Volunteer at the Innovation Barn
Looking for hands-on volunteer opportunities in Charlotte that make a real impact? Join us at the Innovation Barn, where individuals and groups help grow Charlotte’s circular economy through engaging sustainability projects.
How You Can Help
Our volunteers support a variety of projects that teach sustainability and promote eco-friendly practices, including:
Sort & Organize Materials – Process donations and prepare items for reuse.
Assist with Recycling Initiatives – Learn how glass, plastics, and textiles are repurposed into new products.
Support Community Events – Participate in eco-friendly volunteer projects and sustainability programs.
Garden & Green Space Maintenance – Help maintain our urban food forest and other green spaces.
Sound Panel & Dog Bed Making – Upcycle old t-shirts into acoustic panels and cozy dog beds for donation and fundraising.
Volunteer Shifts for Individuals:
Wine & Weave Wednesdays
Combine creativity and relaxation! Volunteers cut and weave t-shirts on upcycled wood pallet looms to create dog beds. While you work, you can purchase a glass of wine and enjoy the relaxing, therapeutic experience of weaving. This sustainability volunteer opportunity supports pets and our nonprofit, Envision Charlotte.
Click HERE to sign up.
Planting Positivity Saturdays
Spend your Saturday morning in our urban food forest, helping with light landscaping tasks like hand weeding, planting, seeding, litter pick-up, and general garden care. This certified wildlife habitat supports pollinators, wildlife, and the local community.
Click HERE to sign up.
Tee & Coffee Saturdays
Settle in and make an impact through a hands-on sustainability volunteer experience in Charlotte. Spend time weaving upcycled t-shirts into cozy dog beds using reclaimed wood pallet looms—diverting textiles from the landfill while supporting local nonprofits. Finished dog beds are donated and sold to benefit community organizations, while coffee purchases from Change Please Coffee support their mission to help people experiencing homelessness. Sip, weave, and take part in building a more circular, zero-waste community—making a difference for pets, people, and the planet.
Click HERE to sign up.
Custom Group Volunteer Experiences:
Looking for group volunteer opportunities in Charlotte? We offer custom, service-learning projects tailored to your team that makes a real impact on local sustainability.
Email erica@envisioncharlotte.org to plan your custom volunteer experience.
Special Event Volunteering
We have special volunteering opportunities for some of our events both onsite and offsite. You can check back here to view them as they become available or sign up for our newsletter. We’ll email a request for help when they come up.
Volunteer Events Scheduled 2026
Clean the Queen - Click HERE for information!
Second Chance Sample Giveaway - Click HERE for information!
Binfluencers - Information coming soon!
Partner Volunteering at the Barn
The Bulb
The Bulb is a nonprofit mobile farmers market bringing fresh, nutritious produce to underserved communities across the Charlotte area. Using a “take what you need, give what you can” model, The Bulb removes barriers to healthy food access while supporting local farmers, reducing food waste, and building a stronger, more connected food system rooted in dignity.
Click HERE to sign up.
Repair Cafe Charlotte
Repair Café Charlotte is seeking volunteers with any type of repair skills to help community members fix broken items at hands-on repair events. Volunteers assist with repairing furniture, small appliances, electronics, jewelry, lamps, clocks, toys, and more, or help organize and manage workshops. By sharing your repair knowledge, you help keep items out of landfills while building community and empowering others through repair.
Click HERE to sign up.
Trips for Kids
Trips for Kids Charlotte empowers youth and strengthens community through cycling-based programs that build skills, confidence, and connection. At the center of this work is The Re-Cyclery, a community bike shop that provides hands-on learning, supports youth programming, and promotes sustainable transportation by giving new life to bicycles. Together, these efforts reduce waste, support a circular economy, and inspire a healthier, more connected, car-free future.
Click HERE to sign up.
Join the Movement
Become part of Charlotte’s sustainability movement! By volunteering at the Innovation Barn, you’ll help reduce waste and engage in hands-on projects that benefit both the environment and the local community. Sign up to volunteer today!