Group Volunteering

Volunteer Day with Love Tito’s - 2022

CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING, REDEFINED

We offer a select number of intentional and transformative corporate volunteer engagements per season, prioritizing organizations willing and able to invest in building a long term collaborative funding and volunteering relationship. This reimagining of group volunteering creates more meaningful and impactful engagements for volunteers,  our staff, and our community members. Our volunteer season runs from mid-April through the end of October.

Love Tito’s 2023 Annual “Block to Block” Initiative

"Our group volunteer day at UGC was so joyful and meaningful - we'll never forget it and look forward to returning soon! We learned so much and walked away with new perspectives on our relationships with the Earth and with our community; I had multiple coworkers send me an email or a text saying something along the lines of 'Wow, we loved the staff at UGC so much.'"

— MC Most, Community Impact Project Manager at Vizient, Inc

PARTNERING FOR TRANSFORMATION

CO-CREATED

Customized to the interests of volunteers and the needs of the communities we serve and incorporating both educational and hands-on components.

UGC Deliverable: A collaborative visioning & planning engagement with select staff-persons from both organizations.

DOCUMENTED

Professional brand, documentation, and photography supports efforts to share your organization’s values and impact.

UGC Deliverable: Branded engagement report detailing the process from end-to-end, featuring day-of photography, and highlighting employee experiences.

COMMUNAL

Concluding the volunteer day with an onsite “Happy Hour” celebration where staff and community members can celebrate and build relationships.

UGC Deliverable: Inviting UGC stakeholders to join in celebration and amplifying our partnership to our networks and P.R. agency.

FUNDED

Organized in collaboration with your organization’s corporate-giving arm to include a monetary gift that both covers the cost of labor and supports UGC’s general operating budget.

UGC Deliverable: Collaboration with UGC’s Development team to meet with grant-making stakeholders and provide information and materials where needed.

LONG-TERM

Exploration of the potential for a long-term partnership, such as an annual engagement or deeper sharing of resources.

UGC Deliverable: A collaborative debrief session with select staff-persons and any other follow-up communication needed.

IMPACTFUL

Funding, volunteering, and collaboration ensures our partnership supports UGC’s mission to cultivate nourishing environments which promote health, economic development, healing, & creativity through urban agriculture.

Click image to open 2-page flyer

Community Groups

We have limited availability for groups to volunteer on select dates during our growing season, but are sometimes able to accommodate other schedules. Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate dates requested less than three weeks in advance. If your organization is interested in volunteering with us, please fill out the form below and we will reach out as soon as possible. Our volunteer season runs from mid-April through the end of October.

 Volunteering FAQs

  • We are limiting the number of volunteers allowed on site per shift.

    Only volunteers who have registered and signed our Waiver and Photo Release form prior to their shift will be allowed on site.

    Disposable masks are available as needed. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves.

    Hand washing and hand sanitizing stations are on site.

    Do you have any of the following signs and symptoms of COVID-19? Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea? If you have any of the symptoms listed above, you should not enter the facility regardless of vaccination status.

    Have you had a positive viral test for SARS-CoV-2 in the last 5 days? A visitor should not visit for 5 full days after a positive test regardless of their vaccination status.

    Have you been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19 recently? Visitors who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and had close contact with a positive case are allowed to visit as long as they remain asymptomatic. Visitors who are not up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and had contact with a positive case should not visit for 5 full days following the last exposure. Day “0” is the date of the last exposure.

  • A water bottle filled with water; sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat if it’s sunny or rain gear if it’s stormy; and a snack. UGC will provide all the tools you’ll need to work, but if you have a pair of garden gloves at home, please bring them. If you have a medical condition such as asthma or anaphylaxis, please bring your inhaler or epi-pen and inform your group leader of your condition before beginning work. We do have an apiary at our South Chicago farm, and there are many native bees around.

    DO NOT bring personal items with you to the farm. We do not have storage on site and will not take responsibility for your belongings. If you bring valuables such as phones, wallets, jewelry, etc., you do so at your own risk.

  • Farming is hard work! Depending on the season, you may be preparing beds, shifting compost, planting, harvesting, or cleaning up the land. We work rain or shine, so please come prepared for the weather. Expect to get your hands and clothes dirty by the end of the day.

  • Please plan to arrive a few minutes before your shift begins and before entering the farm to join your program, please stop at the welcome table to check-in and sign our waiver.

  • Please wear closed-toe shoes (absolutely no sandals or flip flops), clothes that you don’t mind getting really dirty (pants and long-sleeved shirts are recommended), and bring an extra layer and rain gear–just in case. All volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves. Disposable masks will be provided if needed. Please refrain from wearing perfumes/fragrances to protect our bees.

  • If you can no longer make it to your shift, please cancel your ticket order via Eventbrite as soon as possible so the slot will open back up for someone else.

  • Yes! We work when it rains. If weather conditions are dangerous or not conducive for field work, we will reach out via email to notify you. If you’d like to confirm before leaving, call 773-376-8882.