volunteer info

Hello,

We are excited to welcome you to the sanctuary on your scheduled volunteer date and time!

Our sanctuary address is 93-1280 South Point Rd, Naalehu, HI 96772. If you use Google Maps it should take you right to our driveway. If you use Apple Maps it will likely take you too far. Please watch for our signs on the left hand side of the road (as you are driving toward the ocean), five miles down South Point Rd.

As you pull into our driveway, you’ll notice a snack shack on your right. It does not belong to us. Please drive past it and park on the Mauka side (means mountain side) of the driveway, with the nose of your car toward the fence, allowing plenty of room for trucks and trailers to enter our gate as needed.

Once parked, you will notice two gates- one that goes to two metal buildings on your right, and one that goes down a long road. The metal buildings are not ours. Please do not bother our neighbor. Our gate is to the left in front of the long road. Simply climb over it and walk down to the sanctuary. About 1000 ft down, you'll see a gate on your left hand side. That's the gate you want to walk in. Please make sure to secure the gate closed behind you. Walk down the bottom of the inside road and someone will meet you for your shift. Once you've been here a time or two, you'll just know where to go. :)

THINGS TO KNOW

This is a farm setting with dirt, mud and poop. Plan to get at least one of these three things on your person, your shoes, and your clothes. Dress accordingly (closed-toe shoes are required).
We suggest sunscreen and drinking water. You may also want a hat and sunglasses (for the dusty wind). Typical weather in South Point is sunny and breezy-to-windy with a chance of scattered showers.
For the safety of our animals as well as yours, no companion animals are allowed and cannot be left in vehicles.
No food is allowed on the property or to be given to our animals. Please keep all food in your car and make sure your pockets are empty.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

While here, you will be doing various chores from animal care, property maintenance, and sometimes helping with tours (especially when your a new volunteer).
As a new volunteer, it is imperative that you follow the instructions of the staff member(s) you will be working with. They know the animals better than anyone. Our animals' safety is always our number one priority; however, we want you to stay safe and injury free, too! Ask all the questions! No question is a dumb question.
If you become a regular volunteer (3 or more times per month), you will be given things to do, often on your own or while supervising a new volunteer- another great reason to learn from the person training you. :)

FOR THE SAFETY OF THE ANIMALS AND YOU

You are welcome to bring fruits or veggies for the animals; however, due to strict dietary guidelines, no feeding of animals is permitted without permission from staff. Any food brought for the animals will be given to them by staff, during feeding time. Do not feed anything to the animals without permission from staff or senior volunteers
No smoking of any kind is allowed on property. If you smoke off property, please be aware that we live in a very high-risk fire zone. Please act responsibly.
We want this to be a positive experience for all- humans and animals- but the safety and well-being of our animal residents will always be our first priority. Please help us heal them, not harm them, by following the rules at all times. Should you be asked to leave the grounds, a refund will not be issued.

CALENDLY SIGN UP

We created the Calendly calendar so that you could easily sign up and we could keep track of who is scheduled for when. If you have questions or concerns, new friends who want to volunteer, etc., your Volunteer Coordinator is Lisa Denning and she is who you should communicate with. If you are scheduled for a shift and can't make it last minute, please let Lisa know ASAP. Two no-shows will make you ineligible to volunteer for the remainder of the calendar year. We understand things change- just keep us in the loop. Lisa's number is 808-345-3501 and her email is lisa@bigislandfarmsanctuary.com.

Aloha and we'll see you soon!