Community Volunteer — Catherine Rose Foundation

The Catherine Rose Foundation (CRF) is a newly forming nonprofit organization located on a 20-acre working farm and vineyard campus in Douglas, Nacogdoches County, Texas. Our mission is to strengthen communities by providing educational, agricultural, and wellness programs for Veterans, At-Risk Youth, and Families — funded through sustainable viticulture. Please note: CRF's 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt application is currently pending with the IRS. We are operating in full compliance during our formation period and are committed to earning our status with excellence and transparency.

Where We Are Right Now:

CRF is currently in our pre-build stage — laying the organizational, programmatic, and physical groundwork for our 20-acre East Texas campus. While our campus is under development, we have launched The Garden Treatment, a virtual bridge program that allows us to begin serving our veteran community now and connect directly into full on-site operations once our campus is constructed. This means volunteers can begin contributing today — and grow with us at every stage of our journey.

Our Featured Virtual Program — The Garden Treatment:

The Garden Treatment is CRF's flagship virtual wellness program for post-service veterans and first responders. Participants receive a curated plant care kit — including therapeutic plants such as rosemary, lavender, succulents, and basil — and engage in structured 12-week virtual group sessions facilitated by trained peer veteran facilitators. The program uses horticultural practice as a vehicle for reflection, community, and personal growth. It is a wellness support program, not professional therapy, and operates with full crisis resource protocols and participant safeguards in place.

Volunteers supporting The Garden Treatment play a vital role in making this program possible — from logistics and outreach to session support and participant engagement — all remotely, from anywhere.

Our Four Program Areas (Virtual & Future On-Campus):

• 🌿 The Garden Treatment (Virtual — Active Now) — 12-week virtual horticultural wellness program for veterans and first responders
• 🌾 Grounds for Healing (On-Campus — Coming Soon) — Horticultural therapy and vocational training on our 20-acre campus; Garden Treatment alumni will receive priority enrollment
• 🔬 Agri-Science Academy (On-Campus — Coming Soon) — STEM and agriculture education for at-risk youth and college students
• 🍳 The Family Harvest Table (On-Campus — Coming Soon) — Nutrition education, cooking classes, and community garden programming for families
• 🥦 The Rose Pantry (On-Campus — Coming Soon) — A client-choice food pantry serving food-insecure individuals and seniors with 60% fresh farm produce

Volunteer opportunities exist across all three stages of our growth:

• 💻 Virtual Stage (Now) — Remote program support for The Garden Treatment including participant outreach, digital journaling support, communications, and administrative assistance
• 🏗️ Pre-Build Stage (Active) — Planning, research, partnership development, event coordination, and organizational operations
• 🌾 On-Campus Stage (Coming Soon) — Hands-on farm, pantry, classroom, and program support on our 20-acre campus in Nacogdoches County, TX

General Responsibilities (vary by program area and stage):

• Support virtual or in-person program sessions and participants
• Assist with plant kit logistics, outreach, and community engagement for The Garden Treatment
• Help facilitate a safe, welcoming, and dignified environment for all participants
• Contribute to organizational operations during our pre-launch and build phases
• Participate in orientation and required training before beginning service

General Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• No prior experience is required; however, we welcome and encourage applicants with backgrounds in any of the following fields:
  • 🌿 Horticulture, agriculture, farming, or landscaping — for Garden Treatment and Grounds for Healing support
  • 🧑‍🏫 Education, tutoring, coaching, or youth development — for Agri-Science Academy support
  • 🍳 Culinary arts, nutrition, dietetics, or public health — for Family Harvest Table support
  • 📦 Logistics, food banking, social services, or community outreach — for Rose Pantry support
  • 💻 Social media, communications, marketing, or nonprofit administration — for virtual and operational support across all programs
  • 🩺 Mental health, peer support, social work, or veteran services — for The Garden Treatment facilitation support
• Veterans, first responders, and military family members are especially encouraged to apply
• Must pass a background check prior to volunteering
• Reliable and consistent availability (virtual and in-person options available)
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills are a welcome bonus

To apply, complete our volunteer interest form at the link below. Inside the form, you will be able to select the program area that best matches your skills and interests. A member of our team will follow up within 2-3 business days to discuss next steps.

🔗 Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/260421516939055