Volunteer in Washington DC

The experience of working as a volunteer within one of our selected organizations in Washington DC will allow you to share your skills and practice your Spanish while at the same time benefiting the hispanic community in Washington DC and learning about their reality. This carefully selected lists includes many of the most relevant organizations in the DC area that provide volunteers with extensive opportunity to interact on a daily basis with native Spanish speakers:

La clinica del pueblo

La Clínica del Pueblo is one of the few bilingual, culturally competent medical clinics providing free care to Latinos in the greater Washington metropolitan area. Clínica provides comprehensive health care, including preventative medical services, health education and patient advocacy to over 5,500 individuals annually.

www.lcdp.org

Teatro de la Luna

Teatro de la Luna's mission is to promote Hispanic culture and foster cross-cultural understanding between the Spanish- and English-speaking communities in the national capital area through Spanish-language theater and bilingual theatrical activities.

www.teatrodelaluna.org

Andromeda

Andromeda provides bilingual and bicultural mental health services to the Latino community. Andromeda's philosophy of treatment is oriented to the Latino culture and its value system; emphasis is placed on integrating clients into U.S. society without losing their own cultural identity. Andromeda offers services through four core programs: Adult Mental Health and Crisis Intervention; Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention; HIV/AIDS Mental Health and Case Management; and the Cuban Refugees Program.

Andro Jacome
1400 Decatur Street, NW
291-4707

Ayuda Legal Services

Ayuda provides comprehensive immigration and domestic relations legal services to the low income Latino and foreign born non English speaking communities in the Washington metropolitan area. These services include providing representation before local and federal courts or in non judicial administrative matters, and translating for case related matters. Ayuda is the only agency in DC offering panoply of emergency and one-stop legal and social services to immigrant and refugee women fleeing domestic violence. Through trainings, publications, technical assistance on cases, and participation in national coalitions, Ayuda provides information to individuals and organizations on the latest changes affecting the legal rights of battered immigrant women and children, as well as model programs serving them.

www.ayudainc.org

Barbara Chambers Children's Center

Barbara Chambers Children’s Center (BCCC) provides comprehensive quality child care services by offering a variety of opportunities for intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development in a clean, safe, and nurturing environment. Throughout the year, the Center offers an Infant Care Program for ages six weeks to 24 months, a Pre-school Program for ages two to five, and a Before and After School Program for ages five to twelve. During the summer, the Center offers a program for ages five to twelve which includes swimming and field trips. In addition, BCCC offers parenting classes and tuition assistance.

www.barbarachambers.org

Ecumenical Program on Central America (EPICA)

EPICA works in partnership with communities and popular organizations for human rights, social and economic justice, and the self-determination of the peoples of the Americas. EPICA also serves the Central American immigrant community. EPICA produces publications in Spanish, English, and bilingual text, sends delegations to the region (with scholarships for Latinos), offers workshops on popular education (in Spanish), and works with advocacy coalitions for a just US policy and justice for Latino immigrants.

www.epica.org

Educational Video in Spanish (EVS)

EVS Communications is a unique nonprofit organization dedicated to the single mission of improving the quality of life for Latino families through the production of effective public education campaigns. EVS Produces “Línea Directa”, the only Spanish-language television series that has been on the air since 1990, and provides Latino community living in the Washington metropolitan area with information on important health, education, legal, and social service issues. Thanks to a public service partnership that is unique in the nation, Línea Directa is produced in association with NBC4 in Washington, D.C., and is broadcast by Telemundo 64. Mr. Arturo Salcedo and Executive Producer Eduardo López were winners of the Leadership for a Changing World Award in 2002 given by The Ford Foundation.

www.evstv.org

EOFULA Spanish Senior Center

EOFULA assists the local Hispanic community to overcome cultural, economic, social, and language barriers. The Spanish Senior Center provides daily hot lunches, recreational activities, counseling, transportation, health promotion, case management, employment and housing assistance, visits and calls, an escort service, and Spanish/English translation and interpretation. District residents age 60 and over may participate and services are free of charge; however, voluntary contributions are encouraged.

