Website: https://www.immigrantallies.net/
Mission: Through educational and awareness events, we provide opportunities for the public to learn about issues affecting our immigrant neighbors, and for diverse groups to come together. We offer resource & referral for immigration -related issues, and advocate for positive change.
Location: Marshalltown (30 miles from Grinnell College)
Needs: Our main projects right now include a non-profit legal clinic seven months of the year (volunteer needs: help with intakes, especially need bilingual volunteers), Central Iowa Community ID (volunteer needs at quarterly ID drives, help with photo station, info entry, welcome & sign-in, and printing and sending IDs; also help spreading the word to the general community to promote acceptance of the ID in Marshall, Story, potentially Tama & Poweshiek counties)’
Fundraising (to support Immigrant Allies activities, to provide grants through Immigrant Allies Helping Fund). Helping with Community Response Coalition (take notes, connect with organizations about updates during a non-meeting month). Help with translation (print and in person). Make videos in different languages. Holding “Welcome Center” office hours in partnership with the public library (tech help for people who speak languages other than English, help filing out basic forms or accessing info online as appropriate (NOT legal or immigration forms). Depending on what happens with immigration system changes, there may be opportunities to help with larger legal clinics in partnership with our immigration lawyer partners (i.e. for DACA, applications that may be appropriate for specific status adjustments or about asylum, etc.)
Volunteers:
- One-time events: yes
- Ongoing: yes (for example, Legal Clinic, ID, Coalition meeting)
- Groups possible? Groups are welcome
When is service needed: During the summer it would be harder to onboard someone new. For roles requiring training, we would like to have inquiries from people who expect to commit for at least the school year.
Number of hours: Flexible hours, as much or little as is possible for the volunteer
Modality:
- In-person: yes
- Hybrid in-person/virtual possible: yes
- Fully virtual possible: yes
Prerequisites: Due to the highly sensitive nature of some of the work, we require a reference who can vouch for the volunteer’s commitment to our mission.
Background check required: yes
Equipment/logistics needed: Most volunteers have used their own computer or laptop. Creation of videos would require whatever equipment/software that would be used for this purpose. Reliable transportation to Marshalltown is needed.
Training supplied: Training very much depends on the role. Any involvement with the legal or ID clinic would involve training. All involvement would involve some information about Immigrant Allies and our mission. For roles requiring training, we would like to have inquiries from people who expect to commit for at least the school year.
Equipment or logistics supplied: Depending on the role, the library may provide work space (i.e. with the Welcome Center, there would be a study room reserved). Equipment for the ID Clinic is supplied.
How to apply: We have a volunteer application Google Form that can be sent to those interested. Contact Joa LaVille at marshalltown.immigrant.allies@gmail.com
Contact: Joa LaVille, marshalltown.immigrant.allies@gmail.com
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