Become a Volunteer

Passionate about supporting local food and looking for a way to give back to your community? Volunteer with us!⁠

Volunteers help make Nourish Knoxville’s work possible. Whether it’s helping at our farmers markets and events, supporting programs like Nourish Moves and Nourish Kids, or assisting behind the scenes, there are lots of ways to get involved throughout the season.

Volunteering is a great way to support local farmers and producers, meet people who share your passion, and get more involved in our community. We’d love to have you join us!

Important Policies to Note

Volunteer Age Requirement: Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Volunteer Intake Form & Waiver: All prospective volunteers are required to complete a Volunteer Intake Form and waiver before participating in volunteer opportunities.

Seasonal Opportunities: Volunteer opportunities vary throughout the year based on market seasonality and organizational needs.

Volunteer Locations

New Harvest Farmers Market
Thurdays, April – September

Market Square Farmers Market
Wednesdays & Saturdays, May – October
Saturdays, November – March

Nourish Knoxville Office
Monday – Friday, year-round

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Volunteer Opportunities

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Markets

Info Booth: Assist with set-up, customer service, crowd counts, merchandise sales, SNAP/EBT transactions, rule enforcement, sustainability projects, and break-down at Nourish markets.

Nourish Moves: Assist with set-up, customer service, operation of program, and break-down. Nourish Moves is held every Wednesday in Market Square and every Thursday at New Harvest Park.

Nourish Kids: Assist with set-up, customer service, operation of program, and break-down. Nourish Kids is held every second Saturday in Market Square and every third Thursday at New Harvest Park.

Market volunteer shifts take place in person, outdoors, rain or shine. Most shifts require standing and walking for extended periods. Hours and location vary by market.

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Special Events

Event Support: Volunteers assist with two of our signature events: Friends & Farmers, hosted outdoors each October and Winter Warmer, hosted indoors each February.

Events help raise vital funds to support Nourish Knoxville’s programs year-round, while connecting our community through local food and fun.

Duties may include set-up and breakdown, guest check-in, parking support, managing activities, assisting with merchandise sales, supporting catering teams, or bartending (ABC license required).

Event volunteer shifts take place in person at venues in and around Knoxville. All shifts require standing and walking for extended periods. Hours, location, and tasks vary by event.

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Office Administration

General Admin: Assist with filing and organization of program materials.

Nutrition Incentives: Count, record, and restock produce incentive currencies for programs like Double Up Food Bucks and Nourish Moves.

Local Food Guide: Call farms and local food businesses to update listings, ensuring accurate information for the East Tennessee Local Food Guide.

Nutrition Incentive volunteer shifts take place in person at our downtown Knoxville office and require a recurring 2-hour weekly commitment, Mon or Fri (9 AM – 5 PM), year-round.

Local Food Guide volunteer shifts take place in person at our downtown Knoxville office for a 2+ hour block, Mon – Fri (9 AM – 5 PM), Jan – Feb.

Ready to volunteer with Nourish Knoxville?

Click the button to fill out our Volunteer Intake Form.

Apply to Volunteer

Questions about volunteering?
Contact Madison at outreach@nourishknoxville.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a minimum age requirement for volunteers?

Yes, you must be at least 18 years old to volunteer.

How do I become a volunteer?

All prospective volunteers must submit a Volunteer Intake Form and a signed Volunteer Waiver. After submitting the Volunteer Intake Form, you should automatically receive a link to complete the Volunteer Waiver. Once we have received both your form and waiver, our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch about next steps.

How do I schedule volunteer shifts?

After submitting the Volunteer Intake Form and a signed Volunteer Waiver, eligible volunteers will receive detailed instructions on scheduling volunteer shifts.

What should I bring to a volunteer shift?

Markets Volunteer Shifts:
Refillable water bottle;
Sunscreen, sunglasses, and/or sun hat during the warmer months;
Warm coat, hat, and gloves during the colder months;
Umbrella, rain jacket and/or poncho, rain pants, and rain boots – our markets are open rain or shine;
Comfortable footwear – all shifts require standing and walking for extended periods, so wear appropriate footwear!

Office Volunteer Shifts:
Headphones – great for making calls and/or listening to a podcast/playlist while working;
Sweatshirt and/or blanket – our offices can get chilly!

Nourish Knoxville is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Nourish Knoxville complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender, gender expression, or sex. If you need language
assistance or would like to report a concern, please contact Zoë Fuller with Nourish Knoxville at
zoe@nourishknoxville.org or 865-806-9271.