Please volunteer with BALIF to help create and maintain the National AIDS Memorial Grove. The National AIDS Memorial Grove, located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, is a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember. Its mission is to provide, in perpetuity, a place of remembrance so that the lives of people who died from AIDS are not forgotten and the story is known by future generations.
BALIF volunteers will participate in gardening activities: clearing weeds and debris, mulching and hauling topsoil, planting new trees and shrubs, and other related activities within the Grove.
WHERE TO GO ON THE DAY Our volunteer sign-in table opens at 8:30am and is located at the (outer) East end of the Grove on Bowling Green Drive in Golden Gate Park.
WHAT TO EXPECT After signing in, a breakfast of coffee, juices, bagels, and fruit is provided to all volunteers. At 9:00am, a brief introduction with historical background is given by a National AIDS Memorial board or staff member, followed by an explanation of the day's various projects. Volunteers then break into teams and work under the supervision of our gardener and team leaders. At 11:45am, work ends, and volunteers gather at noon for “Circle Time” for announcements, acknowledgement of sponsors and groups, and a moment of silence in honor of lives lost to AIDS.
Breakfast items, lunch, snacks, and beverages are provided to all volunteers. Gloves and tools are also provided. We suggest that you wear sturdy shoes, bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and a hat or cap. Please note that open toe shoes are not permitted. Please wear sturdy clothing (jeans and long-sleeved shirts are suggested) as we have discovered a few areas where poison oak is growing. And, if clearing blackberry or other prickly plants, you'll be better protected from being scratched. All participants must sign a Community Workday Release form to participate. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the form signed by a parent/guardian prior to working at the Grove. Below is a copy of our Release Form that you can print if you wish to complete and sign it ahead of time and bring with you. Otherwise, we have forms available at the registration table on the morning of the workday.
Click Here for Fact Sheet & Release Form
