Our Mission
Our goal is to enhance personal, family and community well-being through collaborative work, play and care. We provide settings for volunteers desiring the experience of working in a joyful, caring community and developing community-building skills.
We take our play as seriously as our work, which helps us keep our work as fun as our play. Together, we aim to get things done while at the same time getting along. Join us if you’re serious about a fun volunteer experience.
Join us in the work/play of health-enhancing community-centered joyful service in Gesundheit’s Rural Volunteer Program! An ongoing experiment in the therapeutic role of caring community, the Gesundheit! Institute brings students, volunteers, educators, cooks, gardeners, builders, and program attendees together from around the world.
Our Practice
We each take responsibility for our own delight, at the same time we take responsibility for the group atmosphere. How to negotiate conflicting ideas, needs and wants is challenging, when we each need a sense of control and participation. Caring for each other requires good communication. Curiosity, thoughtfulness and love are essential ingredients for community health and harmony. Volunteers have experienced life-changing moments during their time here. Our program and projects are not designed for those needing sanctuary, healthcare or therapy as a primary focus. We expect our volunteers to dive into what can be physical and emotionally demanding work of living in close community. We will stimulate dialogue, expose people to new ideas, listen intently to each other’s dreams, sing and ponder, find our fun and run, be ourselves, and encourage the same freedom in others.
