Get Involved Volunteer Program
Volunteering is an expression of dana (generosity), which is one of the best ways to pacify and center our minds and also a great way to reduce our egos, the source of all our worries and concerns. The Won Dharma Center provides a wonderful opportunity for people who would like to serve others and deepen their practice.
By serving others while living a simple lifestyle in a unique, serene environment, with like-minded people, one can not only center and purify one’s mind, but also enlighten this society, which is the vision of the Won Dharma Center.
The Won Dharma Center is located in the midst of a beautiful natural setting and has many on-going activities ranging from regular dharma service, morning sitting meditation and evening chanting sitting/moving meditation, to personal guidance from the resident ministers. Volunteers are welcome to join in any of these activities.
What you can do
Volunteer work can range from day-to-day operational support
- for the various services or retreats (e.g., kitchen or housekeeping work)
- to administrative support (e.g., simple office tasks, data entry)
- to facility support such as gardening
For six hours of simple volunteer work in the kitchen or in housekeeping, one can stay in a single occupancy room with a twin bed for free (including three wholesome, nutritious meals). For three hours’ work, you would pay only thirty dollars for a night’s stay.
The Won Dharma Center is an eco-friendly, modern facility with comfortable accommodations in a beautiful, natural environment.
Volunteering will play a vital role. The Won Dharma Center, with a small staff, could not function smoothly without the generous support of volunteers. All kinds of volunteer work are greatly appreciated.
How to Apply
Join the Won Dharma Center Sangha of volunteers and share your time, energy and expertise for the nourishment of yourself and others.
Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering. You will be contacted shortly thereafter.
- Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Phone: 518-851-2581
Please complete and return the volunteer application (available also as a PDF) to :
Volunteer Application (PDF)
Volunteer Application (Word)
the Coordinator of Volunteers
P.O. Box 400
Claverack, NY, 12513
or by fax at (518) 851-2582
Volunteer Commitments
Volunteers are needed for weekly and monthly commitments, as well as periodic or one-time projects.
- Short-term Volunteering:
Volunteering for a particular event or a weekend. If you would like to stay at our facility, you will need to stay for at least five days. - Retreat Volunteering:
Volunteering for the length of a retreat. Support for the retreat programs includes such things as kitchen and housekeeping work or meditation hall upkeep, etc., while learning and practicing dharma during the retreat. - Dedicated Volunteering/Staff Program:
A Dedicated Volunteer is a person who provides a minimum of 4 hours on a regular basis per week for at least 6 months in support of the Won Dharma Center. They will work with staff in the areas of housekeeping, kitchen work, gardening, clerical work, or more skilled work such as web design or video production.
At the end of their 6 months of service, the hours accrued can be used for staying free of charge at our facility or for attendance at a one day retreat or a class of their choice (see Work Exchange Program).
If you have worked and practiced at the Won Dharma Center for more than six months, you can become a staff member. Staff life offers a rich dharma learning and practicing experience. Working with people who have the same life values in a serene, beautiful environment with many on-going activities, is a great way to renew and refresh your life and is the practice of Right Livelihood.
Becoming a staff member requires a strong commitment:
a staff member’s job is often fast-paced and challenging. The Won Dharma Center offers modest compensation and various benefits for full-time staff including health insurance, paid time off and retirement contributions.