Loretto Volunteers work in service and justice organizations in cities where Loretto Community members live and work. Some of these organizations are directly connected to Loretto; all of them promote the social justice values of the Loretto Community.
Denver, Co
ANGELICA VILLAGE
Angelica Village is a non-profit social services agency that provides housing and intentional community for refugees, unaccompanied minors, families experiencing homelessness, and more. The Loretto Volunteer at AV will contribute to their mission as a small non-profit, and will observe a unique community living model. The volunteer's main roles will be to assist with volunteer coordination and program development for our sustainability efforts in gardening and food autonomy. Additionally, the volunteer will assist residents through advocating local resources, mentoring, and tutoring. As the volunteer's relationship with the residents deepen, they may collaborate on tasks in the residencies such as preparing meals, helping with child care, attending youth events, receiving donations of food and clothing, and more.
WOMEN'S BEAN PROJECT
Women's Bean Project is a non-profit organization with the mission to change women’s lives by providing stepping stones to self-sufficiency through social enterprise. WBP hires women who are chronically unemployed and supports them in cultivating skills and job experience by making nourishing products and offering relevant professional development opportunities. The Loretto Volunteer serves as a Volunteer Coordinator to support the WBP team with volunteer support and engagement, while providing direction, coordination, and consultation for WBP volunteer functions.
Loretto AT THE UNITED NATIONS
This is a position based in Denver with periodic travel to/stays in New York City, as COVID safety protocols allow. As Assistant UN NGO Representative with the Loretto's UN Office, the LoVo will assist in the representation of the Loretto Community at the United Nations by advocating for peace and justice on a global scale. Loretto Volunteers have had the opportunity to engage in various projects and issue areas including participation on NGO committees, attending high-level UN dialogues and briefings and reporting on those events for Loretto’s larger network, coordinating delegations of students from Loretto affiliated high schools to the UN to participate in the annual Commission on the Status of Women, and creating materials/presentations to highlight the international work of Loretto. This position will work from the Loretto Community offices in Denver while liaising remotely with the Loretto at the UN team and various Loretto Committees.
Urban Peak
At Urban Peak, the LoVo will serve as an Outreach Volunteer, connecting with youth on the streets and in the Drop-In Center to build healthy and strong relationships in order to empower them on their path to self-sufficiency. The Outreach Volunteer acts as a liaison to inform youth, the community, and businesses about the
services offered by Urban Peak to promote the health, safety, and well-being of homeless and runaway
youth and to assist them in permanently exiting the streets into safe and stable housing. This is
accomplished through milieu supervision of the Drop-In Center, outreach on the streets and to other
Denver area service providers, intensive and basic needs case management, and facilitation of groups,
classes, and activities. This position will ensure that interactions, interventions and environments at Urban Peak are trauma informed and emphasize the physical and emotional safety of youth and staff.
services offered by Urban Peak to promote the health, safety, and well-being of homeless and runaway
youth and to assist them in permanently exiting the streets into safe and stable housing. This is
accomplished through milieu supervision of the Drop-In Center, outreach on the streets and to other
Denver area service providers, intensive and basic needs case management, and facilitation of groups,
classes, and activities. This position will ensure that interactions, interventions and environments at Urban Peak are trauma informed and emphasize the physical and emotional safety of youth and staff.
St. Francis center
The mission of St. Francis Center is to offer refuge and peace for our community members who experience homelessness, helping them meet their basic needs and transition out of homelessness. St. Francis Center’s focus has always been to offer a place of refuge and to provide services with dignity and respect - offering a rich array of programs and services to the community. The Loretto Volunteer has several options for how they would like to connect to the work of the St. Francis Center and can choose to serve in a role that best matches their skills and interests - options include Core Services Loretto Volunteer, Employment Services Loretto Volunteer or Housing Activities Coordinator and Case Management Loretto Volunteer.
El Paso, TX
DIOCESAN MIGRANT & REFUGEE SERVICES (DMRS)
The mission of DMRS is to "provide legal services to immigrants and to engage in public advocacy and community outreach to advance justice and protect the rights of those we serve in the spirit of gospel values." The Loretto Volunteer at DMRS will serve as a Legal Assistant/Caseworker, helping build capacity for the organization by providing much needed support for one of the Removal Defense attorneys. The volunteer will assist the attorney with initial informational intakes, putting files together, translating case documents, visiting clients in the immigration detention centers in the area, and assisting with data input for necessary reports, among other things.
LAS AMERICAS IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY CENTER
The LoVo at Las Americas serves as a Legal Assistant. This organization serves low-income immigrants of all backgrounds, including refugees, survivors of domestic violence, trafficking survivors, asylum seekers, DACA eligible adults, victims of crime, and families seeking reunification. Their clients come from over 60 countries seeking a wide variety of legal services. The Loretto Volunteer will help the Las Americas attorneys with client communications, detention center visits, and community outreach.
Kelly Center for Hunger Relief
El Paso is reported to have 90,000 residents living in a state of food insecurity. Kelly Center for Hunger Relief is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger in El Paso, Texas. Kelly provides a monthly distribution of supplemental and/or emergency food. They also partner with a local farm to provide local, nutritious food. One of Kelly's programs is the Fresh Start program, which focuses strongly on food assistance, case management, and healthy eating and active living as components. The Loretto Volunteer will serve as the Fresh Start Loretto Volunteer, helping members secure access to resources, education, and support. The Fresh Start LoVo will provide continuity of service to Fresh Start members, including assisting with intake process, case management and food management. The Fresh Start program recognizes that hunger is not just caused by a lack of food, but also lack of human capital (including education, employment, and income), social support, and social capital. Any attempt to improve long-term food security requires more than just short-term food. It also seeks to develop strong and active partnerships with related social services providers.
OPPORTUNITY CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS
The Opportunity Center exists for all people experiencing homelessness without distinction of race, ethnic origin, language spoken or religious beliefs, and regardless of mental, drug and alcohol problems. The OC operates a day resource center/emergency overflow night shelter where homeless people can gather and where members of the El Paso Coalition for the Homeless can provide on-site services. The Center also strives to create a system of care for the most needy among this population through the development of transitional and long-term supportive housing. The LoVo position at the OC is based on their skills and interests, but works closely with the OC's Social Services Director.
Villa María
Villa María provides a home for women who are homeless and without children where they can transition from crisis to self-sufficiency while living within a beautiful, safe, supportive and spiritual community. The Loretto Volunteer at Villa María serves as Housing and Employment Counselor, working closely with the organization's Executive Director and Case Manager to assist residents with education, job opportunities and affordable housing searches.
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"The Opportunity Center is a no-barriers shelter meaning that they serve anyone regardless of age, gender, religion, documentation status, etc. I worked primarily with single men and women who were experiencing homelessness and connected them with resources from housing to mental health services to education. I LOVED my job this year. [Serving at the OC] would be an amazing experience [for anyone] interested in social work, criminal justice, psychology, or anyone just looking for work experience that is new, challenging and different each day. The community at the OC is incredibly welcoming and has encouraged me to really get out of my comfort zone and immerse myself in the justice work that they engage with every day." - Amy Maltz - LoVo 2018-20 |
Amy with Loretto Community member JoAnn during Orientation 2019. Photo by Amy Maltz.
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Don't see a placement that matches your interests and skills?
DON'T LET IT STOP YOU FROM APPLYING!
We are constantly finding new placements to partner with - email us for the latest updates!
If your organization would like to work with a Loretto Volunteer, please contact lorettovolunteers@lorettocommunity.org.
Note: We place around 10 volunteers per year, so not all of these positions will be filled. Due to natural shifts in funding and management, not all placements are available each year.
Note: We place around 10 volunteers per year, so not all of these positions will be filled. Due to natural shifts in funding and management, not all placements are available each year.
"I have come to understand that what is asked of us as advocates is that we work for the good of those we will never meet, whether they are living now on the opposite side of the globe or their birth is seven generations down the line."
- Theresa Blumenstein -
LoVo 2013-14 & 2015-16
- Theresa Blumenstein -
LoVo 2013-14 & 2015-16
