Long Term Commitment

POPULATION SERVED: CHILDREN AND YOUTH

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Refugee Foster Parent
CONTACT: Coleen Higa, 408-325-5159, refugeefostercare@catholiccharitiesscc.org
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Every year thousands of children are separated from their families because of war. Those who survive, end up in Refugee Camps. They are alone, unaccompanied by any family member. We want to place these teens in caring stable homes. We provide a monthly stipend to the family and services such as tutoring and counseling for the teen. Each family will have a designated case manager at Catholic Charities. There is a two month preparation time to assure an appropriate match.

POPULATION SERVED: ADULTS
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Donation Station Assistant/Coordinator
CONTACT: Michelle Muetschard, 408-325-5165, mmuetschard@catholiccharitiesscc.org
LOCATION: 2625 Zanker Road, San Jose 95134, around the back of the building. Enter at Trimble and it will be straight ahead.
DATES AND TIMES: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2 hour shifts available 10 – noon, noon – 2 p.m. or any combination of shifts or four-hour shift from 10-2 p.m.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: New and gently used clothing and household items will be received, sorted and displayed and given free of charge to anyone referred by a partner of Step Up Silicon Valley: Campaign to Cut Poverty. Help receive donations and assist donors in filling out in-kind donation forms.

Help organize, sort and display the items at the donation station.
Assist donation station shoppers.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Parish Social Ministry-Parish Program
CONTACT: Elizabeth Lilly, 408-325-5265, elilly@catholiccharitiesscc.org
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Become a facilitator of a JustFaith® group, a 30 week program of transformation by immersion into stories and encounters with the poor. Ecumenical version includes sessions prepared with Bread for the World. Catholic version includes sessions prepared by Catholic Relief Service, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and Catholic Charities USA. Weekly meetings, September – May with some weekend retreats and encounters.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Tax EZ Program Volunteer
CONTACT: To Lam (408) 325-5106, or Minh Hoang Pham, 408-325-5166, taxezvolunteer@catholiccharitiesscc.org
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Help low-income families (earning under $49,000/year) who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) rightly receive between $457 and $5,657. Tax Volunteers will be trained with Tax Law and TaxWise (a software used to prepare tax returns) November-December 2009 at Catholic Charities. Classes will take place twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm-9pm. Volunteers may also train online. Tax prepares are certified by the IRS. Other volunteers are needed to greet the tax prayers and do an in-take process.
Volunteers would serve during January through mid-April of 2010 at locations in Mountain View, San Jose and Gilroy.

POPULATION SERVED: OLDER ADULTS

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
CONTACT: Marlene Siebert, Program Assistant, 408-325-5260, marlenes@catholiccharitiesscc.org
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Advocate for long term care residents. The primary purpose of the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is to receive, identify, investigate and impartially resolve complaints made by, or on behalf of residents of long term care facilities. Successful completion of the mandated Ombudsman training and certification by the State of California required. Must be at least 18 years old and be willing to make a one year commitment of 3-5 hours a week after initial certification training.
If you are still interested in completing the program after learning about the volunteer opportunity at the orientation, the fall 2010 Ombudsman training is scheduled to be held on the following dates:

ORIENTATION: An orientation / overview of the program will be presented on:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 from 10-noon

CERTIFICATION TRAINING SCHEDULE:
September 9          9:30 – 3 p.m.
September 14       9:30 – 3 p.m.
September 15 10 - noon
September 16    9:30 – 2 p.m.
September 21   9:30 – 3 p.m.
September 23      9:30 – 3 p.m.
September 28           9:30 – 3 p.m.
September 30          9:30 – 3 p.m.

Upon completion of the classroom training, new volunteers will complete 10 additional hours of field internship prior to state certification.
Volunteers over 55 who live in Santa Clara County are eligible to belong to RSVP and receive some benefits. Ask the volunteer coordinator.
All volunteers who are 18 years old or older must receive clearance from the Department of Justice and the FBI by having the Live Scan fingerprint test and only a negative TB test if required by the program’s contract.

Please check back from time to time as our opportunities change.
After you have selected the volunteer opportunity that interests you,
please fill out the Volunteer Application and return it to Catholic Charities.
Thank you for your interest in working with us!

Volunteers over 55 who live in Santa Clara County are eligible to belong to RSVP and receive some benefits. Ask the volunteer coordinator.