Miry's List is a nonprofit organization providing a mechanism for people to directly help new arrival refugee families with the incredible challenge of resettlement in the United States.
With practical support and joyful friends waiting to welcome them, resettling families are set up to thrive through Miry’s List's wrap-around program that extends long beyond government support. We're building cultural bridges, nurturing new friendships among neighbors, and transforming the way American people engage in welcoming new arrival families.
Thank you for your interest in supporting our families and programming! Most volunteer opportunities are virtual.
Volunteer Requirements: Must complete the volunteer agreement on the website, volunteer training, and, if working directly with a family or their information, must be willing to pass a background check.
OPPORTUNITIES
Los Angeles Welcome Workshop Helper (in-person)
Welcome Workshop helpers will assist the Welcome Workshop team with inventory in the Los Angeles workshop and help to sort, pack, ship, and distribute supplies to new arrival families via mail.
Requirements:
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Must be able to visit our Welcome Workshop space in Eagle Rock and pack emergency supplies and welcome kits following our instructions.
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Must be able to lift a 40lb box without pain.
Time commitment: Each shift is 2 hours. Can sign up for a one shift, or regular shifts.
Listmakers
Listmakers have the important role of creating and managing a family’s wishlist registry based on their unique needs. Each family’s wishlist is “live” and available for purchases for 3 months. See current wishlists here
Responsibilities:
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Create an online registry for an individual family and maintain it for the 3 month period that it is "live" on our website.
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Check on the list at least once per week to make sure all items are continually in stock as well as to add or remove any items as needed.
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Maintain wishlist data, such as number of items purchased, on a Google spreadsheet
Time commitment: 1-2 hours per week for 3 months list is active
Family Ambassadors
It takes a village! Having a collaborative and helpful circle of friends is critical for establishing oneself in a new community. Family ambassadors are helpers who work one-on-one with individual families to ensure their needs are being heard and understood, and we are better able to help them out.
There are several ways to be an ambassador for a family, including:
1. Wishlist Ambassador: A Wishlist Ambassador shares an individual family wishlist within their own network, encouraging their friends and family to purchase gifts for a newly arrived family.
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Responsibilities:
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Share the wishlist within their own networks. This can be on social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) or email, or it can be within a community group such as place of worship, scout troop, school group, or family group.
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There is no obligation for a Wishlist Ambassador to purchase all items, but there should be a goal that the family will have less than 5 items left on their wishlist before the 3 month retirement mark.
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Time commitment: No set time commitment, but we recommend spending 1-3 months until the list is complete or retired from the website
2. Regional Resource Helper: Regional Resource helpers provide navigation support and connections with resources in a family’s new community such as: Food banks, clothing resources, DMV services, local skills building such as adult education centers or community colleges, family resources like WIC or low income health or dental clinics, and more.
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Responsibilities:
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Communicating directly with families to provide external resources from their community, utilizing our databases or their own research (Internet skills are a plus!)
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Willing to contribute to or help maintain a database of resources for one or more local community where new families have arrived.
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Willingness to cold call local resources to find out more details for the family or make those connections on their behalf
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Time commitment: Varies, around 1-2 hours per week
3. Career Mentor: Career Mentors provide support for families as they prepare to search for a new job in the US. They will help with resume building, interview preparation, networking, online job searches, and more. They may work 1 on 1 with a family or in an online group cohort setting.
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Additional skills or attributes:
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Experience with Linkedin and online job seeking tools
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Experience with resume building
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Networking connections and skills
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Contribute In-Kind Items
Help replenish the shelves of our Los Angeles Welcome Workshop. Here’s the list of what’s needed right now.
We have limited capacity of staff and storage, and all donations will need prior approval. In general, we do not have the capacity to accept or store in-kind donations, nor do we have the capacity to pick up items from donors. We do appreciate donations of NEW clothing, toys, household supplies, school supplies, and other small items that can be shipped to families as part of a welcome kit. For individual donors, have an ongoing Amazon wishlist for our welcome workshop HERE. If your company would like to donate in-kind products, contact us at welcomer@miryslist.org.
Translators
Purpose: Translators are needed to facilitate communication between volunteers and new arrival families. We currently have the highest need for Arabic, Pashto, and Dari speakers. You may be asked to join a group chat, Zoom call, phone call, or asked to attend a specific event to translate.
Fundraising
Philanthropy is the fuel of Miry's List and it is essential to mission delivery. We are here to improve the resettlement experience for refugees coming to the United States. To accomplish our mission, we need necessary resources to staff and the funding to make it happen. You can set up an online fundraiser for Miry’s List general operating fund here (click “JOIN CAMPAIGN”) or be connected with our fundraising team to support their efforts by completing the volunteer form below.
Write Welcome Letters
Volunteers of all ages can participate in this one! Your letter will go in a new family’s welcome kit. Use our step-by-step guide to make it simple and fun! Drawings and friendship bracelets welcome! Letters should be mailed to Miry’s List at 2272 Colorado Blvd. #1170, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Other Skills
If you have any additional skills that you are willing to donate, please list them below. For example: legal services, mental health support, dental services, construction, or vocational skills, or anything else, please let us know!
