The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research Nita Weil, TIRR's Director of Volunteers, sits outside near the habitat. Volunteers are always needed at the greenhouse, but are also welcomed to perform a variety of other tasks.
Shifts are available before, during and after regular business hours.
Volunteering not only boosts patient morale, but also garners a feeling of camaraderie among all those who participate. In 1959, right after TIRR opened its doors in the Texas Medical Center, the volunteers decided to build a therapeutic greenhouse for their patients. The peaceful setting was a place where patients could go and dig in the dirt, and pot plants for themselves or family members and friends. The greenhouse provided a refuge from the clinical setting and a place to learn the benefits of growing things. Plant sales were held to generate a small profit.