Our Volunteers
Meet our Volunteers
There are nearly 600 trained volunteers who participate in Fields of Grace. Volunteers include children and adults. Children are welcome to glean with their parents on many of the events. It is a great way for families to serve together. At the farmers' request, some gleaning events are restricted to adults.
Training our Volunteers
We understand that it is important to respect the property of the farmer. For that reason, every Fields of Grace volunteer attends a training session. This session lasts for approximately 45 minutes. During the training, volunteers are briefed about:
- Biblical references about gleaning
- Hunger in the local area
- Gleaning etiquette
- Safety at the gleaning site
- A "typical" gleaning day
Volunteers are also asked to complete a liability waiver and volunteer registration form. Sessions are held regularly at West Side Church in Richland. Churches and organizations can also request an on-site training session.
Ways to Volunteers
There are lots of ways to serve in Fields of Grace. The options include:
- Gleaning Volunteer
- Transport produce to 2nd Harvest (requires pick-up truck or utility cart)
- First aid attendant at gleaning events (medical experience preferred)
- Quick Response Team (small residential gleaning events – typically held on weekdays)
- Prayer team (prayer requests sent by email)
- Help with training sessions (direct volunteers, hand out forms, etc.)
- Check in volunteers on gleaning days (Saturday mornings - requires approximately 1 hour)
- Provide administrative help (enter data into database, filing, help with mailings, etc.)
- Help with Grant Writing
- Provide light refreshments at monthly board meetings
Notifying gleaning volunteers
Once our volunteers have completed a training session, their information is entered into a database. When there is a gleaning event, volunteers are generally notified by E-mail unless they specify some other means of communication. Because some gleaning events do not have a long lead time, volunteers are encouraged to check their E-mail often.
A "Typical" Gleaning Day
A "Typical" Gleaning Day
Gleaning Events are normally held on Saturday mornings (however, smaller events may occur on weekdays). Volunteers meet at West Side Church in Richland, WA to check-in and pick up a map to the gleaning site. (ALL volunteers have to have a completed liability waiver on file to participate.)
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