Want to Get Involved?
Are you interested in volunteering, interning, or working for the Ecotrust Food & Farms program? We have developed this page to respond to your desire and enthusiasm. Below, you will find various ways to learn about opportunities within and related to the Food & Farms program. We look forward to growing our community together. Thank you for your interest.
Jobs & Internships
All Ecotrust job and intern positions are posted on the Ecotrust site at www.ecotrust.org/about/jobs.html. Check back frequently for new announcements.
If you have read all the material on the Food & Farms' webpages and have a very specific, well-matched project you'd like to propose, feel free to email your proposal to . Please offer a detailed project description, resume, and cover letter. We ask that you are patient and forgiving if a response is not immediately forthcoming. It usually takes us up to four weeks to respond to inquiries of this nature.
Bi-Monthly Meet & Greet
Ecotrust Food & Farms staff host a meet & greet on the second Wednesday every other month from 10:30 – noon at Ecotrust (721 NW 9th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97209, second floor.) All are welcome to participate, but an rsvp is required. Please send an email to letting us know if you would like to attend.
Farm to School & School Garden Action
If you would like to stay up-to-date on the latest farm to school and school garden news stories, please visit our media page, updated regularly.
If you would like to stay up-to-date on Oregon farm to school and school garden policy activities, please sign up for Ecotrust Food & Farms' Updates. We email updates infrequently; when we write, we are often asking for time-sensitive participation, such as calling your local representatives, signing a policy endorsement, and reaching out to others in the community.
If you would like additional updates on farm to school and school garden policy news as well as other public health advocacy efforts, please visit Upstream Public Health and subscribe to their Public Health Advocacy Network.
If you are interested in learning about opportunities to volunteer on gardens around Portland, please contact Growing Gardens.
If you are interested in starting a school garden, assisting a local school with its wellness policy, and other grassroots actions, please visit www.farmtoschool.org, which houses many invaluable resources such as case studies, evaluation tools, and curricula.
Networking
We recommend the following to those who would like to become more involved in the sustainable food movement within Portland specifically and Oregon at large:
- Visit the Food for Oregon website, hosted by the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University Extension Services. The Food for Oregon website houses a database of resources such as community gardens, nutrition education programs, faith-based efforts, community kitchens, farmers' markets, food policy councils, advocacy organizations, and much more. Join the Food for Oregon listserv to receive regular updates with job opportunities, community events, and food systems news.
- Attend Portland/Multnomah Food Policy Council meetings held from 4:00 – 6:00 pm on the second Wednesday of each month. The Council is a citizen-based advisory group that addresses issues regarding food access, land use planning, local food purchasing plans, and many other policy initiatives. Meetings offer the opportunity to learn about projects and policies in the works, make your voice heard, and meet other organizers. Find the location of the next meeting here. For more information, contact Steve Cohen, Food Policy and Programs, (503) 823-4225.
- Read Edible Portland magazine, a free resource for the community, published quarterly by Ecotrust to shine light on our regional food and farming community and bring forward food systems' issues often kept from view. Each issue includes a calendar of events and a list of outstanding local businesses that shape our local food community. Pick up a FREE copy at the locations listed here.
Edible Portland Freelance Opportunities
We are always looking for talented freelance writers and photographers to contribute to Edible Portland. Please review the following editorial info sheet, guidelines, and sample pitch, which we ask that you follow to a T when submitting a proposal. Our editorial decisions are made well in advance of each publication date, so please submit your proposal at least 4 months in advance of the article's appropriate seasonal release — issues come from the press March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1.
Edible Portland General Information and How to Pitch Us
Submission Guidelines
Sample Pitch
Writers:
Email your proposals to Edible Portland publisher, . Note that it often takes 4–6 weeks to receive a response.
Photographers:
Send an email that includes a link to an online portfolio to . We request that you please not drop off your portfolios at our office. Note that it often takes 4–6 weeks to receive a response.
Event Volunteers
Occasionally, we host events and perform projects that require a small army of dedicated volunteers. Rather than long-term commitments, these volunteer opportunities are time-bound, unpaid, and isolated occurrences. If you would like to be contacted about such opportunities, please email with your name, contact information, resume, and dates of availability. You may not hear back if your schedule does not match our event or project dates. We sincerely appreciate your desire to get involved!
