Information for New Volunteers

Thank you for your interest in being a volunteer with Willing Hands. We look forward to meeting you. By volunteering with Willing Hands, you are agreeing to the Terms of Participation. Here is other helpful information.

First, Health and Safety for all is a priority! Please do not come to volunteer if you are feeling any symptoms of illness. We appreciate everyone's help in keeping our community safe and healthy!

Next, How to Register (for Gleaning AND Garden volunteers)

Everyone who attends a glean or garden work session must first be registered as a volunteer. Registration includes providing your contacts and emergency contact info, accepting our terms of participation and volunteer liability waiver, and lets us keep you posted about schedule changes. Once you are registered, you can sign up for gleans and garden sessions, and you don't have to register again. Any minor children wishing to volunteer must have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian - email Volunteer@willinghands.org to get the waiver link for children

Go to the Volunteer page to register or update your registration if any of your contact information changes.

Find out about gleaning and garden opportunities

Gleans and garden sessions are found on our Calendar of Opportunities page. Gleaning volunteers must sign up for individual gleans. Often, we find out about crop donations on very short notice, and will send email notification if so, but it is also good to check the Gleans page regularly for opportunities.

Garden volunteers should also sign up for work sessions, which tend to be regular throughout the season. We try to send weekly updates to the schedule by email during the gleaning/growing season.

Sign up for a glean or garden session

Open gleans and gardening sessions are posted on the Calendar of Opportunities page. Click on the glean link in the calendar to see more details about that glean that appears under the calendar, then click the "sign up" button, and type in your name on the signup page to be added to the roster. You must type your name exactly as you did when you first registered, so we can match your record in our database. You will get site-specific information when you sign up, and you will also receive an email from "gleaning@willinghands.org" with information and links to your account page.

Please cancel if you can't make it!

If your schedule changes, please cancel so someone else can take your spot. The email you receive when you sign up will include a link where you can cancel. Your courtesy will also help us schedule the right number of volunteers for the available produce.

Weather policy: when a garden session or glean is canceled for inclement weather

You can generally assume we will keep our plans to garden or glean in light rain. However, if there is a forecast that is definitive for heavy rain or thunderstorms during garden or gleaning hours, we will NOT be in the fields. Our policy is that if you can hear thunder, no matter how distant, we will not garden or glean. We also will not go into the fields within an hour of the last heard thunder after a storm has passed. Garden & Gleaning coordinators will do their best to send out an email at least an hour and a half before meet time to cancel if radar or other info makes it clear that the session is a non-starter. Please monitor your inbox if it's looking 'iffy!' And, even if we have not sent a cancellation note, and you hear thunder, or if there is heavy rain, please use your best judgement and stay home!

Further, if forecasts are for extreme heat, please don't be hesitant to sit out a session - just send us an email to let us know you won't make it! Health and safety are the priority for all!

When you arrive to a glean

When you arrive, look for signs and Willing Hands leaders who will show you where to park and help you check in. We'll provide a brief orientation with helpful tips and information about the property.

What should I bring with me for gleaning and gardening?

Bring water to drink, and please try to take care of bathroom needs before arriving. At some glean sites, a porta-pot restroom may be available, but there are also locations without such options. If specific tools would be helpful during a glean you will see that on the email announcement, but usually just your "willing hands" are needed!

What should I wear for gleaning and gardening?

We suggest sunblock, gloves, a long-sleeved T-shirt, comfortable closed-toe shoes and a hat.

Who should I contact if I have other questions?

Sara Cavin is the staff contact for most gleaning and gardening questions Email Sara and refer to FAQ pages for answers to some commonly asked questions. Alec Fannin is our Gleaning Coordinator, email: gleaning@willinghands.org, and Mikey Van Siclen is our Farming Coordinator, email: garden@willinghands.org. We are always happy to help!

Those are the basics. We hope to see you soon at one of the gleans or in the gardens!