Located on 55 acres in Oregon’s beautiful Applegate Valley, Sanctuary One was established in 2007 as the nation’s first care farm. It was founded by a small group of visionaries who never wavered in their belief in the Sanctuary’s mission: to be a safe place for animals and a healing place for people while promoting environmental stewardship.
Sanctuary One provides a safe home to rescued farm animals and house pets. We work with area shelters, rescues, and law-enforcement agencies to bring in animals who receive personalized attention, loving rehabilitation, and a peaceful retirement here. The farm includes expansive gardens which not only provide rich vegetables and food for the animals, but opportunities for growth of the people who tend them.
Become part of our volunteer farm family!
From weeding and walking to mucking and mopping, the daily to-do list at Sanctuary One is vast. We couldn’t get it all done without our team of dedicated volunteers, who embody the true spirit of community by saying “Yes I can.”
In turn, by providing the opportunity to volunteer on a real working farm, the Sanctuary helps people of all ages experience nature’s power to heal. Working with animals and gardening has been widely shown to lower blood pressure, ease depression and stress, and help lonely people establish therapeutic relationships. For those seeking a longer-term experience, we also offer internships.
How to Become a Volunteer
Submit a volunteer application online
Attend a volunteer orientation. After receiving your application, we will let you know dates and times for orientations.
Volunteer shifts are 10 am to 2 pm 7 days a week, and are scheduled in advance with our staff. Volunteers are expected to work at least 8 hours (two shifts) per month. We prefer that volunteers commit to at least one year of service. Due to our remote location, we highly recommend carpooling and packing a vegan or vegetarian lunch or snack. We applaud volunteering as a family or with a friend (those under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)! Your volunteering mileage may be tax-deductible; talk to your financial adviser.
Our volunteer jobs are important tasks related to caring for animals, farming and gardening, general clean-up, guiding tours, working with school groups and representing Sanctuary One at local events. For some of these jobs you must be in good shape and not suffer from allergies to animals or hay. Because most of the work on the farm is physical in nature, Sanctuary One might not be the right match if you have lower back pain or other similar medical issues.
If hands-on farm work is not your cup of tea, we also have a variety of clerical and office volunteer opportunities. We particularly need help with our special events, fundraisers and spreading the word about Sanctuary One.
Please note: Due to the length of the orientation and training process, we are not able to accommodate volunteers looking for a short-term experience. We prefer that volunteers commit to one year of service.
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