Volunteer
Birdhouse Farmers Market relies on volunteers to make the market possible! Without volunteers, we could not do what we do, successfully support local farmers, increase access to healthy fresh food, and educate the community on the joy and value of shopping and eating locally!
We are always looking for volunteers to help on market day. Volunteers can sign up for a single week or make it a regular part of your Tuesdays. There is some flexibility in the times listed, so if you can’t get to the market for a certain shift, no problem - we’ll work with your schedule!
Winter Online Market Volunteer Opportunities:
12:00-1:15pm: Set Up: Help set up tents and tables to prepare for drop off from vendors. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. 1 volunteer needed.
1:00-4:00pm: Gather, Sort, and Aggregate: Assist with finishing set up. Collect orders as vendors drop off. Sort items to prepare for aggregation. Aggregate orders into customer bags. Up to 5 volunteers needed.
4:00-6:00pm: Deliver and Cleanup: Gather frozen/cold items for individual orders. Place orders in vehicle. Store tents and tables. Up to 4 volunteers needed.
In-Person Market Volunteer Opportunities:
1:00-4:00pm: Market Set-up. This job requires some toting and schlepping in all kinds of weather. We need help loading equipment into a truck, setting up market tents, tables and chairs and distributing paperwork and gathering online orders from our vendors. It also involves aggregating orders for customers to pick up.
3:00-6:30pm: Market Ambassador (Alternate Tuesdays). Welcome customers, answer general market questions, help distribute orders to customers, explain our SNAP program to our SNAP customers and operate the SNAP equipment. (training is provided).
3:00-6:30ish pm: Utility person Help at the Kid’s Activity Booth, glean the market, count heads, booth-sit for vendors. This position jumps around a bit, filling in where we are short-handed.
4:00-7:00pm: Market Breakdown. This is the reverse of market set up. Distribute online orders, collect vendor paperwork, breakdown and store market equipment.
Anytime from 2:30-6:30pm Social Media. Work with our market assistant to create content for our social media accounts and photograph market activity and seasonal products.
But wait, there’s more!
Strengthening our local food system and improving the health and well-being of our community doesn’t happen just on Tuesdays. We have dedicated volunteers helping spread the word about Birdhouse, working on committees, expanding our programming, gathering and analyzing data and helping Birdhouse become the best-known local foods community resource in Richmond. If you’d like to be a part of our volunteer team, reach out today.
Three Birdhouse Volunteers showing off their favorite Birdhouse Farmers Market Swag! (From left to right: Brianna, Amy, and Susan)
Have volunteer questions? Contact Assistant Market Manager, Tegan Moore, at birdhousefm.assistant@gmail.com or stop by on a Tuesday to learn more!