Volunteer

Volunteers wade in to clear a salt marsh in the Rockaways.

NPS Photo

The Volunteer-in-Parks (VIP) Program

Gateway needs your talents and interests. Volunteer at one of the park's three units---Jamaica Bay, Sandy Hook or Staten Island---to have fun, learn new skills and meet people.

Volunteers serve many important roles throughout Gateway. They staff information desks, give public tours, monitor and conserve the park's diverse natural and cultural resources, help design exhibits and brochures and rehabilitate historic aircraft, among other duties. Their support helps protect, preserve and enhance Gateway's natural, cultural and recreational resources.

Volunteer Opportunities

See what volunteer opportunities are available now at Gateway.
How would you like to camp for free at Gateway's Sandy Hook or Floyd Bennett Field campsites? Gateway seeks volunteer Campground Hosts for all or part of the summer.

Great! How Do I Sign Up?

Email us or call 718-354-4657 for information on current volunteer opportunities throughout Gateway. You can get a head start on the volunteer application here.

 

Volunteers who work 250 hours can receive a pass entitling them to free entry to Federal lands for a year. That includes national parks and forests.

NPS PHOTO

Volunteering Has Its Benefits

What do volunteers get in return? First, they share the National Park Service's sense of pride in preserving America's treasures.

Second, volunteers who earn 250 or more hours can receive a pass entitling them to free entry to all Federal lands for 12 months. It is honored nationwide at all National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclaimation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service areas where standard amenity fees are charged.