Global Volunteers:
Partners in Development
This organization is private for nonprofit. I especially like the idea that it is "nonsectarian", meaning it isn't based on your religious beliefs. It is a one-to-one service project. You travel to any of the countries on their web site.
Helping in Minnesota with the immigrant population
Global Volunteers has 2.300 volunteers in 185 teams in projects in 20 countries. Some people call it their "volunteer vacation." Some projects are for a week only and some are for two and three week service-learning programs. Global Volunteers has been around for 25 years. They are based out of St. Paul, MN. Their mission is to, "Wage peace throughout the world by helping to establish mutual understanding between people of diverse cultures through short-term volunteers." http://www.globalvolunteers.org/
In my email interview, I asked about single travelers. They said this type of volunteer is common. You will meet people who share the same interests as you. Most volunteers with Global Volunteers are solo travelers. I asked if there wer opportunities right in the United States and was very surprised with the answer. There are opportunities in Montana, West Virginia and right here in Minnesota. I was interested in the Minnesota program, so I asked more about it. It turns out it is in Austin and Worthington, MN. You would help immigrants in these farming communities. Hormel foundation in Austin, also assists with funding. You might help with teaching basic English, taking care of children, teaching internet skills, helping with landscaping. It all depends on what they need. You might even get to build a playground. You stay in apartments or cabins and share your room with other volunteers. You eat your meals with other volunteers. You pay for expenses. The costs pays for their food, lodging, transportation and administrative costs. You can deduct these expenses from your taxes. The costs range from 50.00 to 3,000.00 depending on where you are going. Global Volunteers is an accredited charity, they use 97% of all funding from the tax deductible service program fees.
"Be part of the solution, not part of the problem"
“Dear fellow volunteers: I was curious about the true value of my Global Volunteers tax deduction, so I prepared my individual taxes this year both with the Global Volunteers charitable deduction and without. I realized that deducting the program fee, airfare, travel insurance and visa would net me almost $1,500 more than without that deduction! I always heard about the value of the tax deduction, but I really didn’t think seriously about it until I analyzed it this way myself. I’m looking forward to using the refund for my next service program this year. It’s like recycled money! I’m off to China again in a few weeks. Can’t wait!"
- Esther Schak
Since I was interested in the migrant population of Latinos to Minnesota, I found a recipe that my grandparents had saved. They used to live in Colorado and their neighbors wer Hispanic. They often would have dinner with them. Here is one of her original recipes:
Sopa (Bread Pudding) by Francis Tafoya
10 slices of toast (white bread)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 longhorn cheese
cinnamon
1/4 cup nuts (pecans)
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
Place broken slices of toast into 9x9 dish, add thin sliced cheese, rasins, nuts, cinnamon. Place sugar in pan on low heat; let turn brown, add water boil until dissolved (syrupy). Pour on top of mixture; cover with foil. Place in oven and simmer for 1/2 hour. More cheese may be added.
You Tube Video Sites:
- Esther Schak
Since I was interested in the migrant population of Latinos to Minnesota, I found a recipe that my grandparents had saved. They used to live in Colorado and their neighbors wer Hispanic. They often would have dinner with them. Here is one of her original recipes:
Sopa (Bread Pudding) by Francis Tafoya
10 slices of toast (white bread)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 longhorn cheese
cinnamon
1/4 cup nuts (pecans)
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
Place broken slices of toast into 9x9 dish, add thin sliced cheese, rasins, nuts, cinnamon. Place sugar in pan on low heat; let turn brown, add water boil until dissolved (syrupy). Pour on top of mixture; cover with foil. Place in oven and simmer for 1/2 hour. More cheese may be added.
You Tube Video Sites:
