We're excited to partner with Almost Home for the '16-17 program year, an organization committed to breaking the cycle of poverty for teenage moms by offering housing and support services in St. Louis. True to its mission, Almost Home assists women in harnessing their strengths to become self-sufficient and create the best life for themselves and their child(ren).

The Loretto Volunteer will serve as an Employment Training Specialist with the organization's Creating Employment Opportunities Program, to help young moms obtain and maintain employment. The position is a dynamic one - assisting clients with employment preparation, career coaching, follow up services, and cultivating relationships with area employers to identify appropriate employment opportunities. The volunteer will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with clients, develop their leadership skills, and become well-versed in area resources and services available in St. Louis.

​We are seeking a motivated people-person to do this work! For more info about Almost Home visit: almosthomestl.org | https://www.facebook.com/almosthomestl

The Loretto Volunteer Program pairs volunteers with social justice organizations for a formative, stipended year of service. Through meaningful work and communal living, volunteers live out the Loretto Community's mission to work for justice and act for peace - guided by the core values of social justice, community, simplicity and spirituality. The Loretto Community is an order of Catholic sisters and lay co-members. Applicants of all faiths, races, classes, gender identities/expressions, sexual orientations, and abilities are welcome into this justice-seeking community.

Work at Bread for the City
Bread for the City is one of the placement sites where Loretto Volunteers work. The Legal Clinic Coordinator will help to serve Bread for the City's clients in their Legal Clinic. Specific duties include: helping with new client intakes, providing information and referral services for clients, and representing clients who have been denied public benefits before an Administrative Law Judge. The volunteer will also help with Spanish-speaking clients in all of Bread for the City's programs. A great position for those interested in law school and/or with paralegal experience!

The ideal candidate will have:

• Committment to working for social justice
• Ability to work and connect with a wide variety of people
• Excellent organization skills in order to manage multiple projects
• Strong writing skills
• Patience and perseverance
• Interest in the details of various government programs
• Strong listening skills, confidence, flexibility and a cooperative spirit
• Fluency in spoken/written Spanish is preferred but not required

Benefits:
All Loretto Volunteers receive a modest living stipend, communal housing with 5 other volunteers in Washington, DC, and health insurance. They participate in three group retreats with other Loretto Volunteers and receive ongoing support from spunky local Loretto members.

The term runs from August 8, 2015 through late July 2016.

More information and other volunteer opportunities with the Loretto Volunteer Program are at www.lorettovolunteers.org. Interested candidates email Program Coordinator Molly Butler at mbutler@lorettocommunity.org

There is little silence, or stillness. When you must be producing at every moment, there is no space for reflection. 

Now, I love what I do. I love the work of reporting. I thrive on being a little too busy and having a few too many tasks on my plate. 

We are thrilled to partner with Marian Middle School once again to offer a placement opportunity for a passionate educator! We are looking for a Teaching Assistant to join in providing adolescent girls in the city of St. Louis with a high-quality, transformative education that challenges them and meets their individual learning needs. 

The teaching assistant will work to create a school culture that empowers young women to meet their potential. He/She will be responsible for a range of responsibilities at this middle school for girls that is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty. His/her role will include assisting in classrooms, one-on-one tutoring, volunteer management, leading clubs/sports and/or other responsibilities based on his/her skills and interests.

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis - get started on yours today! For questions about this or any of our available positions, email Program Coordinator, Molly Butler.

Are you interested in exploring religion and spirituality through public radio? 

"Interfaith Voices is the nation's leading public radio show about faith, ethics and spirituality. Each week we offer you analyses of the big headlines alongside lesser-told stories – those of Orthodox Jewish artists and African-American atheists, Muslim feminists and spiritual seekers. Through these stories, a rough sketch of our country’s religious landscape begins to emerge. It’s a marketplace of beliefs and ideas too complex for sound bites, and too important to ignore." Read more on the Interfaith Voices website.

Each year, a Loretto Volunteer serves as an Associate Producer for this public radio program hosted by Maureen Fielder, a Sister of Loretto. The Volunteer assists in all aspects of the production including: writing and editing interviews, booking guests, creating web content, maintaining social media and fund-raising. This is a great opportunity for those interested in storytelling and spirituality to gain experience in radio production. Familiarity with audio editing software preferable but not required. 

The Loretto Volunteer Program is currently accepting applications for this position and more on a rolling basis - send yours in today! For questions about this or any of our available positions contact Molly Butler, Loretto Volunteer Coordinator: mbutler@lorettocommunity.org

Jes Stevens is from St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from Fontbonne University where he studied Applied Sociology and Psychology.  In school, Jes completed numerous service projects and held leadership roles in the Student Government Association and Orientation team. Jes serves as an Organizing Fellow at Catholics United--Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good,  in Washington D.C. 

What have you been doing at your placement?

I have been doing a lot of communications work for Catholics United--Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.  Our efforts are to alert the public to the values and the social mission of the Catholic church. 

What is one thing you love about community living?
 One of the things I love about community living is the laughter. There are so many unique and funny things that happen when you live in community that it may be hard for someone who isn’t living in an intentional community to understand. 

Mallory Daily graduated from Marquette University with a degree in English and Philosophy. In college, she spent time working on projects through the Marquette Center for Peacemaking and the Women’s and Gender Studies Department. She is originally from Iowa City, Iowa where her parents and black lab, hank, still reside. Mallory will work at Interfaith Voices radio show.

What have you been doing at your placement?

At Interfaith Voices, I've been able to dip my toes into a variety of different things--audio editing, booking guests, writing introductions and interview questions, and getting to know the daily operations of a weekly public radio show. I hosted my first interview a few weeks ago, with a Tibetan Buddhist Monk, and have another one coming up next week.