Volunteer
Information for Volunteers
The Rundown
Morning volunteer shifts start promptly depending on the day (and season) at either 7 AM, 8 AM, or 9 AM. Afternoon shifts start at 5PM or 5:30 PM. All volunteer shifts last for 3 hours. Each shift has a shift lead who you’ll work with each week.
We ask our individual volunteers to commit to a weekly recurring schedule as it helps us plan out and communicate to our food pantry partners what they can be anticipating from us. Of course, if you need to miss a shift or two that’s fine — we ask you to let us know. Once you start working with us, you’ll see how much every one person’s help makes a huge difference!
Proper Attire
You will get dirty! Please dress according to the weather (layers are recommended) and wear boots, closed-toe shoes, and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Closed-toe shoes are required! Also bring sunscreen, a hat, water, and gloves if needed.
Essential Items for Volunteering
Weather appropriate clothing
Close-toed shoes or boots (no sandals or flip flops)
Hat
Sunblock
Water bottles
New Volunteers
Never volunteered with CCUA? Here’s some information on what our volunteers do and how you can get involved!
The food CCUA grows and the joy it brings would not be possible without our volunteers. Every year, hundreds of community members donate thousands of hours to develop and maintain our three main farms: Columbia’s Agriculture Park, Veterans Urban Farm, and Kilgore’s Community Garden. From early March until Thanksgiving, volunteers are growing and harvesting food for the food pantry and expanding our orchards and food forest. Volunteers also help with children’s activities, building infrastructure, and making events like the annual Harvest Hootenanny possible.
No experience is necessary!
Volunteers help us donate over 45k lbs of fresh, high-quality produce to local hunger relief every year. Many of our volunteers are, or will soon be home gardeners and want to learn about our practices. We understand this and make an effort to talk about the methods we use and why. Additionally, the weekly nature of our shifts facilitates connection and great conversation once you get to know the other people on your shift.
Ways to Volunteer with CCUA
Working on a Garden shift
Help lead activities at Columbia Farmers Market
Co-facilitate Field Trips
Staff a CCUA Event
How to get Involved
Fill out the individual application.
Fill out a background check form.
Attend an orientation.
Sign up for a shift!
Current Volunteers
Recording your hours helps CCUA understand your impact as a volunteer and can be used to bolster grant applications. Please record your hours here:
Resources
Group Volunteers
Want to bring a group for a one time workday? Fill out a group application to schedule yours today!
The Rundown
We offer group workdays on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Depending on the day, group sizes range from 2 to 15 people. Groups help us with many of the things weekly garden shifts do. Often, bigger groups will help us knock out a big task, like moving mulch or straw, or removing brush.
Shifts
Our workday time slots are:
Fridays 1-4pm, March - November
Saturday mornings, March - April
Saturday mornings, September - November
(time varies on group size and season)
How do I get my group involved?
Fill out a group application below! You will receive scheduling emails from our volunteer coordinator, and once a date and time is agreed upon, they will send you a confirmation email with instructions to prepare your group for the workday.
Volunteer on our Board of Directors
Do you have experience in business, non-profits, law, finance, fundraising, or community organizing? Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to use these skills in a way that gives back to the community? CCUA’s board of directors is an all-volunteer group that leads the organization as administrative partners. The board has the responsibility to assist in fundraising that supports CCUA’s programming. Most importantly, the board works with the executive director to develop and ensure the implementation of the organization’s strategic plan.
Generally, all new board members are voted onto the board at the January meeting and begin their service in April, but this timeline can be flexible. Members of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture of Columbia, Missouri are expected, at a minimum, to do the following:
Openly and publicly support the mission of CCUA and participate in outreach activities.
Attend the four standing board meetings each calendar year and special board meetings if needed. Read board packets prior to meetings in preparation for discussion. The estimated time commitment is: 1-2 hours of reading and 2-3 hours of meeting time for each board meeting.
Serve on at least one standing board committee (fundraising, administration, governance, or finance). Meetings occur more or less monthly. Read committee documents and contribute to their creation as needed. Estimated time commitment: 1-2 hours of reading and 1-2 hours of meeting time for each committee meeting.
Volunteer time for the organization by assisting with events/programs.
Help to raise funds for the organization.
Make a personal financial contribution of significance to you.
New board members serve a two-year term and have the opportunity to renew their position for two additional two-year terms for a total of six years consecutive service. After this, board members are required to take at least one year off the board before re-applying.
If you are interested in applying to serve on CCUA’s board of directors, please click the button below.