Volunteer
World Hunger Relief relies on the support of our local community in many ways, especially our various volunteer programs. Whether you’re an individual, part of a group, or looking for more immersive opportunities, we have something available for you!
Individual Opportunities
We’re always looking for committed and hardworking volunteers to join our Farm Partner program. This ongoing partnership allows members of our community to enter more deeply into the rhythms of our farm. You can gain firsthand farming experience and skills by contributing to our market garden, livestock enterprise, composting program, and community education projects and events.
Farm Partners commit to:
- At least one recurring shift per week
- Because we invest so much in training our farm partners, we ask for an initial 8-week commitment
- Maintaining communication with farm staff (e.g., letting us know if you get sick or can’t make your volunteer slot).
- A willingness to learn and help where needed
- Keeping a positive attitude
In return, Farm Partners can expect:
- A meaningful and unique experience serving the Waco community
- Practical experience working on a small-scale, diversified, sustainable farm
- Greater understanding of our work, methods, and mission
- World Hunger Relief t-shirt, farm discount, and warm welcome into the “farmily”
Group Opportunities
Our educational volunteer events allow groups to participate in meaningful hands-on service opportunities infused with education and farm fun. We offer a chance for schools, businesses, and other groups to give back to the Waco community while also getting a unique experience on our 40-acre working farm.
Depending on the time of year, volunteers may find themselves pulling weeds, assisting with field turnover, adding mulch to our Urban Homestead, sifting compost, caring for livestock, or an assortment of other tasks that may arise on the farm. The nature of our work requires that these events be facilitated by farm staff, including a tour and an educational component. For this reason, we ask that participants support our work with a small financial contribution to cover our staff members’ time and the administrative cost of the program. This helps support our mission to alleviate hunger and create a healthy, just, and environmentally responsible food system.
Availability varies depending on the season. Full or partial scholarships are sometimes available for nonprofit organizations and student-led groups; contact localeducation@worldhungerrelief.org for more information.
Group Opportunities
Our educational volunteer events allow groups to participate in meaningful hands-on service opportunities infused with education and farm fun. We offer a chance for schools, businesses, and other groups to give back to the Waco community while also getting a unique experience on our 40-acre working farm.
Depending on the time of year, volunteers may find themselves pulling weeds, assisting with field turnover, adding mulch to our Urban Homestead, sifting compost, caring for livestock, or an assortment of other tasks that may arise on the farm. The nature of our work requires that these events be facilitated by farm staff, including a tour and an educational component. For this reason, we ask that participants support our work with a small financial contribution to cover our staff members’ time and the administrative cost of the program. This helps support our mission to alleviate hunger and create a healthy, just, and environmentally responsible food system.
Availability varies depending on the season. Full or partial scholarships are sometimes available for nonprofit organizations and student-led groups; contact localeducation@worldhungerrelief.org for more information.
Live-In Volunteers
Our Live-In Volunteer program exists to provide opportunities for individuals to be inspired, educated, and sent out to join the movement to create a resilient, robust food system that’s locally based, equitably distributed, and ecologically sustainable. This comes through real-life, hands-on experiences working on a sustainable farm that’s involved in produce production, livestock raising, composting, and education.
This program allows participants to work for 10 hours per week in exchange for housing and real-world agricultural experience. Perks include on-site laundry facilities, wifi, all bills paid, farm-use produce, discounted products, and educational opportunities. Volunteers may stay for as short as one month and are expected to be involved in the daily tasks of keeping the farm running.
Contact educationdirector@worldhungerrelief.org for more information about this program.
General responsibilities could include:
- Daily livestock chores
- Market garden work
- Compost system work
- Education program facilitation
- Educational building chores
- Care and maintenance of grounds and education gardens
- Weekly LIV meeting
- Farmer’s market duty
- Weekend duty
- Monthly all-farm meeting
Internship Program
Academic Credit Internship
This is a flexible program that can be used to earn academic credit for mentorships, practicums, internships, or class credit. Students learn through informal opportunities, hand-on experience, and structured curriculum that can be adapted to their degree plan. Students from a variety of majors can use their unique skills in a variety of programs and enterprises as they join our meaningful work helping to inform, catalyze, and equip our community to alleviate hunger through sustainable agriculture, education, and research.
Join us in our mission to alleviate hunger through sustainable agriculture, education, and research by working and learning with us at our sustainable farm while you earn credit towards your degree. You can participate at any time, dates and hours are flexible and you can live on or off the farm.
Residential Internship Coming Soon in 2025
This program facilitates a unique learning experience for individuals by providing a hands-on experience living and working on our 40-acre working farm. Participants develop spiritually and professionally, and engage some of the pressing issues of our age surrounding the production and distribution of food. Our internship is at the heart of our organization’s work and impact. Interns work in one of our four main enterprises: Market Garden, Livestock, Composting, and Education. The combination of community living and working and learning together during weekly classes creates an environment ripe for growth and transformation. This is a great opportunity for those interested in farm experience, in learning more about issues related to food, and in developing a more holistic way of seeing and relating to the created world.
We will start accepting applications for 2025 in November 2024. Fill out the form below to receive news and updates about our Residential Internship Program.