Volunteer at MAdre Grande monastery

Volunteer

Support Us

        Many guests and supporters of Madre Grande Monastery often ask us, “What can I do to help?”

        These offers of assistance are sincere and deeply appreciated, but it is not always easy to provide a quick and simple answer.

        Volunteer service and labor has been a significant force of creation for Madre Grande, and without it we almost certainly would not exist. But coordinating a group of volunteers with various skills, temperaments, and physical abilities can be trickier than training a group of cats and dogs to juggle mice and squirrels. Chaos and disaster are likely to ensue-- perhaps comically, perhaps tragically.

        There are two basic ways to volunteer labor or service to Madre Grande Monastery.

        One way is to join a work party that we periodically organize to accomplish a specific task, such as road improvements, landscaping and fire prevention, or cleaning and construction projects. If you are interested in joining a work party, please email us so we can notify you when one is being organized. Tell us any skills, preferences, or physical limitations that you may feel are pertinent. We will contact you when a work party is being planned.

         Another way to volunteer is to offer your individual labor or service, whenever you are able to work for whatever length of time you can. We will seek to find an appropriate and fulfilling task for you to do. This may involve directly working with a resident with a specific or general job, or it may mean working on a task by yourself.

        There are also two basic categories of work needed: Unskilled labor (or “grunt” work), and skilled or technical labor. Some unskilled work may be light duty cleaning or sorting, but most is simple physical labor. Unskilled labor needs include, but are not limited to, the following: Brush clearing, lawn mowing, road maintenance, making and clearing hiking trails, gardening, harvest and process produce, general maintenance and cleaning, shop cleaning and organizing, fire wood gathering, painting, and assorted other tasks.

        We also need certain specific skills that require greater training or experience. These include, but are not limited to, the following: electrician, architect, small engine mechanic, diesel mechanic, carpenter, secretary, internet marketing and promotion, fundraising and grant writing, business planning, and other various skills.   Let us know what you can do. You may be just who we've been hoping for.

        All volunteer work at Madre Grande is considered a donation, and no financial remuneration is offered or promised. During work parties we will provide a communal meal, and individual volunteers may receive additional benefits through prior arrangement.

        Humans helping each other is a vital aspect of our humanity, and we are grateful for all the help we can get. We strive to have the grace and wisdom to receive and properly utilize such generosity when it is offered.