We Can Help: Shelby Farms Park Conservancy

We Can Help is a feature here at Bird on a Wire where we spotlight a community organization and tell you how you can help. To have your organization featured, email sgreenberg@mlgw.org.

Shelby Farms Park Conservancy (SFPC) is the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that manages and operates Shelby Farms Park + Shelby Farms Greenline. SFPC is responsible for privately fundraising more than $2 million (more than 75% of the operating budget) to keep the Park + Greenline clean, green and safe. It’s a big job!

Rebecca Dailey got involved with SFPC as an intern in 2011. She worked in the Education + Outreach department, where she helped design the Park’s first summer camp – the Woodland Discovery Summer Challenge. She spent the summer coordinating the camp, which focused on connecting Memphis youth to their Park, to their food system, to their city and to each other through innovative programming.

After camp was over, she was hired to work in the communications department. Now she spends her days finding new and creative ways to tell the Park’s story.

She says a fun way to support Shelby Farms Park Conservancy is to become a Park Member. Your annual membership fee is used to operate the Park + Greenline (a win for them) and we give you Park Perks (a win for you), including discounts at dozens of local businesses, free entry for select events hosted by the Park, a few members-only events, VIP parking at events and more! You can join as an individual or as a family.

Did you know that SFPC logs over 20,000 hours of volunteer service each year? At 4,500 acres, Shelby Farms Park is the largest urban park of its kind in America, and it takes a lot of hands to keep it clean, green + safe. Whether you’re interested in planting trees (They plan to plant one million. Yes, they’re serious.),  pulling privet (they have a lot to get rid of) , directing traffic at special events or answering phones, they have a place for you! They can use volunteers for one-time projects as well as long-term, regular placement. They only ask that volunteers be at least 16 years old and that they sign up to volunteer in advance. You can fill out a volunteer application form on the website (www.shelbyfarmspark.org/volunteer) or contact Irene Montanez (imontanez@shelbyfarmspark.org) for more information.