VBSR Volunteer Day

Join Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility for a day of volunteering and community building! We invite you to participate in a meaningful volunteer experience through Vermont nonprofits with service projects ranging from gleaning to litter cleanup!

Scroll down for details to signup for a volunteer opportunity. Options include:

• Beach Cleanup with the Rozalia Project
• Volunteer at the Intervale Center’s Conservation Nursery
• Trail Work with the Green Mountain Club
• Organize at the Habitat for Humanity Williston reStore
• Trail Work at the North Branch Nature Center
• Glean with Community Harvest of Central Vermont (CHCV)

VBSR’s Volunteer Day is open to all and is the perfect team bonding, making it a great way to spend time outdoors and use your paid volunteer time with your colleagues (or on your own) while giving back to your community!

After the various volunteer opportunities, we will celebrate with an After Party at Ben & Jerry’s new office at 35 Thompson St, South Burlington, 05403 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM! Volunteers will be treated to snacks, drinks, and of course, ice cream while we unwind and build connections!

At the After Party, we will also hear from the Vermont Secretary of State, Sarah Copeland Hanzas, about the recently launched program, which is for Vermont businesses and nonprofit organizations that are committed to improving civic engagement and education across the state. The Vermont Secretary of State’s office provides trusted information and resources on voting and civic engagement to participating organizations for them to share with employees, clients, and customers.

This event is family-friendly and caretakers of any kind are welcome to attend with your dependents! Please make note of any accommodation requests when you register.

Are you interested in sponsoring this event? If so, please contact Jeremy Gerber at [email protected] for details. Questions? If so, please contact to Molly Rand at [email protected].

Below are the different opportunities to volunteer! Review the details and sign up directly via the link below provided by each host organization. Volunteer slots are available on a first come, first served basis. We will do our best to update this page once an opportunity has been filled.

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Location: North Beach & Rock Point in Burlington, VT

Capacity: 30 people

Rozalia Project Contact: Clare Murphy-Hagan, [email protected]

Details: You will be guided to an area to pickup litter, with a focus on microplastics and large trash, to prevent it from getting into Lake Champlain. Rozalia Project will provide gloves, trash pickers, buckets, and trash bags.

After you clean, the Rozalia Project will compile the data for your cleanup. Cleanups make a difference, data makes a difference! Did you know that picking up just one plastic beverage bottle will keep 55,000 pieces of microplastic from ending up swirling around the ocean? And it only takes a few seconds. Every effort we all make to get marine debris off our shores and out of the water is important.

Time: 12:50 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: 180 Intervale Rd, Burlington, VT 05401

Capacity: 30 people

The Intervale Contact: Gabby Makatura, [email protected]

Details: The Intervale Center Conservation Nursery is the largest native tree and shrub nursery in Vermont. Depending on what's happening that day, your group could help with planting trees in the fields, propagating plants in the greenhouses, or weeding around our young trees to give them the best chance to thrive. These trees will eventually be planted in restoration and conservation projects across Vermont. Volunteers would be expected to walk up to a mile on uneven terrain, crouch or bend frequently, and carry up to 20 pounds.

Where to meet: At the information kiosk outside our farmhouse office at 180 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT 05401 here.

Time: Wednesday, September 2, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Location: Burrows Trailhead, Camel's Hump; 44°18'17.7"N 72°54'28.1"W; https://maps.app.goo.gl/bPUx8c68xfN6dLYq9

Capacity: 10 people

Green Mountain Club Contact: Lorne Currier, [email protected]

Details: The group will perform annual trail maintenance on the Burrows Trail going up Camel's Hump. The projects will be with the two goals in mind of 1) getting water off the trail and 2) keeping hikers on the trail. The primary projects will be cleaning waterbars and reinforcing brush-ins. This trail maintenance is critical for the long-term success of the trail system and to protect the investments GMC made in the Burrows Trail Restoration Project.

This is a moderately strenuous hike of 3-5 miles carrying 1-2 tools and all personal hiking equipment. The project will include digging in the ground, bending over and carrying rocks and brush.

Participants should come prepared for a hike in all weather conditions as the workday will not be cancelled for rain. This workday does not include summitting Camel's Hump although participants may individually continue to the summit after the work is completed if they'd like. All participants should bring the below supplies and be aware of the weather conditions beforehand.

• Backpack
• 2 liters drinking water
• Lunch/Snacks
• Hiking Shoes/Boots (Must be closed-toed footwear)
• Long pants
• Rain Jacket
• Appropriate other layers as necessary
• Work Gloves (GMC will bring extra)
• Anything else you would bring for a 4-6 hour day hike

GMC will supply all tools, safety equipment, project leadership and a fun environment for the day. Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Please note, when creating your account, under "groups" you must search and select “VSBR", or the desired shift will not show up on the calendar.

