Opportunity Details
Working Theory Organic Farming Goodness (age 15+) *Hands On*
*Covid-19 Update: After weighing the relative risks of outdoor transmission, we're happy to welcome small groups of volunteers to Working Theory Farm once more. All participants will be asked to wear masks for instructions, transitions between activities, and any other instance in which they will come within six feet of other participants. We will make every effort to disperse volunteers in a way that masks can be safely removed while working, but there will be certain tasks where masks are necessary. Volunteers will not directly interact with the youth we serve, but volunteers will be helping us provide as much food as we can to our community partners to feed those experiencing food insecurity. *
We are a diversified farm and there is always a lot going on!
We are a community-focused farm, growing fruit, vegetables and livestock (pigs, meat chickens and egg-laying hens). A large portion of our work is focused on supporting youth in the juvenile justice system and/or youth facing housing instability. We provide meaningful farm work opportunities that engage youth in developing their interpersonal skills and career building skills during their time on the farm.
A majority of the food we grow is donated to our partner organizations such as Centro Cultural de Washington County. In the past three years, we've donated over 30,000 lbs of food for Centro and other organizations to redistribute to families in need.
For volunteer days, we try to have a wide range of tasks available, including (but not limited to) the following:
- bed preparation (spreading compost & bark chips)
- seeding, transplanting and weeding
- harvesting and pruning
- feeding animals and livestock
- infrastructure projects (i.e. building fences, trellising for berries, greenhouses, etc.)
- and more!
Volunteers should be open to learning new skills, working outside, and hopefully excited to work on whatever the farm happens to need on a given day!
What should I wear / bring :
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Waterproof boots/shoes (we some on the farm to borrow if you like)
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Durable & weather appropriate clothes if you have them
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We have some gloves to share, but bring your own if you have a favorite pair.
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A filled water bottle, and sunscreen / a hat or rain gear depending on the weather.
What will I take away:
Volunteers can expect to come away with a range of new skills, quality time with the land and animals, and a greater understanding for how food is grown at a large scale.
COVID-19 Information:
The novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") is a contagious and potentially life-threatening disease. Reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community is a shared responsibility. In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at Hands On volunteer activities, all volunteers are required to:
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Follow all COVID safety-rules at their volunteer site or project
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Wash their hands, at a minimum, before and after their volunteering
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Maintain physical distancing while volunteering, to the extent practicable
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Wear a cloth or disposable face covering at all times while volunteering.
Hands On appreciates your interest in volunteering to help our community in this time of extraordinary need. As part of some volunteer activities, you may risk exposure to COVID-19. If you or any member of your household is experiencing any symptom of COVID-19, or has exhibited any symptom in the past 14 days, please do not sign up for a volunteer activity at this time. Please contact the Opportunity Coordinator if you have any questions about Hands On’s COVID-19 safety rules and the expectations for volunteers.
Project Requirements:
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Volunteers must be 15 years of age or older to attend this project.
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All volunteers under 18 are required to bring a Youth Volunteer Release Form signed by their parent or legal guardian. Please download, complete, and bring this waiver with you on the day of the project.
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If you plan to bring children or guests you MUST reserve slots for them. The best way to do this is to create a Volunteer Team, then sign up your team for this project.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You are responsible for ensuring that everyone signed up through your team attends - only sign up team members who have confirmed their availability. Teams that repeatedly sign up, but do not show up or show up with fewer volunteers than they signed up, may be removed. To add or remove team members from a project, click on "My Account" and then "My Teams," above.
Click "Sign Up" below to reserve your spot! Need help signing up? Call 503-200-3364 or email handson@unitedway-pdx.org.
Age Minimum (with Adult): 15+, Minimum Age:15+, Court Ordered Volunteer - Allowed
Log in or Register
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Sign up with a team
This link allows you to participate in this opportunity with a team. A team can be a family team, corporate team, or any kind of organized group. When you click on the link you will have the option to:
- Choose an existing team you're already a member or captain of, or
- Create a new team to sign up.
Signup Questions
Please respond to the following questions in order to signup for this opportunity:
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