Each spring we do a general volunteer call out to community via our media with a deadline. Depending on volume of volunteer applications we may not be able to accommodate everyone, but we try. As a volunteers at the market it is essential to be able to take instruction and direction from the manager and/or the volunteer coordinator when required. If you are unable to do this, please do not apply to be a volunteer. Between 16- 18? It is required to have the consent of your guardian and/or parent. High school students can get their community hours.
2026 Accepting volunteer applications from March 20th to April 3rd
All volunteers are required to read the TBFM VolunteerOrientation** There will be a pop quiz!
Volunteer application link HERE
After the deadline we will touch base with applicants to confirm your intent and date of the in-person on-site orientation that happens approximately the weekend before the farmers’ market begins – this is TBC. It is required for new volunteers to attend. Then after that it’s gravy 😉
Thank you! Read on….
SHIFTS in brief – it’s all team work!
Early Openers 12noon-1:30 Limited positions available. Crucial set up to reserve vendor parking with pylons and monitor, set up the organizers tent(s), location clean up (clear trash), misc tasks.
Openers 1:30:3:30pm Help to transport vendors’ product & set up from their vehicle to their stall location – safely and under their direction. Varying degrees of physical requirements. Stall set up is their domain.
Market 3-7pm Limited positions available. Tend to our info/HQ tent, general customer service and do misc tasks as directed by management.
Closers 6:45pm to 7:45 Reverse to Openers. Help transport vendors’ product/set up from their stall to their vehicle safe and sound. Assist with wrap up of organizers set up and put everything back into the storage shed in organized manner – which will be shown. Has various degrees of physical requirements. Take instruction from management.
Volunteering for the market is a fulfilling experience and you become a part of an eclectic free-range team of like minded community members that have an interest in sustaining market operations, volunteering and also love eating fresh locally grown food in season! As a volunteer you will have an opportunity to learn about where/how food grows in Ontario and spend some quality time outdoors in the park. Good old fashioned team work and we all enjoy learning from each other. Sometimes volunteering at the market is not a good fit and you would like to move on. No worries just let the volunteer coordinator or manager know for scheduling. No hard feelings.
Volunteer tips 101:
- Arrive with your friendly disposition and humour – leave your ego at home.
- show up to your shift on time ready to go.
Thank you in perpetuity to these generous community volunteers for their significant and/or continuing contributions to the farmers’ market:
- 2007 Scott Cinello – for partnering with me as co-founder to get this baby off the ground. He was instrumental in designing the market, it’s mandate and curated the original vendor line up. All of which continue to guide the market principles to this day.
- Kent Price – for tricking out the market shed & other handy stuff.
- Martha Malloy and Connor – x4 plywood sandwich boards. So solid and have been utilized in many ways!
- 2015 Veronica Park – Illustrator/designer of our 10th year postcard and 2018 buttons illustrations.
- Nadege Patisserie & The County General for letting us store our sandwich boards at their establishments between market days (pre-covid)
- David Ginsberg of the White Squirrel Cafe – who on his own initiative, rallied a handful of businesses to donate funds towards replacement our wagons/dolly that were stolen from the old shed when it was busted into.
- David Johnston – our website master (who responds to my every self-induced backend panic).
- 2010 Nativity of the Mother of God, Father Marek for their continued support.
- Claire Midgley & Ed DeSousa for the ‘Vendor Parking Only’ sign.
- 2016 Bob Pritchard – painting our Walk your Bike sign.
- 2018 (on going) Dawn Rzepka the most capable musician coordinator.
- 2020 Amanda Pickup – our 1st COVID volunteer coordinator extraordinaire. Could not have run without her skills.
- 2021 Tory Healy – full season COVID volunteer coordinator extraordinaire.
- 2021 Max Kerman for general signage acquisition.
- 2022 Elio Weiss for the artwork that adorns our little sandwich board sign.
- 2022 Jodi Lastman as our first post-COVID volunteer coordinator.
- 2023 Green P street parking in-kind services for our curbside vendor parking on Dundas W.
- 2023 (on going), Sara Khalid IT support & vol coordinator.
- 2024 Bob Whalen for all his ongoing signage maintenance and handyman skills.
- 2024 Nancy d’Souza (imaging/editing) & Jim Creegan (music/editing) for the Vendor Vignettes.
- 2025 Liz Crawford for technical graphic support.
- And to the many returning volunteers who are truly the gifts that keep on giving!
Thank you to the City of Toronto, Parks, Forestry and Recreation former Councillors Joe Pantalone, Mike Layton, Joe Cressy and current Ward 10 Councillor Ausma Malik and the Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park for their unwavering support.