Time: 1:30 – 3:30 PM

Location: Williston ReStore, 528 Essex Rd, Williston, VT 05495

Capacity: 12 people

Habitat for Humanity Contact: Lucy Sokol, [email protected]

Details: Help to bring the Williston ReStore back to life! After a devastating fire in April, volunteers have been working tirelessly to rebuild this community staple. The ReStore is more than just a retail space. It’s how Habitat for Humanity funds their affordable home-building mission, how they keep usable materials out of landfills, and how the community shows up for affordable housing. There are plenty of tasks to help with, from sorting incoming donations, organizing clothing, researching books, putting out home decor items, and much more!

What do I wear? Please wear work-appropriate clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty, ripped, or even ruined. Closed-toed shoes are required (work boots preferred); layers are recommended, and please bring work gloves if you have them.

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602

Capacity: 5 people

North Branch Nature Center Contact: Jesse Scarlato, [email protected]

Details: You’ll be working to maintain the universal access trail, removing grass and weeds and adding new crushed sand. The work will include edging, followed by spreading out sand and tamping, and will help create and maintain greater accessibility in our trail system.

The North Branch Nature Center is a vital hub for outdoor learning and recreation in Vermont. Serving 17,000 people annually, our floodplain forest and fields, nestled in a gentle bend of the North Branch of the Winooski River, offer year-round opportunities for walking, skiing, swimming, and quiet reflection just two miles from downtown Montpelier. Through a wide array of programs, we encourage people of all ages to engage with the natural world, fostering powerful personal connections that inspire a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.

Instructions to Register:

• Create an account
• When you reach the Vermont Gleaning Collective calendar, scroll down to September 2nd. Select “VBSR 1PM”
• Once the “VBSR Group Volunteer Gleaning Project by CHCV” page opens, read the details and click “I’ll be there!” to RSVP.

Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Location: To be announced prior to the event. Will be within Washington County.

Capacity: 5 people

CHCV Contact: Allison Levin, [email protected]

Details: Depending on the need at the time, volunteers will either be doing a sorting project at CHCV’s Berlin facility, or you will glean at a local farm within Washington County. Details will be emailed the week of the project to those who have RSVPed. We hope you will join us in helping EVERYONE have access to fresh local food!

Ben & Jerry’s is a socially responsible ice cream company that combines super premium-quality, inventive flavors with a strong commitment to social and environmental justice. Its values focus on sustainability, climate action, racial and economic equity, and fair trade practices. As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's integrates activism into its business model, advocating for progressive causes while supporting ethical sourcing of ingredients and reducing its environmental footprint. Ben & Jerry’s prioritizes community engagement, transparency, and corporate accountability, making its mission to “make the world a better place” central to both its products and business operations. Ben & Jerry’s was a founding member of VBSR and has remained a member since 1991.

Copper Leaf Financial is a fee-only, fiduciary wealth advisory firm serving clients nationwide from offices in Vermont. We specialize in true wealth management - a holistic approach that goes beyond just investment advice for those seeking tax-aware, evidence-based planning that evolves over time adjusting to life circumstances. We also concentrate on sustainable investing, or sustainable “planning” because it includes alignment across your entire financial plan. We help you achieve alignment between your values, savings, investments, philanthropy, and lifestyle. A detailed, well-rounded, “big picture” plan can help maximize the wealth you share with future generations and causes most important to you.

Inner Citadel Consulting offers emotional intelligence development and organizational mindfulness trainings for organizations, teams, and leaders seeking new levels of productivity & wellness. For BCorps, EI and mindfulness are critical skills for building workplace wellness, solving team dynamics, and building a culture that shines. ICC offers high impact senior executive coaching for a limited number of clients. Human-centered with you in mind.

Norwich Solar is a leading EPC provider of commercial, distributed energy & utility scale solar and energy storage solutions throughout the Northeast. As a public benefit corporation, we are driven to support the region’s transition to a robust clean energy future. Our extensive experience and community-based approach have helped us successfully complete hundreds of solar projects projects for renewable energy developers that directly benefit communities, local businesses, affordable housing providers, and nonprofits.

Rhino Foods is a frozen food manufacturer specializing in ready-to-eat cookie dough and bakery-style inclusions for the ice cream and frozen dessert industry. The inventor of cookie dough for ice cream, Rhino remains a leading supplier in the industry. This family-owned B Corporation is known nationally for their innovative workplace practices spread through the work of the Rhino Foods Foundation.

United Way of Northwest Vermont (UWNWVT) unites our whole community to solve complex problems and harness the power of people to create a stronger region. We proudly serve Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties of Vermont. United Way convenes advocates, organizations and institutions to address the community's most pressing issues. The problems facing our region are complex; they are issues that no single organization or individual alone can solve – real change is possible when nonprofit, public and private sectors work together. United Way has the networks, partnerships and strategic initiatives to improve the lives of our family, friends and neighbors. For more information or to get involved, visit unitedwaynwvt.org.

Creating a more just and thriving Vermont, together. Vermont Community Loan Fund is a mission-driven, community-focused lender investing in people and places across Vermont. With capital from impact-minded investors, we provide loans and support to local businesses, child care programs, community spaces, and affordable housing developers to create opportunity and lasting change.