GROUP VOLUNTEERING
2019
Get Dirty. Leave with Great Stories
WhyVolunteeratTheSharingFarm?EveryyeargroupslargeandsmallcometoTheSharingFarm for their team volunteering days and companydays of giving. The saying “many hands make lightwork”ringstruehere,andwearesogratefulforalltheworkdonebyourfantasticgroupvolunteers.
TherearemanyreasonstotakepartinadayofvolunteeringatTheSharingFarm.
Asagroupyouwill:
§ contributeinameaningfulwaybyhelpingusgrowfoodforfamiliesinneed§ participateinhands-onfoodproductionandfarmmaintenancetasks§ spendtimeoutsidewithyourteammembersinabeautifulsetting§ learnaboutthefarmandourecologicallysoundfarmingpractices.
AboutTheSharingFarmSocietyTheSharingFarmgrowsfruitandvegetablesfortheRichmondFoodBank,communitymealprogramsandotherneighboursinneed,usingecologically-soundfarmingmethods.
Since our inception in the early 1990s, we havedonatedover260,000poundsoffruitandvegetables.We believe that all residents in Richmond shouldhave access to fresh, healthy food and we donatearound20,000poundseachyear!Duringthegrowingseason,ourvegetablesendupon theplatesofover2000peopleeachweek.As anorganization,wehaveevolved fromcollecting
surplustreefruitintoathrivingfarmthatcultivatesfouracresintheawardwinningTerraNovaRuralPark.Throughanumberofvolunteerandeducationalprograms,wehostabout750volunteersannually,providingaspaceforcommunitymemberstoworktogether,andfornewgenerationsofurbanfarmerstodevelop.Mentalhealthandaddictiongroupshavebeenblendedintoourvolunteerprogramsasaformofhorticulturaltherapy.Ifyouvisitthefarmonasummer’sday,itwilllikelybebuzzingwiththeactivitiesofpeoplewho are dedicated to providing fresh, healthy, local produce to our less fortunateneighbours.Wehopeyouchoosetobecomepartofthisstory!
The Sharing Farm Society • 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V7C 1A1 •
The Sharing Farm Society • 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V7C 1A1 • www.sharingfarm.ca
DetailsforGroupVolunteeringDATESANDTIMES
- FridayandSaturdayafternoonsfromApriltomidOctober- Weschedulegroupsaccordingtotheneedsofthefarm
withthegreatestneedinthespringmonths;Bookearlyifyourgroupwouldliketocomeinthesummer
- Volunteeringsessionsare3hoursinlength.
GROUPSIZE
- Wecanaccommodategroupsfrom10-30peopleandoccasionallyupto40people.
- Theminimumgroupsizeis10people- Atthetimeofbooking,weneedtoknowtheapproximatenumberofpeopleinyour
group
DONATION
- Ourdonationrateis$25/personfora3-hourvolunteersession- Theminimumdonationis$250.- Yourdonationgoesdirectlytowardssupportingourmandateofgrowinghealthyfoodfor
thefoodbank.Italsocoversstaffingcostsforyourtimeonthefarm.- Weareunabletowaivethedonationrequirement.- Yourdonationcanbemadebycash,cheque,orviaouron-linepaymentsystem.- Sponsorshipopportunitiesareavailableforgroupsdonating$1000ormore- Officialtaxreceiptscanbeissuedfordonationsover$50
CANCELLATIONFEE
- Webookgroupsaccordingtospecificfarmneedsandlastminutecancellationsarehardonus.Itisnearlyimpossibletofillaspotwithlessthan6weeksnotice.
- Acancellationfeeof$250willbechargedifyoucancellessthan6weeksbeforeyourscheduledvolunteerdate.
RETURNVISITS
- Welovewhengroupscomebacktothefarmyearafteryear.However,wecanonlytakeonegrouppercompanyineachcalendaryear.
- ThishelpsensurewecanbuildandmaintainrelationshipswithawiderangeofbusinessesinRichmondandtheLowerMainland.
