Experience the joy of sharing your gardening expertise and interests. Many gardening-related organizations can use your help. These are just a few in the area that would love to have your involvement for a few hours or longer term commitments. Do you know of garden-related volunteer opportunities? Please share them with us.
Bright Neighbor
Fruit and Nut Tree Community Project – On February 6th and March 6th, 2010, Portlanders from across all 95-neighborhoods will be participating in a fun fruit & nut tree pruning and grafting project, potentially creating thousands of new food-bearing trees in Portland. On Feb. 6, when the trees are dormant and sleeping, we’ll sneak up on them and trim off living branches that can be used to create new trees. The 8-inch cuttings will be refrigerated for one month, then on March 6, you’ll learn how to graft the cuttings onto rootstock. Learn more at the Bright Neighbor Web site.
Garden Partners
The mission of Garden Partners is to enhance the health and well-being of individuals through participation in community-based therapeutic gardening programs. The organization provides a new model for engaging individuals in therapeutic gardening activities. Activities are planned to maximize participants’ sense of well-being and joy of life by enhancing cognitive functioning, increasing physical mobility, enriching sensory experiences, or impacting social interactions. Facility-based programs are currently held in five residential facilities, and one child and family services center. Community-based programs are in community settings, e.g., a garden center, community garden, community center or senior center, etc.
GROWINGGARDENS
GROWINGGARDENS promotes home-scale organic food gardening to improve nutrition, health and self-reliance while enhancing the quality of life and the environment for individuals and communities in Portland, Oregon. They organize hundreds of volunteers to build organic, raised bed vegetable gardens in backyards, front yards, side yards and even on balconies. Growing Gardens supports low income households for three years with seeds, plants, classes, mentors and more. Youth Grow after school garden clubs grow the next generation of veggie eaters and growers! Learn & Grow workshops and work parties, teach gardeners all about growing, preparing and preserving healthful food while respecting the health of the environment.