Volunteer
Bring our mission to life.
Join us to build your relationship with the land and river. We welcome individual and group volunteering for a variety of projects throughout the year, with most opportunities between March and November.
All volunteers must register individually in order to complete our volunteer waiver.
Outdoor Volunteering
We welcome volunteers for outdoor work with our horticulture, farm, programs, and facilities staff on seasonal outdoor tasks: everything from weeding to cleaning, greeting visitors to pruning and light maintenance. No special skills or past experience is needed.
Upcoming Events
Outdoor volunteering occurs almost every week–click below to see all upcoming events and register!
Welcome Volunteers
Application Deadline: April 13, 2026
If you love Bartram’s Garden, join the inaugural cohort of Welcome Volunteers to help make the park feel warm and welcoming for everyone. To apply, read all the information below, then submit your application before April 13.
No previous horticulture, customer service, or volunteer experience required! Volunteers receive a year of complimentary Bartram’s Garden membership benefits and their choice of Bartram’s Garden swag.
Volunteer orientation will begin in April 2026. Volunteers must attend a Welcome Volunteer orientation before their first shift and commit to at least 3 shifts between April and October 2026. Shifts are approximately 3 hours long.
Volunteer Eligibility & Pre-Requisites
- Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to sign up. Minors may help out alongside their parent/guardian.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to spend 3 hours at a time outdoors, sitting, standing, or walking short distances, sometimes on uneven terrain. If you are interested in volunteering and prefer to be mostly or entirely seated during your shift, please let us know in your application and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. If you have questions about accessibility, please contact .
- Prior experience in public-facing roles or knowledge about Bartram’s Garden is helpful but not required. We will teach you all you need to know! We welcome volunteers to share their own relationship with the Garden.
Communication & Inclusivity Requirements
- All volunteers need access to a computer and/or smart phone and an email address to sign up for shifts. All our shift scheduling is done online.
- Good communication skills, including an interest in working with a diverse group of people.
- A commitment to our goal: to create a welcoming, accessible, affirming, fun and safe experience for visitors of all abilities and from all backgrounds. We value a culture of respect, honesty and cooperation. We place a particular focus on improving access to nature for Philadelphians in the Southwest neighborhood. Racism, classism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, and xenophobia are not welcome at Bartram’s Garden and will not be tolerated.
- A welcoming attitude, flexibility and an interest in the visitor experience at Bartram’s Garden. Volunteers are encouraged to give feedback to staff at any time.
Time Commitment & Scheduling
Time Commitment
- Volunteers are expected to attend a Welcome Volunteer orientation before their first shift. In your application, you will have the option to indicate your preference among orientation times.
- Volunteers are expected to contribute a minimum of 3 shifts per season. Our season is May through October.
- Shifts are approximately 3 hours long.
- If your shift is cancelled due to weather conditions or cancelled programs, it still counts as a completed shift.
- New Volunteers starting mid-way through the season will have a reduced shift requirement.
When are shifts?
Shifts mostly occur during our public programs:
- Sitewide Festivals: SpringFest (April 18), Juneteenth Jubilee (June 14), Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 18), HarvestFest (October 25), Handmade Holidays (December 5)
- Movie Nights and Recreational Programming: Wednesday and Friday evenings, and Saturday afternoons to align with regular Bartram’s Garden programming including biking, fishing, movie nights, boating, and more.
- There may be additional shift times available for special programs or high-volume visitor hours
All volunteer shifts are scheduled in advance via an online sign-up tool.
Volunteer Tasks & Expectations
During a volunteer shift, tasks may include the following:
- Providing visitors with a warm welcome to Bartram’s Garden
- Answering questions and providing directions to site features and amenities, like to bathrooms, bike racks, or the Franklinia tree
- Sharing fun facts, site suggestions, or your favorite places at the Garden
- Using resources like existing maps and the Garden’s website to share information about available programs and activities
- Helping visitors get connected with key resources like the Welcome Center, email newsletter, or Southwest Philadelphia text service
- Sharing information about the ways visitors can support the Garden or get involved, such as becoming a member, making donations, or participating as a volunteer
We teach you all of the above at your training session! New volunteers will work alongside employees for their first shift.
Additional expectations include:
- being on time
- communicating via email as necessary
- using an online tool to sign up for shifts
- following public park rules
Exclusive Welcome Volunteer Perks
As a Welcome Volunteer, you’ll be helping everyone have a great experience at Bartram’s Garden! You will also receive:
- A free one-year Bartram’s Garden membership
- Your choice of free Bartram’s Garden swag, like an adult or youth t-shirt or a hat
More Ways to Volunteer
Private Volunteer Groups & Team Retreats
Learn more about volunteering as a group or planning a custom retreat.
Boathouse Volunteers
Our boating programs are run by an amazing team of over 80 trained Boathouse Volunteers. Click here to learn more.
Event Volunteers
We rely on occasional volunteers to support free public events, including movie nights, performances, and more. Volunteer needs for these events are indicated in their respective calendar entries.
Volunteer Board of Directors
As a non-profit organization, Bartram’s Garden is supported and guided by a volunteer Board of Directors. Learn more about the Board’s work and how to get involved.
Sankofa Community Farm Volunteers
Volunteering at the Sankofa Community Farm includes outdoor work in a spiritually centered setting. Learn more about how to prepare your body and your heart in this short video.
