Info for Volunteers

VOLUNTEERS IN THE MARKET

Volunteers are essential to every aspect of our mission - from our hard-working board to those who help with our mailings. Without volunteers we can't meet our goals of supporting locally grown and prepared foods by maintaining markets and by educating the public on the importance of buying locally.

If you're interested in volunteering, please call our office at 503 241 0032 or email Amber Holland, Site Manager amber@portlandfarmersmarket.org

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The Food Squad

"Taste the Place," is a tradition at Portland Farmers Market. Our goal is to educate the shoppers by presenting "under-appreciated" vegetables (like leeks, rutabagas, celery root, and collard greens), by showing quick tricks with popular produce and by distributing information about nutrition and preservation of the season's bounty. The Food Squad volunteers may research recipes, produce purchasing and storage tips, plus interesting facts and trivia concerning local veggies and fruits. Volunteers will work with a staff member to set up and run a tasting booth on Saturdays.

Skills Required: Love of food, interest in local agriculture, good public relations/teaching skill and ease at talking to the public. Willingness and ability to research and learn lots of new facts and the ODA Food Safety Guidelines. Ability to stand for 3 hours (with breaks) is also necessary.

Minimum Time Commitment: Three hours at the Saturday PSU Market.


Information Booth & Veggie Valet

Where can I buy a baby artichoke? Are all these vendors organic? Where is the bathroom? How can I become a vendor at the Market? Where is Powell's Bookstore? These are just a few of the questions the volunteers at the Information Booth answer each Saturday. If you want to learn the inner working of the market, hang out in a beautiful place, and meet a lot of people, this is the job for you.

Skills Required: Excellent customer skills, positive can-do attitude, a great smile, the talent of being courteous to difficult people and the ability to remember lots of facts. Handling money for the sale of our Market's merchandise (aprons, totes, note cards) is required. Operation of the Veggie Valet parcel check area is part of the job. Ability to stand for 3 hours (with breaks) is also necessary. Written material, maps and weekly updates are provided.

Minimum Time Commitment: Three hours at the Saturday PSU Market.


Market Counters

Are you a people watcher? Do you long to hang out on street corners and watch the parade? Portland Farmers Market is growing and we like to keep track of this growth, so every week during the season we count the customers entering each corner of the market. We provide you with a red apron, name tag, click-counter and a clip board.

Skills Required: Ability to stand for 10 minutes at a time; ability to avoid distractions.

Minimum Time Commitment: 10 minutes on the hour for as many hours as you like, this job allows for lots of shopping time between counts.


Office Assistants

It's not just on Market days that we're busy keeping the Market humming, but all the time. We can always use assistance with mailings, data entry and word processing, and sign making. Most of this work would be done in our office (at a close-in SE Portland location) but some tasks can be completed in your home on your own time schedule.

Skills Required: Depends on the project. What do you do best?

Minimum Time Commitment: Varies with the project, and extremely flexible!


Festival Assistants

Portland Farmers Market hosts six festivals plus a variety of other special events. Festival days add speakers, children's activities, contests, and special demonstrations to the regular shopping atmosphere. You may be called on to decorate the Information Booth, the Chef Stage, market tables and other areas with seasonal glitz. We are searching for people who can make things look great with a very small budget, using what is available at the Market whenever possible. Or you could be serving shortcakes at our annual Berry Festival. This position may involve some very early hours Saturday mornings at the Market - 6:30 am to be exact. Or you may be working at an evening market (EcoTrust in the Pearl District or Eastbank at SE 20th & Salmon). We have events that fit your schedule.

Skills Required: Creative and fun-loving attitude.

Minimum time commitment: Usually a three hour shift at the market, but varies by event.