6 Legitimate Reasons That Volunteering At A Teaching And Learning Garden Will Absolutely Benefit You - And Others, Too

By volunteering at a Teaching and Learning community Garden, you will be promoting Eco-literacy, learning how to grow clean food, providing the local community with fresh produce, enhancing your college experience, and so much more. What's not to love?

1. Volunteer work looks good on your resume.

FOX / Via whatshouldgeorgiacallme.tumblr.com

As a college student, you probably don’t have a lot of extra time on your hands. Juggling a job, classes, homework, and family life is difficult. So, of course, you want to use what little time you do have wisely. Volunteering at a Teaching and Learning Garden is time well spent. Volunteer work is awesome for a resume, no matter what kind of job you are applying for. As a volunteer at a Teaching and Learning Garden, you are not only helping others - but also helping yourself!

2. Get involved and make new friends.

NBC / Via houndstoothpress.com

Getting adjusted as a freshman or transfer student at a new university in a new city can be overwhelming, and it can also be quite lonely when you haven’t made any friends just yet. Because you’ll be working around other students in the garden, you can get to know some of your fellow peers and make friends in a stress-free environment. In addition, volunteering at a garden will also get you a bit outside of campus and show you even more of what your city has to offer.

3. Learn how to grow your own free food.

Adult Swim / Via giphy.com

Since you’re probably a broke college student, your diet might consist of ramen and cereal. But, by volunteering at a Teaching and Learning Garden, you will learn all the skills you need to grow your own FREE food. Not only is it cost efficient, but homegrown food is much healthier, too!

4. Put your green fee to use.

NBC / Via giphy.com

At many universities, you have to pay a 'green fee', so why not utilize it to the maximum capacity? A green fee is part of your tuition that normally goes to fund Eco-friendly programs, like recycling. If you volunteer at a community garden, you will get first hand knowledge of what some of your green fee is being used for, and you will actually get something in exchange.

5. Can be used as college credit.

Comedy Central / Via giphy.com

Not only does volunteering at a Teaching and Learning Garden provide food to area residents in need, but a Teaching and Learning Garden can be used as class credit at some universities. It’s a fun way to gain more credits and get closer to graduating without having to sit inside of a stuffy classroom two to three times per week, either.

6. Help people in the community.

The CW, The WB / Via yaelstiel.tumblr.com

Even though you may be a broke college kid, there are plenty of people in your community that are a lot less fortunate than you. The donation of your time and labor - even if it’s not a lot - could really help a Teaching and Learning Garden achieve their objective to help your local community kitchen as much as possible by providing them with healthy, organic food. So, GO VOLUNTEER!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teaching and learning community gardens are becoming more and more popular at colleges and in communities across the country, like The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. UTC's Teaching and Learning Garden has pioneered a community garden that positively benefits by offering them class credit in exchange for their time and labor. It also gives back to the Chattanooga Community Kitchen by growing healthy food to feed those who need it most.