular children’s event of the year! Tasks include materials prep, greeting, fairy wand making, fairy house building, read-alouds, face painting and more. Two-hour shifts starting at 12:00 pm till 6:00 pm (or when clean up done.)
Contact: Betsy at betsy@thegrowingcenter.org
Harvest Festival: Gathering in Gratitude
Sunday, October 1, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (Rain date Sunday, October 15)
We need a few hosts and greeters for this fun community event! Come join in the celebration!
Contact: Lisa at lisa@thegrowingcenter.org
Seasonal Salvage Sale & Makers’ Market
Saturday, October 21, 12:00-5:00 pm
Our biggest in-person fundraising event of the year! This is a really fun community event that also has a special component - a Makers' Market featuring Somerville-based vendors! Tasks include table sourcing, item collecting, sorting, pricing, organizing, set-up, greeting, checkout, clean-up.
Shifts: Two- and four-hour shifts from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Volunteer Form: Fill out the Volunteer Form!
More info on the Salvage Sale page.
Contact with questions: Betsy, betsy@thegrowingcenter.org
Seeking Archival & Oral History / Storytelling Intern, Fall 2023
Interested in a hybrid of archive dive, interviewing and narrative storytelling, and sharing video/audio files through 30th anniversary storyboard project? Interns and volunteers welcome!
The work team is assembling in July to launch a process to highlight history, achievements, impacts, and future aspirations of the Growing Center through storyboards to be shared at the Center and elsewhere, starting in Fall of 2023. Contact lisa@thegrowingcenter.org!
Ongoing Opportunities:
The Growing Center offers many flexible and relaxing opportunities to volunteer time and skills, both outdoors and indoors, even if your schedule is unpredictable! Some are ongoing and open to everyone, and others are best suited for volunteers who have attended one of our volunteer orientations. To read more about our Teams approach to volunteering, we encourage you to visit and read the Volunteer Teams page of our website.
We use our newsletter to announce general, all-inclusive volunteer opportunities, as well as upcoming free programming events, and volunteer orientations. To sign up, go here.
Strategic Planning Team
Have any background in organizational or non-profit planning? Just interested in participating as a stakeholder in how we (re)envision the next 3-5 years? Participation commitments can vary; outreach, weekly to monthly meetings. We’d love your help, knowledge and experience! This important team’s background work towards development of a strategic plan will produce significant outcomes, leading the Center into the next decade, with shared commitment to the organization’s renewed mission, vision, values, capacities and potential. Contact Lisa at lisa@thegrowingcenter.org.
Team Leads for 30th Anniversary Planning
Work with the board and volunteers to celebrate the 30 years of the Growing Center, hopefully starting off in Fall 2023 and continuing over the next 6-12 months of festivities. Contact volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org!
Storytelling and Media documentation
Seeking volunteers to assist with planning and helping to implement text, visual, audio and/or video components for 30th anniversary storytelling exhibit in development phase.
Contact: Amanda at amandaiglesius@gmail.com or Lisa lisa@thegrowingcenter.org.
CINI projects at the Garden / Community Herb Project
*Support adding weekly nature based play provocations to the play area
*Want to make some herbal products for community? Or help harvest/dry herbs?
>>> For all the above opportunities, contact paula@thegrowingcenter.org!
Access and Inclusion Signage Team
Want to help create more welcoming and informative signage in the garden in English, Spanish and other languages? Contact, paula@thegrowingcenter.org.
Volunteer Orientation in Spanish
Are you already a volunteer who has taken the volunteer orientation and speak Spanish and English, or are interested? Work with a board member/staff member to provide a monthly volunteer orientation in Spanish and English. Contact paula@thegrowingcenter.org.
Open Hours Hosts Needed!
Tasks: Hosts open up the garden for open hours, check the space for debris/critters, set up welcome table, greet visitors, track and report attendance. Ideally hosts will spend some time on garden tasks (listed on white board on barn). Requires showing up generally 30 min prior and staying to wrap up after. Open Hours run April 1 through the end of October and will be Saturdays 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Sundays 12:00-2:00 pm and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 pm.
Contact: Morgan, volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org
Event Hosts Needed!
Contact: Morgan, volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org
Tasks: Event hosts open up the garden, set up welcome table, welcome performers and guests, assist event organizers with necessary tasks, and track and report attendance and donations. Requires showing up generally 30 min prior and staying to wrap up after. Event Hosts are VITAL to the Growing Center running effectively to meet the needs of the community!
