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General Information

We have many daily, weekly, and monthly tasks that make a complete difference in the lives of the flock at The Gabriel Foundation. We welcome the interested public, rescue, sanctuary, welfare organizations, veterinarians, and members to participate in hands-on care of the aviary and the birds.

We have great need for daily volunteers to assist at our Aviary & Adoption Center in Elizabeth, Colorado. We have a long list of volunteer work and projects that match your experience, available time, goals and interest.

Our volunteer shifts start at 9:30am. Shifts typically last until 12-12:30pm for half days or 3-3:30pm for full days! Volunteers must be at least 12 years old, and volunteers 12-16 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. 

TGF willingly provides its materials to interested volunteers. The Foundation has developed a volunteer training manual for training, teaching, educational, and safety purposes.
 
For any questions regarding our volunteer program please reach out to volunteers@thegabrielfoundation.org.

Volunteer Tasks

    • Making + distributing toys for the birds’ cages and environments.
    • Facility cleaning
    • Organization or construction duties
    • Grounds cleanup
    • Putting away donated items
    • Flight Maintenance
    • Events + Tours!
    • Performing runs to retrieve donated food, newspapers, or large items.
    • Data entry & clerical work
    • Changing papers + scrubbing
    • Food preparation
    • Distributing toys for the bird’s cages and environment

Things To Consider

Working in an environment with animals can expose you to several health risks you may not have encountered before. Please consider the following if you are interested in volunteering with us:

 

  1. Our birds produce a lot of dander and dust. Many of our basic volunteer duties require you to work in and around cages, where you may be exposed to these possible allergens.
  2. Our birds consume tree nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, etc.) on a daily basis. All sections contain tree nuts, and you will be exposed to shelled and unshelled nuts.
  3. While we rarely use peanuts with our birds, we do occasionally have them on the property.
  4. We use Rescue Veterinary Disinfectant and cleaning vinegar for cleaning. If you have any sensitivities to cleaning agents, please contact your volunteer coordinator.
  5. The birds are very loud, especially during colder winter months when they are inside during the day. We can provide you with basic foam earplugs. You may consider bringing stronger ear protection if you have sensitive hearing.

Ready to Apply?

Once you have applied, you will be directed to complete a waiver and photo release form. After you have filled that out, you will receive an automated email to schedule for orientation. Please send a follow-up email if you do not receive a response within 3-5 days. We look forward to reviewing your application!
Apply Now!

What to Expect on Your First Shift

After completing your volunteer application, you will receive an automated email to schedule a day for volunteer orientation. One of our volunteer coordinators will confirm your orientation date and get you on the calendar! You do not need to bring anything with you, but we recommend wearing casual clothing and maybe having something to drink. Close-toed shoes are required to be on TGF property!
 
On the day of your shift, please arrive at 9:30 am and head to the main aviary building. The house at the top of the hill is NOT the main aviary; please continue down to the main parking lot and head into building “A.”
 
We will sit down to review our Volunteer Handbook. We will discuss everything from basic duties to TGF safety policies. Orientation takes about an hour to complete.
 
Once we complete orientation, we will take a brief tour of the property so you can meet some of our flock and see some of the sections you will be working in. Afterwards, we will introduce you to the staff member who will get you set up in your section. They will demo our basic husbandry tasks and get you ready to do some cleaning!
 
If you have additional questions, please email volunteers@thegabrielfoundation.org

Already completed your orientation?