IWR is looking to recruit two volunteers to fill the role of Welcome Home Team Co-Leads. IWR has historically been a volunteer-run organization. The Welcome Home Team supports displaced families during their pre-arrival and immediate arrival periods in Tompkins County, as well as conducts donation drives as needed. The Welcome Home Team Co-Leads coordinate the activities of all Welcome Home volunteers to achieve that team’s objectives.
Expectations for this role:
- Work with other IWR volunteers to identify new families’ housing, furniture, and household item needs
- Work with Communications Lead to send out call for furniture and household item donations to the community
- Coordinate IWR volunteers to pick up, store, and/or place furniture and household items in families’ new homes
- Determine culturally appropriate groceries to provide a family’s initial stock of food through donations
- Coordinate with IWR volunteers to provide a warm, culturally appropriate “welcome meal” for a family’s first day in their new housing
- Coordinate donation drives for other items families may need during post-arrival times (e.g. winter clothing, diapers, etc.)
This is an unpaid, volunteer position. We expect the time commitment to vary from zero hours per week when we do not have families arriving to several hours per week during the 2-week period before a family arrives. We are seeking to onboard the new Welcome Home Team Co-Leads immediately.
Required skills:
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to organize projects involving several different community contacts and pick up/drop off locations
- Ability to generate excitement among volunteers and express gratitude for their hard work
- Good communication
We welcome individuals who are passionate about helping refugees in the area to apply for the Welcome Home Team Co-Lead volunteer role. Please provide a letter to IWR Executive Director Casey Verderosa at caseyv@ithacawelcomesrefugees.org indicating:
- Why you are interested in the Welcome Home Team Co-Lead role
- What past experiences and/or skills would make you a good fit for the role
We look forward to hearing from you.