Looking for a way to give back to your community in this challenging time?
Become a volunteer at the Berkeley Farmers’ Markets! As an essential service, the Berkeley Farmers’ Markets continue to provide fresh, healthy food for the community and a livelihood for small and mid-scale farmers. We have implemented extensive operational changes to protect customers, farmers, and staff, and to mitigate the spread of disease, and so volunteers are needed more than ever to help support staff in implementing these.
If you are healthy, not in the high risk category, and not living with high risk people, please consider volunteering at our three weekly farmers’ markets.
Volunteer tasks include:
- Supporting the development and execution of a curbside pickup or box-style produce pick-up program (in development)
- Greeting customers at market entrance and providing them with info on the social distancing requirement
- If needed, supporting staff in queueing customers at the market entrance, if the number of customers already in the market exceeds our maximum crowd count.
- Hanging signage in the market
- Monitoring vendor lines, helping customers know where to wait, and thanking customers for adhering to the social distancing guidelines
A short, virtual volunteer training will be scheduled prior to working at the market. Shifts start 30 minutes prior to market opening time, and length can be flexible depending on availability. Our three markets operate year-round, rain or shine:
- Downtown Berkeley | Center Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way, Saturdays 10 am – 3 pm
- North Berkeley | Shattuck Avenue @ Vine Street, Thursdays 3 pm – 7 pm
- South Berkeley | Adeline Street and 63rd Street, Tuesdays 2 pm – 6:30 pm
In addition to supporting the community in accessing healthy, farm-fresh food, the benefits of volunteering 5+ hours include an Ecology Center Membership. Contact mariana@ecologycenter.org to sign up!
