Volunteer

Interns typically learn practical aspects of gardening through participation in gardening tasks such as soil preparation, mulching, planting, weeding, irrigating, harvesting, and seed saving. Interns also can learn about the crops that grow here, our local history, and the different eras of multicultural agriculture here for thousands of years. Opportunities may be available to help with clerical and administrative tasks, interpretive tasks, kitchen work, and event support. Internships are usually available for the summer, fall semester, or for fall and spring semesters combined. Read more about Internship opportunities and apply today.

Youth Volunteers are welcome to volunteer at Mission Garden, and the garden is endorsed as a youth volunteer location by Supervisor Adelita Grijalva's office. Youth under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Internship opportunities are also available for high school and home schooled students.

Volunteer Gardeners work with garden supervisors and other volunteers to carry out tasks ranging from preparing soil, planting seeds and irrigating to controlling pests and weeds, harvesting produce and tabling at the nearby farmer’s market. We need gardeners of all ages and abilities and we will do our best to help find the tasks most suited to you. There are tasks for experienced garden volunteers from Tuesdays through Saturday mornings. New volunteers should come on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays only.

Would you like to learn more about the garden and its history, and help tell visitors about it? Docents are Mission Garden volunteers who go through special training to do outreach at the garden. They work with the Outreach Coordinator to greet visitors, give information, collect donations, and keep an eye on our shop. Docents can also give tours of the garden, which go into more depth about its history and heritage crops, and are encouraged to help out during special events. More information about the Mission Garden Docent Program is found here.

The Friends of  Tucson’s Birthplace hold several special events over the course of the year, such as the annual breakfast at Mercado San Agustín in August, the San Isidro celebration in May, the Membrillo Fest in October, etc. On these special occasions, the Friends need Go-Getters to help out with special operations, including purchasing materials, directing traffic, managing sign-in sheets, selling tickets, collecting donations, taking photographs and/or video, making or serving food, staffing information tables, cleaning up, etc.

Read more and submit your request here.

Help shop customers, make sales, help display products; and help with inventory.