Volunteer Opportunities

Gateway Greening is a non-profit organization dedicated to community development through gardening partnerships. Our extensive use of volunteers keeps productivity high and costs low. As a volunteer, you can enjoy the tangible results of your efforts as you watch gardens grow. Please join us in making St. Louis a healthier, greener place to live.

Below is a description of the many ways in which you can help. For specific dates for volunteer opportunities in the near future, please check the Upcoming Events page. If any of these opportunities sound interesting, call Hannah at (314)588-9600x28 or email Hannah Reinhart.

Bell Demonstration Garden Volunteers

Bell Garden is Gateway Greening's demonstration garden and plant distribution site. Community gardeners meet at Bell to pick up free and reduced price seed and seedlings and to participate in educational workshops. Gateway Greening staff and volunteers maintain 14 demonstration beds that are used to illustrate intensive vegetable growing techniques. Volunteers gain experience in garden maintenance and interact with St. Louis Master Gardeners and Gateway Greening staff who are on the cutting edge of gardening practices. Regular Bell volunteers are asked to pick an area of focus, such as veggie demonstration beds, ornamental beds, seedling sales and distribution or fruit trees. Volunteers are needed to do general gardening tasks every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. between March and November.

City Seeds Urban Farm

City Seeds Urban Farm,located on the 2200 block of Pine, 63103 accepts volunteers MWF 7:30-11:30am, T/Th 9:30-11:30am, April through October. City Seeds is a 2.5-acre vegetable farm that provides jobs training and horticulture therapy to St. Patrick Center clients. Volunteers are needed to work alongside clients to help with general maintenance, provide leadership opportunities and increased diversity on the farm. Volunteers are also encouraged to provide educational demonstrations to clients on horticulture-related topics.

Neighborhood Greening Project Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to support St. Louis communities by becoming active members of nearby community gardens. Gateway Greening supports a network of more than 120 active community gardens through the Neighborhood Greening program, and additional involvement is always needed. Volunteer participation may involve an individual year-long commitment or a one-time/big impact group event.

School Program Volunteers

Work with teachers, students and community members in one of the more than 60 school gardens supported by Gateway Greening. Volunteers will develop relationships with schools, teachers, students and community members and devote time as needed. Volunteers are also needed to assist teachers in the integration of garden-based curriculum.

Dig Crew Week: Late March/early April

“Digs” involve dividing and potting perennials at private backyard gardeners’ homes. The divided perennials are later distributed to community gardeners through the annual Great Perennial Divide. It’s a virtual crash course in horticulture alongside experienced Master Gardener volunteers! Often, the digs are spontaneously scheduled due to weather conditions. Interested “Dig Crew” participants should contact the Gateway Greening office and request that they be added to the dig crew email distribution list.

Great Perennial Divide Volunteers

The Great Perennial Divide (GPD) allows community gardeners to benefit from contributions of perennial divisions made by city and county residents. Held annually, the GPD requires the efforts of many volunteers if it is to be successful. Some tasks which volunteers can do include working at collection sites, digging and potting perennials, transporting divisions, working on the day of the event so it runs smoothly, or assisting in the organization of the event in the months prior to it.

Urban Roots, Market and Tucker Street Medians

Gateway Greening's participation in the downtown St. Louis Urban Roots initiative includes tropical colors planted in the Tucker Boulevard and Market Street medians, the landscape border at Kiener Plaza and the St. Louis Planters. In April we prepare the soil in the beds, in May the plants are installed, and dead-heading and weeding occurs in summer and fall. In late October plants are removed, recycled and replaced with winter displays.

Major work days take place from April through October and include:

Carriage House Renovation Volunteers

The Carriage House is a historic building located near Bell Garden that is being converted into an indoor community garden resource center. The first floor is and will continue to be used for tool and equipment storage. The second floor is equipped with electricity and HVAC systems but awaits insulation, dry walling and finishing. Volunteers with skills in insulation, dry wall and carpentry are needed to turn our longtime dream into a reality.

Gateway Special Event Representatives

Gateway Greening representatives regularly attend group meetings and events in order to get the word out about programs. Examples of the types of events which representatives attend are: Earth Day festivities, neighborhood association meetings, and health and wellness fairs. Major events include Solstice with the Stars, Tour de Plants and Chefs in a Garden.

If you would like to volunteer, call Hannah at (314)588-9600x28 or send an email to Hannah Reinhart.