Purpose of This Handbook
It is impossible to anticipate everything that can happen at the sanctuary. The purpose of this handbook is to give you a guideline so that you can act in the best interest of the sanctuary's ideals and values.
Mission Statement
Teaching the people living in Hawai‘i to become food independent, and the non-exploitative care of animals.
Vision Statement and Organizational Culture
FPG is in a state of continual process improvement. FPG got its start with one person performing all of the tasks. The sanctuary improves through the concerted efforts of the volunteers. As the organization evolves, past projects are revisited and improved upon given the additional resources available.
FPG is a non-profit/for-purpose organization. It is run by a dedicated board. No one person owns the organization.
Guiding Values and History
FPG is a vegan plant and animal sanctuary on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. We purchased an unimproved 20-acre lot on January 4, 2017 with the intention of being a permaculture institute. For the first year we surveyed the land, tracking the wind patterns, the movement of the sun, and how the rain affected the land.While we began an earthworks project to manage the seasonal streams, Pu‘u ‘O‘o exploded. The next day, the lava that was in the Halema‘uma‘u crater burst through fissures 20 miles (30 km) southeast of us. Being a non-profit our duty was to the community; what the community needed was housing the animals that were being rescued from rivers of lava. We had space for the larger pasture animals. So Rob quickly cobbled together fences and pastures to take in these animals. As the rescue efforts wound down, the Big Island Dairy was forced to close because they were dumping cow manure in the river that ran through the town of ʻŌʻōkala to the ocean below. The rescue organizations returned, placing more than 400 cows and calves in sanctuaries, farms, and homesteads around the island. FPG fostered many of the cows who were either too sick for the new owners to tend to, or were waiting for their new forever homes to be secured.
Now that these rescue efforts have subsided, FPG is returning to its mission. We are continuing to improve the living conditions of the animals, and expanding the food gardens and food forests.
General Volunteer Information
Onsite team members get a whole new insight into sanctuary life. Living with your teammates for one to three months can create memories and friendships that last a lifetime.
Here's the worst sales pitch you've ever read: Not everyone is cut out for the homestead sanctuary life. Day-to-day living is rugged... even on the Big Island of Hawai'i! The work is not easy. Sometimes it's not even enjoyable. However, these experiences are worthwhile in shaping the person you want to become. Dozens of team member alumni agree that they had so much fun at the sanctuary it seemed their stay was too short.
Financials and Funding Status
FPG currently operates entirely on volunteers. There are no paid positions. Funding is sourced through the benevolence of individual donors and grants.
Standards of Conduct
There is no alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or consumption of animal products at the sanctuary. This policy is strictly enforced. What you do outside of the sanctuary is your business, but please do not arrive inebriated, intoxicated, or otherwise disruptive.
Visitors have told us that our sanctuary has a special feel to it. There is a calm on the land and with the animals that they find remarkable. Please contribute to this calm environment through kind actions and words.
We want our sanctuary to be an opportunity for you to learn and explore ways of treating the land, and the plants, animals and people that call it home. If you would like to experiment with growing food or caring for animals, please clear your plans with the onsite manager. Thank you for being considerate.
We expect all on-site volunteers to be respectful of each other in the living quarters. Please keep noise to a minimum. If you listen to music or watch videos, please use headphones. Plan to return to the sanctuary by 10pm, so as not to disturb the sleeping animals and other volunteers. Keep your personal space clean and tidy, and work with the other volunteers to maintain the common area as well.
Ending Volunteer Service
For those volunteers who are staying on-property, on your last day it is your responsibility to:
- Wash and dry your bed sheets and towels
- Make your bed for the next volunteer
- Wash your dishes
- Clean and tidy your room
- Return all sanctuary equipment in clean and working order, and
- Notify the operations manager when you vacate the premises.
For those volunteers who are kamaaina, on your last day it is your responsibility to:
- Return all sanctuary equipment in clean and working order, and
- Notify the operations manager when you vacate the premises.
Board of Directors
Robert Cole, Executive Director
Nikki Stephens
Lamakū Noa
Volunteer Schedules
Volunteers are expected to arrive on time and contribute to the sanctuary projects to the best of their abilities. Volunteers who are staying on-property are expected to work about five hours per day, five days per week. Regardless of the intern focus at the sanctuary, all on-property volunteers will be placed on the animal feeding schedule. There will be time on these feeding days to also attend to your intern-specific duties.
