Monroe Food Bank Hours, Garden Location, Volunteer Times - Summer

(Updated Oct. 1, 2016)

Currently (Oct. 1, 2016) we have all the help we need in the gardens. Our core group of volunteers (share-givers) helps us with the harvest each week - until that's all done for the season and we hold back from doing the other garden-maintenance tasks so that the service-learning students that come to us from Oregon State University will have enough to do for college credit.

Beginning in February and continuing till late May, we don't have regular volunteer hours, but there's still plenty to do if you'd like to be involved. Just send us an email and we'll find out where your skills and interests align with the garden's needs.

Off season activities include: winnowing seed, building compost piles, pruning, nursery-work (getting seedlings started), building bird houses and more.

As there is more to do (usually in May or June) we establish regular hours for share-givers to come participate. Most people pick one session per week and just plan to be here at that time. Others let us know when they're available on a week-by-week basis.

To sign up to be on our volunteer list: email ShareInJoy@gmail.com

Sam, Chris and Becky in front of shed.

Sharing Gardens Location: Behind the Methodist Church - 664 Orchard St., Monroe, OR 97456 - MAP 

Go to the back of the parking lot; you'll see the gardens from there.

South Benton Food Pantry Hours:  
LINK to Food Pantry site
Open year-round. Behind the United Methodist Church (648 Orchard St. Monroe, 97456)
Every Thursday: 10:00 to Noon
Except third Thursdays: 4:00 to 6:00

Everyone who contributes to the Sharing Gardens, whether through time, money or materials, has access to the harvest. There is a wonderful feeling of camaraderie and closeness that develops amongst the people who help grow and harvest the food and we welcome you to come join the fun! It's also a great way to learn about organic gardening, seed-saving and nursery/greenhouse-management.  We can find a way for you to be involved whether you are young or just "young at heart" and whatever your skill level.

We are very excited about the alliances we have formed/deepened with three local agencies that help us distribute the garden surplus. These are: Local Aid-Junction City, the Monroe Food Pantry and the Harrisburg Gleaners. We are so happy to know that the produce is going to feed families in need and that surplus will be stored in refrigeration to further reduce waste of this amazing, organic food.

We call our volunteers "share-givers". We hope that, by using this word that those who participate will realize that you are not coming to the gardens to help us (Chris and Llyn) but that you are helping yourselves and helping others in the community. "Our" garden becomes "your" garden.

The garden is a sanctuary for the people who come here; a place where the rest of the world falls away and we can all experience a feeling of cooperation and mutual-caring while learning and sharing valuable hands-on skills. To support the structure of this learning and caring environment we ask that you:

• Come on time
• Leave tobacco, alcohol, junk-food and pets at home.
• Come with a spirit of fun and service.

Most of our share-givers choose one session per week and commit to coming weekly but we also have folks who come more sporadically. Please give us as much advance notice as possible so we are sure to have projects lined up.

We have a saying...
"If you're not getting your needs met, 
you may not be getting your knees wet." 

We've noticed that the quickest way out of a "why me", victim mentality is to find, and help someone worse off than you. Volunteering at the Sharing Gardens feels good because you're helping people in need to have access to delicious, organically grown produce for free. Come join the fun!
 
Volunteers learn about all aspects of growing food organically:

Rann, transplanting seedlings in the greenhouse.

Amy, Cindy and Adri (our youngest helper) sort donated pots and flats.

John and Llyn planting peas.

OSU students, planting lettuce and mulching with straw.

Sierra and Mike paint a counter-top.

Llyn and Roberto, planting onions.

Volunteers also share in our bounteous harvest!

Look for this sign on the hickory tree in front of the yellow farmhouse.

To sign up to be on our volunteer list: email ShareInJoy@gmail.com