Describe your perceived proficiency with each language.  

Please provide 1-3 personal or professional references.  We want to double check that volunteers are trustworthy and reliable.  Friends, colleagues or teachers who have previously volunteered, collaborated with, or supported El Zócalo make great references

We have to divided our volunteer positions into three categories:

1. Program Support Volunteers: help during our activities, can sign up for as few or many shifts as you want
2. Leader Volunteers: commit to dedicating 2-8 hours a week to leading a specific task independently
3. Specialized Volunteers: professionals in their field who provide a specific skill set

We suggest you scroll down to the category that most matches your interests and follow the instructions for completing.

Don't forget to check out the FAQs & Next Steps at the bottom!

Help in our key program areas: Food & Health, Education, and Family Advocates.
Please check ALL the tasks you'd be willing or interested to help with:

This positions involve committing to 2-8 hours per week and carrying out tasks independently and remotely after receiving basic training.  Please think carefully and only mark the positions you feel interested in committing to.

PLEASE NOTE: We plan to roll out the following opportunities over the next 6 months.  We don't quite yet have the infrastructure to offer training and guidance for all these positions, but we'd like to see whose interested as we develop.

Offer professional, specialized skills in their areas of expertise.  Please mark any areas where you have specialized experience you would be willing to offer

Can I practice Spanish by volunteering with El Zócalo?  Generally Yes, Nearly all our programs involve Spanish and we generally encourage you to engage to the extend you're able.  However, there are times when it is best to communicate in English, such as some of our ESL programs, when working with ethnically mixed groups, or when doing outreach to the general public

Do I have to speak Spanish to volunteer with El Zócalo? No, many volunteer positions do no require it.  Those that do are marked

When do you have volunteer opportunities?  We have morning, evening and weekend activities where we utilize volunteers

Can I bring my children with me while I volunteer? Generally Yes, there are some exceptions, so give us a heads-up first via email.

Can I come by the center and meet with you before volunteering?  Unfortunately No, not right now. We wish we could devote more time to this type of relationship-building, but our tiny staff is stretched too thin with the scope of need in the community right now.  We welcome this form as a formal introduction to learn more about you and suggest visiting our website and Facebook pages for more information on our work.

Can I donate items to El Zócalo?  Yes, we accept donations of gently used clothing, small household items, toys and basic educational and office supplies.  You can bring them with you if your volunteer position is at our site.

Can I do an internship with El Zócalo?  El Zócalo offers student internships for school credit through an application process.  We generally prefer interns to have a formal contract through their school.  We occasionally take interns without this.  Please indicate in the comments if this interests you.  We must receive inquiries before the start of the semester.

Can I receive school credit for volunteering?  Yes, if you apply and are selected for an internship.

Can I receive service hours?  Yes, please let us know via email before your volunteer shift that you need someone to sign off on your hours.  You are responsible for bringing any materials that we need to fill out.

Are you a 501c3 non-profit organization?  Yes

What are the next steps? See below!

Can I volunteer if I am a minor?  We are generally open to receiving volunteers age 15 and up in our traditional roles.  It is preferred that younger volunteers are accompanied by a relative, teacher or friend, at least initially.

After receiving inquiries, we will make sure that we're able to place volunteers with positions that seem right for them.
For Support Volunteer Positions, we will invite you to access our online system for signing up for shifts.
For Leader and Specialized positions, we will be in contact with you as we continue to develop our work and programming.

We are thrilled people like you are interested in helping our immigrant neighbors!