Fall Festival for Migrant Families

Catholic Charities Case Management for Migrants Program strives to help migrant families who are newly arrived in Washington, DC to make a smooth transition to permanent, stable housing and to connect with resources that will help them thrive.

In accordance with its contract with DHS, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington has been providing case management services for 100 families at the Days Inn and Hampton Inn shelter sites since early September. In late September, the contract was expanded to include case management for up to 200 families.

Impact of the volunteer:

• The goal of the Fall Festival is to provide a day of culturally sensitive, family-friendly fall activities for migrant children and parents.
• Volunteers’ presence will provide a sense of connectedness to the broader community outside the hotel where families are temporarily housed and will help the event run smoothly.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Face Painter: Volunteer will provide two hours of face painting for migrant children. Volunteers may opt to sign up for an additional two-hour face painting shift.
• Greeter: Volunteer will provide a warm, welcoming presence at the entrance to the event or at event stations (e.g.-a food booth); volunteers’ will answer families’ questions or connect the family with a Catholic Charities or DHS staff member who can answer their questions.
• Floater: Volunteer will take direction from Catholic Charities and DHS staff to respond to needs that arise during the event. Possible needs include volunteer relief (e.g.–temporarily covering for a volunteer taking a lunch break); crowd control; or food distribution.

Qualifications:

• Intermediate to native fluency in Spanish
• A friendly, welcoming disposition
• Comfort working in a dynamic, people-focused environment
• Previous experience working with families and children
• Ability to walk and to stand for significant periods of time (up to 1 hour)
• For Face Painter volunteer role: painting ability, patience, and comfort working with children

Desired Skills, Experience & Characteristics:

• Social work, counseling, education, or human services experience
• Native or near-native proficiency in Spanish

Volunteer Benefits:

• Serving at the Fall Festival will give volunteers first-hand experience engaging in D.C.’s migrant response in a fun, laid-back atmosphere.
• Volunteers will have the chance to work as part of a team and engage with various organizations, businesses, and government agencies that are committed to supporting migrant families.
• For volunteers interested in improving their Spanish language skills, this role will provide the opportunity to practice Spanish in a “real world” situation.

Support:

• Catholic Charities will provide a 30-minute online orientation the week before the event.
• On-site volunteer support will be provided by Catholic Charities and DHS staff.

Time Commitment:

• 10/28, 12:30-1:00: Availability for a 30-minute interview via Microsoft Teams
• 10/29, 12:30-4:30: Available to arrive 30 minutes prior to the event start time and stay for the entirety of the event

Location:

• The event is in-person at the Days Inn Hotel, 2700 New York Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
• The event activities will take place indoors and outdoors.
• Parking is available, and the site is also accessible by public transportation. To access the parking lot behind the hotel gate, volunteers can tell the security guard that they are helping with a DHS-sponsored event.

Event Projects Only – Resources:

• Face painters should plan to bring their own painting materials or provide to Catholic Charities a list of materials needed no later than 10/26,

Next Steps (For Event Volunteers):

• Complete an application by 10/27
• Sign up for a shift (Don’t forget this step!)
• Receive reminder email with details of orientation and event