Looking for a Place to Volunteer in San Francisco? We Asked AI What It Tells People
More people now ask an AI tool where to volunteer instead of searching Google and clicking through links. So we asked to see what they’d hear about us.
We typed the question a new volunteer might type: “Where can I volunteer near me?”
Gemini gave us five San Francisco organizations. Perplexity provided a citywide list centered on the SF-Marin Food Bank, GLIDE, and city park programs. Greening Projects wasn’t in either answer.
When we added our zip code, 94110, Perplexity recommended our Tompkins Stairway Garden and us. So the information is out there. It just doesn’t come up unless someone asks a very specific question, and most people don’t.
That’s on us to fix. We looked at our Google profile and found it explained our mission well but never said what a volunteer actually does. This post is part of the fix. If you’re looking for a hands-on way to help in your neighborhood, here’s what you need to know.
What do volunteers do at Greening Projects?
We turn vacant lots, stairways, and bare sidewalks in San Francisco’s Mission and Bernal Heights neighborhoods into gardens and green space. Volunteers help with:
- planting and garden maintenance
- caring for neighborhood stairway gardens
- restoring native habitat
These projects add green space where it’s needed, and they help with food access, flooding, and air quality. Volunteering is a good way to meet neighbors, too.
Do I need experience?
No. At Tompkins Stairway Garden, tools and guidance are provided, and no gardening experience is required.
When and where can I volunteer?
Tompkins Stairway Garden has a workday on the first Saturday of each month, starting at 10 a.m. It’s in southeast Bernal Heights, on the stairway between Nevada and Putnam Streets.
For other projects in the Mission and Bernal Heights, fill out our volunteer interest form. Please tell us your zip code, when you’re available, and which activities you’d like to do, and we’ll match you with a project. [https://greeningprojects.org/volunteer-to-support-local-green-spaces/]
Can I volunteer just once?
Yes. We welcome both one-time and recurring volunteers. Come once to see if you like it, or join us regularly.
What we’re working on
AI tools are becoming a front door for volunteers, and small nonprofits can easily get lost. We’re updating our Google profile, project pages, and listings to ensure the details are accurate and easy to find, and we’re keeping our workday times consistent everywhere.
If you’d like to know how we found this out and what other nonprofits can check on their own, we wrote it up in our newsletter, “Your Nonprofit Needs to Be the Answer, Not Just a Search Result.” It covers the tests we ran, the differences between Gemini and Perplexity, and the changes we’re making. We’ll share an update once we see whether the answers shift.
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About Mike Doherty
Mike Doherty serves as Chief Experience Officer at Greening Projects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming underutilized urban spaces into vibrant green areas that benefit communities and the environment. With a passion for urban revitalization and community-centered approaches, Mike oversees the end-to-end experience of residents, volunteers, municipal partners, and donors involved in the organization’s green space conversion projects. His role encompasses strategic vision, community engagement, and ensuring that every interaction reflects Greening Projects’ commitment to creating accessible, sustainable urban oases. Under his leadership, the experienced team focuses on making green space development collaborative, impactful, and meaningful for all stakeholders while fostering stronger, healthier neighborhoods through environmental transformation.
