Gardening, Greeting and Getting Involved: Lend a Hand and Volunteer at the Growing Center in Summer

The Growing Center’s programming season is in full swing, offering a full slate of public events from April to October for the first time in five years. This is when our volunteer workforce is the most crucial! We encourage both potential and long-time volunteers to dive right in and help out. Below are imminent and long-term opportunities for volunteers to get more involved. Join us, and make a difference in your community, while having fun and meeting new people!

Volunteer Orientations are in full swing, and are taking place the Second Saturday (9:30-11:00) and Fourth Tuesday (5:00-6:30) of each month. If you’re new this year, signing up for one should be your first step. And if it’s been a few years since you last took an orientation, we encourage you to sign up for one again, as things have changed a lot since our renovation in 2019.

Summer Volunteer Orientations:

Saturday, July 9 ~ 9:30-11:00 am

Tuesday, July 26 ~ 5:00-6:30 pm

Saturday, August 13 ~ 9:30-11:00 am

Tuesday, August 23 ~ 5:00-6:30 pm

Saturday, September 10 ~ 9:30-11:00 am

Tuesday, September 27 ~ 5:00-6:30 pm

To sign up for an upcoming orientation, email Morgan: volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org or fill out the form at the bottom of this page: https://www.thegrowingcenter.org/volunteer.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:

Join in on Upcoming Work Days

Please join us for our July Garden/Site work days! All are welcome, and no experience necessary. If you have any questions feel free to contact paula@thegrowingcenter.org

Saturday, August 6, 9:00-11:30 am

Thursday, August 11, 5:30-7:00 pm: Please RSVP, space is limited! Come work in the herb/flower garden and learn more about our community herb projects and how you can help.

Saturday, August 27, 9:00-11:30 am

Volunteer as a Garden/Event Host

Volunteer Host Tasks: Hosts set up FCGC table, welcome performers and guests, track and report attendance. Requires showing up generally 30 min prior and staying to wrap up after.

Contact to sign up: Morgan, volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org.

Event Name: Yart Sale

Date: Saturday, August 13

Shift: 3:30-6:15 pm

Event Name: Stuffed Animal Campout

Date: Sunday, August 14

Shift: 5:30-7:30 pm

Event Name: The People of Tables to Farms: Food Access Perspectives

Date: Wednesday, August 17

Shift: 5:30-7:45 pm

Event Name: Fermentation Workshop

Date: Saturday, August 20

Shift: 12:00-1:00 pm

Event Name: MOTS: Modular On The Spot

Date: Sunday, August 21 (Rain Date August 28)

Shift: 2:30-6:15 pm (can be two shifts)

Event Name: Lady Ray Sings

Date: Thursday, August 25

Shift: 5:30-9:15 pm (can be two shifts)

Event Name: Somerville as Muse Poetry Reading

Date: Friday, September 9, 3:30-6:15 pm

Help Collect Nature Materials for Upcoming “Fairy” Events!

The Growing Center is once again participating in the Somerville Arts Council’s Yart Sale, and will be selling Fairy Garden Nature Kits onsite to support our Children in Nature Initiative (CINI) as part of this collaborative city-wide project on Saturday, August 13 (Rain Date August 14), 4:00-6:00 pm. We’re looking for river and beach stones; seashells; tree bark; sticks; and pinecones to be included in the kits - PLUS supermarket lettuce/spinach containers. We’ll need even more materials in September for the Gathering of the Fairies event on September 24. To help gather materials or help put the kits together, contact Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org.

Help Staff the Growing Center Table at the Union Square Farmers Market!

Every Third Saturday, May-November, 8:30 am to 1:30 pm (90-minute shifts)

The Friends are the newest nonprofit member of Union Square Main Streets, and we are looking at forging more ties with area businesses in the hopes of becoming a stronger partner in our changing city. Union Square Main Streets has given us a Community Table every Third Saturday of the month, which we share with a different area nonprofit each time, based on a theme. To volunteer, contact Morgan at volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org.

On-Site Work Teams Welcome You:

Site Team - Help take care of the center: assist with watering, garden tasks like planting and tending garden beds + containers, or clear snow in winter. Contact Morgan: volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org.

Compost Team - We need volunteer stewards and neighbors who can’t access compost services to contribute food scraps to our compost. Contact Christine at savagecb@thegrowingcenter.org.

Event / Open Hours Hosting - Be an Event Host/Greeter, host the space during Open Hours, or open up during off-times for public use. Contact Morgan: volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org.

On-Site Events & Projects - Help with crafts, reading stories, photography, playing music, face painting. Or help with one of our seasonal programs, like the Maple Project or Winter Wreath Fundraiser! Email Morgan: volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org.

Behind-the-Scenes Committees and Groups to Join:

30th Anniversary Committee - Founded in 1993-1994, the Growing Center is about to turn 30! Join our volunteer team to help plan a series of events in 2023 and 2024 to mark our big birthday - including private donor events, fundraising activities, and exhibits. Contact Lisa at lisa@thegrowingcenter.org to join us!

Communications Crew - Interested in writing blog posts? Making or distributing flyers? Helping plan social media posts? Photography? Join our Communications Crew! Reach out to Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org.

Children in Nature Initiative (CINI) - Going on its 12th year, CINI supports direct nature experiences for children through play/learning and child-led exploration. Many early childhood/family groups meet at the center weekly. Contact paula@thegrowingcenter.org.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee - This group is actively identifying opportunities to increase capacity and commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the Growing Center, and developing a plan for integrating DEI work on-site. Contact paula@thegrowingcenter.org.

Seasonal Salvage Sale & Makers’ Market Team - The Yard Sale is back in fall 2022 (October 22) and this year there’s a theme: Seasonal Salvage! We hope to also work with local makers and crafters to sell at a “makers’ market” as part of the sale. If you’d like to join the Yard Sale Team, reach out to Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org.

Volunteer Leadership Group - Founded to create hands-on projects that can be done as a group, explore related topics and forge stronger bonds between like-minded volunteers, all while creating the opportunity to gather together, learn and socialize. We’re looking for a couple volunteers to help lead and grow this group! Contact Morgan: volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org