Green Acre United’s primary goal is to create a pool of 20 – 50 consistent volunteers who can be relied upon to serve with regularity.
“…its (Green Acre’s) greatest treasure is the hearts of those who have humbly served, making others happy through their warmth and glow…” – Louis Gregory
When I attended or volunteered at Green Acre many years ago, there were always at least 10-15 youth serving, typically year-round. To release the society building powers of the Faith, Baha’is now strive to serve in their clusters and communities. It is wonderful youth are often at the forefront of this service, and what that has meant for Green Acre, is we no longer receive long term service/volunteerism from that population.
With 11 full-time staff serving approximately 2,700 friends (25% from the wider community), 30 separate gatherings over 130 days of activity, volunteerism is an absolute necessity for our functioning. Green Acre has had success migrating from long term service to a service by program model. From our personal network and appeals from Regional Bahá’í Council of the Northeastern States, the friends have sacrificially arisen and filled the 200 needed volunteer slots to successfully serve our programs.
Several friends volunteer multiple times throughout the year and with Green Acre United, we look to expand that pool and fill the calendar as far out as possible. Filling service spots per program all year round is a herculean effort. The Green Acre United program is our effort to be on a sure and stable footing all year.
Please peruse the new section of our website and consider offering multiple periods of service, sharing it widely with others, be an ambassador for the program in your community, cluster, study circle…etc. Thank you for being such a support to Green Acre as we strive to serve, inspire and offer a rejuvenating haven to all those who step foot on campus and leave to build a better world.
Sincerely,
Frank G. Robinson Jr. Operations Manager (on behalf of the Green Acre United team)
The urgency of the present hour must not obscure the special joy that comes from service. The call to service is an uplifting, all-embracing summons. It attracts every faithful soul, even those weighed down by cares and obligations. For in all the ways in which that faithful soul is occupied can be discovered deep-rooted devotion and a lifelong concern for the well-being of others. – The Universal House of Justice Riḍván 2024