Break Policy
Volunteers are encouraged to take breaks as needed. Please schedule them appropriately so you are available for any scheduled tasks (like animal feeding).
Travel Guidelines
Please visit our Travel page for information on getting to/from the Big Island and travel within the Big Island.
Attendance Policy
When a volunteer commits to working at FPG, we expect that they will honor their commitment and arrive on-time and ready to work. On-property volunteers are expected to stay for a minimum of 30 days. Canceling a commitment puts additional strain on the rest of the team members who are relying on each other to make the sanctuary work.
Dress Code
The sanctuary stays around 70 to 85° Fahrenheit (20 to 30° Celsius), with nighttime temperatures that can dip into 60s (15) in the summer and 40s (5-10) in the winter. Comfortable clothing for these temperatures would be appropriate. Being in a tropical rainforest, we often get a lot of rain. We recommend going to a farm supply store and getting a sturdy rain jacket (not a windbreaker) and rubber boots. Rugged footwear, like Crocs, Teva, and Keens will help keep your feet protected from the gravel paths while allowing your feet to breathe on pleasant days.
Personnel Files
We endeavor to keep your information private and on a need-to-know arrangement. FPG shares volunteer contact information, emergency contact information, and areas of interest with only the operations manager, executive director, board members, and with entities legally compelling compliance.
Computer and Use of Technology Policy
Volunteers are welcome to use the FPG WiFi to connect to the Internet for typical, responsible use. FPG will address excessive or unethical use of the Internet with that specific volunteer.
Social Media Policy
FPG encourages volunteers to post, share, comment, like, and follow positive FPG content.
Media and Communications Policy
Please direct all media and communication requests to the FPG executive director.
Privacy Policy
Please visit our Privacy Policy page for details.
Problem Solving Procedure
The health and safety of the people at the sanctuary are the utmost priority. The health and safety of the animals must be assessed every day. The plants can often sustain themselves for days without human intervention; while the plant health and safety is vital, it is not necessary to monitor them daily at this point.
Disciplinary Practices and Dispute Resolution
Maintaining the peace at the sanctuary is another high priority. If conflicts arise among team members, a respectful strategy, such as nonviolent communication (NVC), can help deescalate fervent energy. Through an active listening process, an NVC script incorporates observations, feelings, needs, and requests. If a team member continues to be disruptive despite attempts to correct their behavior, they will be dismissed.
Confidentiality Agreement
FPG endeavors to maintain the confidentiality of all people involved with the organization in terms of health, personal, and financial information. Photos, video, audio, and text description of activities performed at FPG's property or with FPG outside the property may be shared through social media and other media channels.
Volunteer Safety and Security
Each volunteer agrees to take primary responsibility for their own safety and security, and to support the safety and security of other persons living in or visiting FPG. FPG will work with volunteers to promote a safe and secure environment, although absolute safety cannot be guaranteed. Each volunteer agrees to read and abide by FPG safety/security policies and publications that are made available from time to time.
Policy Against Discrimination
FPG does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or political affiliation.
Policy Against Harassment
FPG and the volunteers recognize the right of employees to work in an environment free from all forms of harassment. Such grounds include but are not limited to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or political affiliation.
Policy Against Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful sex discrimination and is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment,
- submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions, or
- such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonable interfering with an individual's work or performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Solicitation
FPG warrants that no person or selling agency has been employed or retained to solicit and secure any contract upon an agreement or understanding for commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingency.
Smoking, Alcohol and Substance Abuse
There is no alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or consumption of animal products at the sanctuary. This policy is strictly enforced. What you do outside of the sanctuary is your business, but please do not arrive at the sanctuary in an inebriated, intoxicated, or otherwise disruptive state.
Volunteer's Code of Conduct
FPG volunteers agree to comply with all of FPG's policies, procedures, and codes of conduct as it may promulgate from time to time, including those related to confidential information and intellectual property. Nothing in those policies will be deemed to modify, reduce or waive a volunteer's obligations outlined in this handbook.
Volunteer Activity Description
While volunteering with us you can learn how we take care of the plants and animals. We hope you will share the knowledge you gain with us in an enriching exchange for all. Here are some of the activities that our plant and animal volunteer team members typically perform.