http://www.eofula.org/

Latin American Youth Center

The Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) is a community-based youth and family development organization that provides comprehensive services to 5,000 youth and adults via four programmatic areas: Employment and Training Programs that build concrete marketable skills for youth and adults; Health Education Programs which emphasize preventive medical services, health assessments and primary care; Outreach and Prevention Programs that provide safe and healthy drug free after-school and weekend activities; and Social Service Programs which support and strengthen the family unit through services such as family counseling and the Transitional Living Program for young men.

www.layc-dc.org

Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care

This pre-natal and pediatric health center is dedicated to increasing access to comprehensive bilingual care to low-income, uninsured, pregnant women and their children. Extensive social services are provided, as are home visits to new mothers and their babies within 48 hours of delivery, 24-hour midwifery-care, family planning, and primary care from birth to age thirteen. Mary’s Center offers a program geared toward pregnant teenagers. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop and ABC’s “American Agenda” have recognized the Center as a national model.

www.maryscenter.org

Mary House

Mary House is dedicated to providing housing and other related services that meet the social and economic needs of homeless refugee and immigrant families and distressed women and children. Mary House works predominantly with low-income Latinos. Services include crisis management, transitional and long-term supportive housing; home visiting program; food delivery; and clothing and furniture distribution. Mary House owns and operates ten sites, eight located in the District and two sites in Maryland serving up to thirty families and any given time.

www.maryhouse.org

GALA Theater

GALA Theater is dedicated to preserving the rich Latin American theatrical tradition while providing a stage for Latinos in the United States and exposing the North American population to the richness and diversity of Hispanic theater. GALA produces modern and classical plays of Hispanic origin in both English and Spanish and presents performing groups and artists from the United States, Spain, and Latin America.

www.galatheatre.org

Hermanos y Hermanas Mayores / Big Brothers Big Sister

Hermanos y Hermanas Mayores is the Latino Program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area. Hermanos y Hermanas Mayores provides one-to-one mentoring services for Latino children between 8 and 15 years old who usually come from single-parent homes. Men and women who are interested in becoming a "Hermano o Hermanas Mayor"(Big Brother or Big Sister) are recruited and selected carefully to be match with the children we serve. Our goal is to provide Latino youth with positive role models who understand their culture and help them in developing into responsible adults while meeting the challenges encountered in their local communities. Support services for participants include child abuse preventing training, counseling, crisis intervention, child development information, referrals to other services, assistance with the juvenile system and family activities.

www.bbbsnca.org

Washington Free Clinic

The Washington Free Clinic cares for over 1,300 patients annually, offering services in General Medicine, HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment, and Prenatal & Pediatric Care. The Clinics mission is to provide health care services to individuals who lack access to medical care through a culturally diverse, volunteer supported organization with an emphasis on education, empowerment and outreach. Volunteers assist with counseling, educating, managing, translation, etc. Training provided.

www.wfclinic.org

Neighbors’ Consejo

Neighbors’ Consejo was established in 1994 to connect the homeless population of Mt. Pleasant, Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights to services and resources to assist them in regaining independent, productive lives. They conduct street outreach and referrals; advocate for high quality and accessible services; provide temporary transitional housing to Hispanic men in recovery; and find ways to involve community residents in assisting their homeless neighbors. Neighbors’ Consejo works to eradicate homelessness through effective outreach, advocacy and referrals.

www.neighborsconsejo.org

The Family Place

The Family Place provides services to low-income pregnant women and parents to help them to develop the resources they need to meet their needs as well as those of their children. The Family Place offers classes in prenatal care, nutrition, and parenting; providing childcare during class times to make it easier for parents to attend. The Family Place also provides individualized counseling and referrals to other agencies. The Family Place is currently developing classes in job readiness, job training in childcare, and English-as-a-Second Language. Participants in need can also receive emergency supplies such as diapers and clothing.

www.thefamilyplacedc.org

Whitman Walker Clinic/Latino Services

The Office of Latino Services was established to ensure Latinos in need of HIV/AIDS-related services could access Whitman Walker Clinic’s services. The Office serves one out of three D.C. Latinos living with HIV/AIDS in DC. With education and prevention; medical and mental health services; HIV/AIDS counseling and testing; food bank; housing, legal services; case management; and STD clinic for men.

www.wwc.org