Marie Kessler serving with No More Death. Photo by Brandon Wert
Tucson
PROGRAM OR PARTNER
Tucson Borderlands Young Adult Volunteer Site
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Tucson Borderlands site offers an opportunity to experience and explore the call of the gospel in the social and political realities of the U.S./Mexico border region. Our placements serve the program needs of churches, agencies and programs and address the social and economic consequences of global and free trade policies.
PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- Borderlinks: Volunteers serve as delegation leaders, facilitating educational immersion experiences of the border region in both the U. S. and Mexico.
- Southside Presbyterian Church: Volunteers are invited to explore a wide range of social justice initiatives carried out by this multicultural, progressive congregation. Emphasis has been on assisting / organizing their Worker Justice Ministry serving documented and undocumented workers.
- Tucson Community Food Bank: Volunteers work in the Food Securities Division of the Food Bank and are invited to explore their calling to community education, organic gardening, community outreach, advocacy of secure food systems and farmer’s market activities.
- Community Home Repair Project of Arizona (CHRPA): Volunteers work closely with Mennonite volunteers and staff to provide free home repair to fixed income and working poor residents of the Tucson valley.
- Frontera de Cristo: Volunteers live in Agua Prieta Mexico and work extensively with Protestants, Catholics and people of good will in the United States and Mexico to provide direct humanitarian assistance to deportees returned to Mexico by the Border Patrol.
- Primavera Foundation: Volunteers work in a variety of positions ranging from case management, to homelessness prevention and advocacy. Primavera's first mission is to preventing and ending homelessness. Primavera also provides immediate services such as referrals social services and emergency shelter.
- Cascabel Arizona: Volunteers live and work with in a diverse community of ranchers, gardeners, land redemption advocates and conservation minded rural residents in the wild and scenic San Pedro River Valley, 75 miles East of Tucson.
- Gila Crossing Youth Ministry: Two volunteers will live and work on the Gila River Nation working closely with the Gila Crossing Congregation to further children's and youth outreach programs. A desire and willingness to live and work within a Native American context and be guided by mentors are high priorities for volunteers.
HOUSING
Tucson volunteers live together in a rented house and are invited to explore biking and public transportation options during their year of service.
INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY ASPECTS
Volunteers participate in the Volunteers Exploring Vocation curriculum, an 16-session process of spiritual direction and vocational discernment as well as one on one spiritual direction and regular meetings with the site coordinator. Weekly house meetings include book studies and discussion of house business and projects.
REQUIREMENTS
Age: 20-29
Education: college desirable
Other: Spanish is a big help in all the placements and a requirement for placements at Borderlinks, Frontera de Cristo and Southside Presbyterian Church.
SITE COORDINATOR
The Rev. Brandon Wert
