Volunteer with us!
Are you interested in volunteering with ReWild LI? Here is some information about what we do and some helpful tips:
ReWild volunteers participate in a variety of projects:
- There are several spring clean ups at the ReWild Garden at Thomas Dodge Homestead in Port Washington as well as regular maintenance throughout the year, such as tending of garden beds, removal of invasive plants species, weeding, composting, and performing other garden related tasks.
- ReWild hosts two large native plant sales each year and each one requires lots of volunteers for every stage: planning, ordering, receiving deliveries, sorting, transporting, and distributing plants.
- Each year, ReWild runs a youth program called Summer Program to Fight Hunger and Climate Change, which gives young people the opportunity to participate in growing vegetables organically for the needy and to learn about composting and other garden topics. Volunteers are needed in this program to assist with planting, weeding, and harvesting, and to act as mentors.
- ReWild participates in public planting projects throughout Long Island, which require lots of hands to prep the ground, get holes dug, get plants in the ground, and more.
Some helpful tips for volunteering:
- Carry a lightweight backpack, a messenger bag, or any bag that lets you keep your hands free. You don't want to be fumbling with a bag or setting your bag down anywhere to be forgotten or damaged.
- Bring water and a snack, especially if you will be working outdoors during the warmer months. Don't assume that there will be refreshments on site or a store nearby!
- Bring hand sanitizer, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and an extra face mask. If you will be working outdoors, it’s a good idea to spray insect repellent on your shoes. Speaking of shoes…
- Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. You will be on your feet a lot and you will probably be bending and moving around, so you don’t want to be constricted by uncomfortable clothing.
- Ask about the bathroom situation beforehand or soon after you arrive! Don't assume that there is a bathroom on site, especially if you are volunteering outdoors. There is no bathroom available on site at the Thomas Dodge Garden.
Once you’re at the volunteering site:
Come over and say hello! There is usually a table or a sign-in area somewhere where people congregate and that's usually a good place to meet the event organizers.
Once you're settled in, wait for directions or move around to different areas to see what people are doing and ask if they need help. In many volunteering situations people split up into small groups and tackle specific tasks. If you're not clear about directions, don't be afraid to ask for clarification. It's always better to double-check than to assume, and as a volunteer you are not expected to know everything.
Remember that you are not obligated to stay for long periods of time. Every bit of help counts and you don't need to wear yourself out! Decide beforehand how long you intend to stay and then adjust as you go.
Other ways to volunteer:
If you can't volunteer in person, don't worry, there are other ways you can help! Think of any special skill you have. Do you have graphic design experience? Do you have event planning experience? Do you write well? ReWild volunteers often create promotional materials and blog posts, and they help organize fun events like the our recent ‘Read it and Weed’ arts event at the Thomas Dodge Homestead that took place on June 19th. Other great skills that can be helpful are knowing a lot about native and invasive plants, being knowledgeable about local wildlife and environmental topics, writing/blogging about ReWild, and simply being creative; join the ReWild Artivist (Art + activism) group and help raise awareness about ReWilding.
And of course, sharing our posts on social media and telling others about our organization is also quite helpful and much appreciated. We can’t grow if no one knows about us!
Thank you for volunteering and helping us on our mission to ReWild Long Island! Join our mailing list (below) to be notified of upcoming volunteer opportunities and projects. Don’t forget to join our Facebook group too!