What’sIncluded:
- Orientationandshortfarmtour- Breakoutintogroupactivities- Onestaffforevery15-20volunteers- Knowledgeablestaff,readytoansweryourquestionsandhelpyouwithyourtask- Breaksforsnacksanddrinks(notprovided)- Useofallrequiredfarmtoolsandgloves(butfeelfreetobringyourowngloves)- Funandinvigoratingfarm-relatedactivities- Harvesttablesinourherbgardentoenjoyyourlunch(notundercover)- Coveredspace/tablestostorebelongingsand/oreatyourlunch- Pleaseletusknowiftherearewayswecanhelpmakeyourvisitagreatexperience
YourDayontheFarm
Atypicalvolunteeringsessionmightlooklikethis:
1:30pm–Arriveandstartorientation/tour(atourisnotmandatory)
2:00pm–Discussfarmtask(s),gathertools,gloves,wheelbarrowsandgotoworkarea
3:00pm–Shortbreak(ortakebreaksasneeded)
4:15pm–wrapupfieldtasks,washandputawaytools
4:25pm–Groupphoto!
4:30pm–Done!
The Sharing Farm Society • 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V7C 1A1 • www.sharingfarm.ca
OtherHousekeepingDetails- Publicwashroomsareavailableonthefarm- Drinkingwaterisavailabletofillupyourwaterbottles- Pleaseplantotakeawayallgarbageandrecyclingthatyou
bring,butwewillhappilytakeyourfruitandveggiescrapsforourcompostpile!
- Pleasedressappropriatelyforfarmwork,includingclose-toedshoes/bootsandraingear.Yes,weworkintherain!
- Thereisacoveredspacetoleaveyourbelongings,butitisnotsecuredsopleasedonotbringvaluableswithyou
- Ifrequested,theremaybeanopportunitytopurchaseSharingFarmcannedgoodsandhomemadeproductsattheendofyourvisit
DirectionsandParkingInformation- TheSharingFarmislocatedat2771WestminsterHwyin
Richmond,BC- FromtheintersectionofWestminsterHwyandNo.1Road,
drivewestalongWestminsterHwyandtakethesecondrightontoBarnardDrive.ThentakeyoursecondlefttogetbackontoWestminsterHighway
- AsyouneartheendofWestminsterHwy,youwillseeaparkinglotonyourleft,(acrossfromastand-alonegianthouse).Pleaseparkhere.Thisisafree,municipallot
- Toreachthefarm,continuewalkingdownWestminsterHwyabout1minuteandlookonyourrightforthesignfor2771.Thesignlistsanumberoforganizationslocatedhere,includingTheSharingFarm
- Walkdownthedrivewayandgoto“Mary’sBarn”whereaSharingFarmstaffmemberwillbewaitingtogreetyou!
VolunteerActivitiesAsaworkingfarmitisdifficulttoplanaheadexactlywhatavolunteerdaywilllooklike.Activitiesarescheduledaroundtheneedsofthefarmandmaychangeatthelastminuteforanumberofreasons,includingweatherandunforeseencircumstances.Unfortunately,wearenotabletotake“requests”forfarmtasks,butpleaserestassuredthatanyworkyoudoisextremelyvaluabletoouroperations,especiallyweeding!Pleasenotethatwedoworkintherain,sodressappropriately.Pleaseletusknowifyouwouldlikesome“lightduty”optionsandwewilldoourbesttoaccommodate.Belowaresomeexamplesofvolunteeractivitiesthroughouttheyear.
FarmActivity APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER
Movingcompostto
fields
Seedingortransplanting
Weedingarelaxing
andfulfillingactivity!
