El Buen Samaritano

Outreach Department

The Outreach Department at El Buen Samaritano serves our local community through various programs which cater to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our clients. Our volunteer opportunities include:

Food Pantry Volunteer

Organic Garden Volunteer

Administrative/ General Office Volunteer

Exercise Instructor

Nuestra Hermandad Feliz Facilitator (Our Happy Brotherhood)

Small-Group Facilitator

Promotores (Community Health Workers)

Food Pantry Volunteer
Food pantry volunteers will assist our Program Assessment Specialist with organizational tasks such as stocking shelves, bagging groceries, weighing food items and receiving outside donations as needed. During “open hours,” volunteers will have one-on-one contact with clients as they arrive to receive their food. We welcome small groups (up to 3 people) and individuals as volunteers in the food pantry.

Requirements:

Bilingual skills are preferred, but not required.

Volunteers should be comfortable with moderate lifting.

Hours: Our greatest need for volunteers in the food pantry is during “open hours” when the pantry is open to the public. These hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. However, volunteers are welcome Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. to assist our Program Assessment Specialist with organizational tasks.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here

Organic Garden Volunteer
Garden volunteers will work outdoors to cultivate and maintain our organic garden as needed, including planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, etc. This is a great opportunity for groups of 3-10 people, and is available as a one-time volunteer opportunity.

Requirements:

Volunteers should be comfortable working outdoors and with moderate to heavy lifting (bags of soil, landscaping tools).

Knowledge of gardening and/or previous experience is preferred, but not required.

Hours: Garden volunteers are welcome during our weekly office hours which are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Specific dates and times should be scheduled in advance with the Community Relations Coordinator.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here

Administrative/ General Office Volunteer
Office volunteers will assist various program directors within the Outreach department as needed to complete filing tasks, answer phones, create documents and files, etc.

Requirements:

A commitment of at least one month is preferred, but accomodations can be made for short-term volunteer needs.

Bilingual skills are strongly preferred.

Similar office experience is preferred, and working knowledge of computers and Microsoft Office programs is required.

Hours: We welcome volunteers during our office hours (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Specific dates and times should be scheduled in advance with the Community Relations Coordinator.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here

Exercise Instructor
Our exercise instructors volunteer within our Vida y Salud program (Life and Health) to conduct weekly classes on-site at El Buen Samaritano for our clients. Instructors are expected to plan and conduct each class in an exciting, motivating and safe manner for our clients. Our current exercise classes include Hatha and Kundalini yoga, Salsa aerobics and Capoeria, but we are always open to inquiries from those who are interested in offering their services to add a class to our repertoire.

*Please Note: As many of our exercise students are referred from the clinic for health-related problems, potential exercise instructors should be able and willing to accommodate students with special needs, such as diabetes and obesity.

Requirements:

Bilingual skills are preferred.

Volunteers must have previous experience in exercise instruction and certification is preferred.

Instructors must commit to instructing at least one class per week, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours for each class.

Volunteers should be willing to motivate and recruit clients in order to maintain high class attendance.

Hours: We offer exercise classes during office hours and in the evenings. For more information, please contact the Community Relations Coordinator.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here

Nuestra Hermandad Feliz Facilitator (Our Happy Brotherhood)
Facilitators will collaborate with a co-facilitator to conduct an 11-week session of Nuestra Hermandad Feliz, an adult support group that provides spiritual, emotional and psychological support to participants who are suffering from a certain level of depression, anxiety, or loneliness. The established curriculum incorporates six core focus areas which include spiritual, physical and mental care, family, financial and social issues. Courses are conducted on-site at El Buen Samaritano and at local schools as requested.

* Please Note: Given the sensitive nature of this position, facilitators must be comfortable working with clients of different backgrounds and individuals who have experienced extreme mental, physical or emotional stress. Facilitators are also expected to maintain confidentiality within the group at all times .

Requirements:

Volunteers must have previous experience in facilitating small group discussion, and certification is preferred.

• Volunteers are required to complete a Nuestra Hermandad Feliz facilitator's training through El Buen Samaritano before conducting the first class.

Bilingual skills are preferred, but not required.

Hours: Facilitators are asked to commit to the 11-week course which consists of a 1.5-hour session per week. For more information, please contact the Community Relations Coordinator.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here

Small-Group Facilitator
El Buen Samaritano occasionally offers smaller support groups for adults that necessitate small-group facilitators. The requirements and commitment of a small-group facilitator are similar to those of the Nuestra Hermandad Feliz facilitators. For more information, please contact the Community Relations Coordinator.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here

Promotores (Community Health Workers)
Promotores work within the local community and complete presentations regarding health, nutrition, pre-natal care, and other related issues of particular importance within the Hispanic community. To provide the community with the most comprehensive health information, the program collaborates with agencies such as March of Dimes and the American Heart Association, among others. Promotores should feel confident with public speaking and have an interest in health education within the Hispanic community.

Requirements:

Promotores must complete the 8-week Leadership Training curriculum provided by El Buen Samaritano and commit to a minimum of 10 presentations each year.

Bilingual skills are preferred.

Hours: Hours vary based on need and scheduling. For more information regarding upcoming Leadership Training sessions, please contact the Community Relations Coordinator.

Interested in volunteering for this position? Click here