Amigos de las Americas
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 503.227.2047
Time of year: Summer
Mailing Address: Call for address, Portland, OR 97202-
E-mail: volunteer@portlandamigos.org
Web site: www.portlandamigos.org
This exciting program sends you and one other student to a Central or South American Country for 4,6, or 8 weeks. You will live with a host family and work on a community project in a rural communities. Eight different countries available. It takes a huge commitment, but is also a tremendous, life changing experience.
Informational nights are usually in October, applications due early November. Weekly training meetings are required, Dec. - May.
Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 503.231.4866
Time of year: All Year
Mailing Address: 231 SE 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97214
Web site: www.catholiccharitiesoregon.org/
This agency serves refugees from various countries. Most need tutoring assistance in English. This can be a great placement where you can build relationships with amazing people. The majority of tutoring is one-on-one with adults, but this can vary. Occasional drives to collect material goods such as bedding, house wares, etc. and help in setting up apartments for new arrivals.
Centro Cultural
Contact: Sabino Sardineta
Phone: 503.359.0446 Ext: 23 (voicemail)
Time of year: Summer
Mailing Address: PO Box 708 , Cornelius, OR 97113
E-mail: sabino@centrocultural.org
Web site: www.centrocultural.org
The community center for Latinos in Washington County. It facilitates mutual empowerment, cultural exchange, friendship, and community across cultural boundaries. Located in Cornelius, it provides programs that address hunger, educational needs, conditions of life (especially among camp workers), and cultural activities. Students may be involved in any of these programs. There are also opportunities to tutor people with their ESL course work; knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not required.
Los Embajadores Mexico Trip with SMA & Jesuit High School
Contact: Carrie Swetonic
Phone: 503.228.8306
Time of year: Summer
Mailing Address: 1615 SW 5th Ave. Portland, OR 97201
E-mail: carrie@stmaryspdx.org
Web site: www.losembajadores.org
We will take our annual summer service trip to Mexico with the Los Embajadores program. Participants will be immersed into the Mexican culture, build community and experience a simple lifestyle while interacting with the local people and working on a construction project. We will either be working with the Franciscan Priests and Brothers in Vicente Guerrero, a school community in Tijuana, or in the heart of Tijuana. Fundraising is a required component. Spanish is not required but is helpful. Applications will be available after the Christmas break.
Please note: Many churches, youth groups or other youth organizations also sponsor projects and trips, such as Mexico trips, Immersions to Native American reservations or working with migrant laborers.
Migrant Head Start in Hillsboro
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 503.844.1370
Time of year: Summer
Mailing Address: 22550 NW Birch St., Hillsboro, OR 97124-
Helping children from migrant families to learn some English and to learn some structure in a classroom and on a playground. Volunteers will be very hands on with the kids, running activities and supervising playtime. Summertime: starting later June - mid-Aug.
Migrant Head Start in Portland
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
Phone: 503.359.0144 Ext: 16
Time of year: Summer
Mailing Address: 0245 SW Bancroft St. Suite E, Portland, OR 97201
PODER Family Literacy
Contact: Carol Mazer
Phone: 503.251.2083
Time of year: School Yr
Mailing Address: PO Box 490, Cornelius, OR 97113-
E-mail: carol.mazer@ocdc.net
A family literacy program for resident Latino families in the Washington County area. While parents are learning English with volunteer ESL tutors, you, the volunteer, would work with their 1st to 6th grade children on homework and various activities (you can help plan and run activities) Great place to learn the relationship between Mexican and US citizens.