Harvesting,washingand
packing
Garlicplantingorharvest
FieldClean-
Up(removingdeadplants)
Mulchingbeds
(coveringfieldswithleavesortarps)
The Sharing Farm Society • 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V7C 1A1 •
The Sharing Farm Society • 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V7C 1A1 •
HowYourDonationHelpsTheSharingFarmAsanon-profitcharity,werelyondonationstocovermanyofthecostsassociatedwithgrowinghealthyfoodforthoseinneedyearafteryear.Yourdonationisusedtocoverthecostsofoperatingthefarm–includingthefantasticstaffworkingwithyou–andalsotopurchasetoolsandmaterialsneededtogrowthefood.
AlthoughyourvolunteerhoursatTheSharingFarmareextremelyvaluabletous,itdoestakealotoftimeandresourcestohostgroups.InordertoensurethatyourteamhasasuccessfulandrewardingexperienceatTheSharingFarmwetrytoensurethattherearesufficientstaffandresourcesavailableforyourvisit.
Shouldyourteamwishtofindoutmorewaysthatyoucanhelpus,pleaseletusknow.Manygroupswhovolunteerwithusorganizefundraiserstomakeadditionaldonationsonanannualbasis.Sponsorshipopportunitiesareavailableforgroupswhodonate$1000ormore(seethefollowingpageformoreinformation).
WithyourhelpTheSharingFarmcancontinuetogrowfoodforourlessfortunateneighbours,andprovideauniquecommunitygatheringspaceforgroupsandindividualstoparticipateinameaningfulway.
SponsorshipOpportunitiesForfamilieslivinginpoverty,nutritiousmealsareoftennotaffordable.ThisiswhereTheSharingFarmhelps.Wecannotdothisworkalone.Weneedpartners–likeyou–tohelpusachieveourmissionofprovidinghealthyfoodtoourneighboursinneed.Multiplesponsorshiplevelsenableourpartnerstofindthelevelofsupportthatisrightforthem.Allsponsorshiplevelsincludeacomplimentarygroupvolunteeringexperiencealongsidemanyotherbenefits.
NeighbourBasketLevel$1000
Atthissponsorshiplevel,youwillfundtheprovisionofaweeklyboxoffresh,organicvegetablestoalow-incomefamilyforfourteenweeks.Theseoverflowingbaskets—designedforafamilyoffour—willbedeliveredeachweekfromJulythroughOctober.
BeeHiveLevel$5000
Inadditiontoaneighbourbasket,theBeeHiveLevelsponsorshipseesyoursupportoftwobeehivesinTheSharingFarm’ssustainablymanagedhoneybeeapiary.Youwillbecomepartnersinourprogramofbreedinglocallyadaptedandorganicallymanagedhoneybeecolonies.
FarmLandLevel-$10,000AttheFarmLandLevel,youwillsponsoraNeighbourBasket,becomeasupporteroftwobeehives,ANDbecometheexclusivesponsorofanacreoforganicallymanagedfarmlandatTheSharingFarm—yieldingnutritiousfoodforlowincomefamiliesrelyingonfoodfromtheRichmondFoodBank.
Findoutmore
http://www.sharingfarm.ca/support-us
THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEER GROUPS OF 2018! AirCadetsBankofMontrealBayswaterGroupBCAABCHousingCFRichmondCentreCharteredProfessionalAccountantsofCanadaClioCoastCapitalSavingsConnorClark&LunnFinancialGroupElaineBarronGroupEliteWealthManagementGroundswellCloudSolutionsJohnWoodGroupPlcNicolaWealthManagementOrganoGoldPhilippeDandurandWinesLtdPinchinGroupRichmondCaresRichmondGivesDayofCaringRiverRockCasinoResortRogersCommunicationRoyalBankofCanadaSageSoftwareCanadaLtdSAPCanadaSephoraBeautyCanadaSkrettingCanadaSleepCountryStantecUnitedWayoftheLowerMainlandVancouverCommunityCollegeBakingProgram
The Sharing Farm Society • 2771 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V7C 1A1 •
FORMOREINFORMATION,
ORTOBOOKAVOLUNTEERDAY
CONTACTOURVOLUNTEERCOORDINATOR:
AlexisNorwell
604-227-6210
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