Volunteer Updates: February | |
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We are looking for some amazing volunteers to help support an upcoming Lunar New Year celebration!
- At IRCO, our RESJ-FACES program strives to enhance overall family engagement and foster stronger connections to school by involving youths and parents in activities and events that celebrate cultural identity and foster a sense of belonging. Our Lunar New Year (LNNY) event epitomizes this effort, serving as a grand cultural celebration tailored specifically to our Asian community, particularly the vibrant Vietnamese community. Typically drawing over 400 attendees, it is a joyous occasion where people come together to celebrate in a designated school venue.
- This year, the event is scheduled for March 1st, and we are in need of enthusiastic volunteers to assist with various tasks, including managing sign-in sheets, setting up decorations, serving delicious cuisine, organizing games, and helping with teardown and cleanup.
- If you're interested in learning more about this exhilarating event and how you can get involved, please reach out to us at volunteer@irco.org. Your support will help make this celebration truly unforgettable!
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Volunteer Highlight: Seniye Groff
This month we wanted to highlight our multi-talented volunteer, Seniye Groff, who has volunteered with a number of different IRCO programs! Currently Seniye is supporting our ESL program, working with Afghan new arrivals. Below is a short testimonial from Seniye regarding her time volunteering with IRCO.
“My father was a first-generation Turkish immigrant. He worked hard to be successful but I know he always felt different in the U.S. because of his accent. It's the little things that make people feel valued and belong and IRCO is doing the work in BIG and LITTLE ways. I highly recommend you volunteer with them and then you can "travel the world" right here in Portland's backyard, while also making a difference! I've organized the client library, done after school mentoring at McDaniel and K-5 reading with elementary kids. Right now, I am working in the ESL program with Afghan newcomers. I worked in the office organizing a library for clients. IRCO has been so thoughtful about this process...they bought books from authors that reflect our clients, the characters are like our clients and the stories are often in countries that the clients are from. The books are also in the languages our clients speak (I learned about Chuukese!). For lunch we went to a Syrian refugee's food cart and had amazing food. In other words, IRCO walks the talk and shows genuine appreciation and focus for the clients we serve.”
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Featured Volunteer Positions | |
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PNI Program
This month, we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on our exceptional Promise Neighborhoods Initiative (PNI) program at IRCO! PNI is dedicated to orchestrating a comprehensive, two-generation continuum of support that centers on enhancing student performance and fostering family resilience. Their collaborative efforts, in partnership with various organizations, embody a unified commitment to achieving equity. The PNI program prioritizes culturally specific and responsive best practices, underpinned by a robust evidence base in our implementation framework
- Currently, PNI is actively seeking volunteers to assist students across all academic subjects, including Math, Writing, Reading, Literature, and Science. We are on the lookout for individuals with proficient English language skills who can inspire confidence in students, impart effective study strategies, and guide them through homework tasks. Our ideal volunteer is someone who radiates friendliness, kindness, and positivity—a person eager to make a meaningful impact on students' learning journeys.
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If you're interested in becoming a part of our PNI volunteer team, you can find more information by clicking HERE. For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to volunteer@irco.org. Your support in these programs would be greatly appreciated!
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Tax Support Program
In just two weeks, IRCO's volunteer intake specialists, tax preparers, and interpreters have helped over 70 taxpayers access a total of over $110,000 in refunds! That's over $110,000 returned to the community through our free tax filing assistance. Beyond financial impact, our volunteers make their clients feel supported through the complicated filing process. They walk clients through every step of the intake and filing process, answer questions, and provide tax advice.
We are so proud of how the program has grown in our second year. Our tax sites have expanded from one site to four sites. You can find our tax sites running three days a week at IRCO Eastern Oregon, Africa House, Slavic & Eastern European Center, and the Main Office. Thank you to our generous volunteers who make this program possible!
"It is very exciting to see how much busier we are in the second year of the clinic! The first year was so much fun as we figured everything out as a team, some of us with years of volunteer experience, and others like myself, a tax-help newbie. To see the refund total from the first two weeks, and schedules full of clients, is proof that we are providing a valuable service. Taxes are often scary, and rarely pleasant, so it is nice to help people feel more certain they're doing it correctly, and even better when we tell them they're getting a refund. I love getting to meet people from so many parts of the world, and it's fun every week working with our team. Besides all of that, it's been very rewarding for me, too. The training is great, and it's been helpful in my personal and professional life. I only wish I had more time to volunteer 2 days instead of 1!"
Aren Hinely, Volunteer Tax Preparer
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SEEC Celebration 2024
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all who contributed to or attended our Slavic and Eastern European Center Celebration! It was an enchanting evening filled with the vibrant tapestry of diverse cultures coming together in unity. Our lineup of featured performers dazzled the audience, including the mesmerizing Roma Gypsy dancers Desert Roses and Gypsy Spice, the harmonious trio Mystic Harmony (featuring Olena Bilyk), and the electrifying band Hit Machine. Additionally, we were honored to have insightful speakers such as Mariya Klimenko, Nelli Salvador, and Sokho Eath grace the event.
In 2023, IRCO's Slavic and Eastern European Center (SEEC) served as a beacon of hope for hundreds of refugees. Alongside providing crucial resources like employment, housing assistance, and legal aid, the SEEC also organized enriching activities for children and youth, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
If you're interested in supporting future exciting IRCO events such as these as a volunteer, please reach out to volunteer@irco.org to find out how you can participate!
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Portland Trail Blazers Foundation 5050 Raffle
A heartfelt thank you to our incredible volunteers whose unwavering support shone brightly during the Trail Blazers Foundation 5050 Raffle! Their dedication and enthusiasm helped us to sell almost $7,000 dollars' worth of raffle tickets, a portion of which will be put toward supporting IRCO programming. It was great to see regular volunteers and new faces coming out to support IRCO at this exciting event.
If you would be interested in becoming a part of our event volunteer list and receive communications about volunteering at exciting volunteer opportunities like this one, please email volunteer@irco.org!
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