Community Volunteer Information
Please call us at 512-385-5571 or email volunteer@casamarianella.org.
If you are interested in volunteering for ESL
(teaching residents and neighbors English 7 – 9pm Monday-Thursday)
Please contact esl@casamarianella.org
Our volunteer program is very flexible, permitting you to work the hours and days you select. Call a Casa Marianella staff person and let them know what your interests are and they can give you specific suggestions of how you can help Casa Marianella.
Resident Activities
Spanish Literacy – Spend one evening per week teaching residents and community members to read
Internet/Computer Classes – Hold trainings for residents teaching them the basics of the Internet
Organize a painting project, decorate for a holiday, plan a party or outing for residents on a holiday
Cook Dinner – Prepare a Casa meal by using food that Casa already has or bring a precooked meal to share with the residents (Should arrive at Casa by 4pm to have dinner ready by 6pm)
Provide rides to residents- medical appointments, Casa outings, etc.
Soccer – Accompany residents to a nearby park to play soccer (Sundays, usually at 3:00 p.m.)
Interviews – Interview residents and ex-residents about their experiences at Casa and elsewhere, Forms located in intake drawer. (Spanish required)
Resident Stories – Type up a resident’s story (Spanish required)
Office Work
Women’s Work Calls – Answer telephones calls from immigrant women looking for employment. Match women with possible employers from a list that Casa keeps. (Fridays only, Spanish required)
Office Help
File cards of residents who have left
enter new names onto our mailing list
cut more scrap paper
make more intake and casa business cards
photocopy forms
alphabetize the HUD forms
sort resident mail
re-alphabetize resident cards Occasional Activities
House / Residents Needs Maintenance
Varies by needs on House Maintenance list
Yard Work – Rake leaves and put them in the compost pile behind clothing bodega, sweep patio and driveway, pick up trash on property, pick up trash from house to the bridge
Resident Needs Upkeep – Intake bags – make “single serving” zip-lock bags that include shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor and lotion, laundry soap bags
Recycling – sort and/or take recycling to nearby drop off site
Laundry – wash clothes, sheets, etc. and take down dry laundry
Sorting / Organizing
Clothing Bodega – Organize clothing by type (jeans, T-shirts, long sleeve, etc), remove dirty clothing and women’s and children’s clothing, hang new donations.
Sort Donations – Sort newly arrived donations by:
Women and children’s clothing
Men’s clothing
- We need pant sizes up to 36, shoe sizes up to 10
Separate dress clothing from casual clothing
Sheets, towels, blankets, etc
Other: kitchenware, toys, etc.
Take unneeded donations to other agencies that can better utilize them – Push- Up Foundation, SafePlace, Goodwill, El Buen Samaritano
We always welcome fresh ideas here at Casa and there is a great chance that volunteers will be able to see something obvious lacking that we as full time workers simply can not see. Creativity is always invited in!
