Volunteer With Forai
Fulfill your passion for serving others and loving our refugee neighbors by signing up for the volunteer opportunity that is right for you. From sewing mentors to sales reps, we're always looking for volunteers to support the mission of Forai as we offer dignity, empowerment, and community to vulnerable women!
Urgent Volunteer Opportunities:
- Volunteer Sales Rep (Average 1-2 Saturdays per month for 2-3 hour shifts) Represent refugee artisan-made jewelry and textiles at markets and sales events in the St. Louis area. You will be paired with a seasoned Sales Rep to set up/teardown event sales displays. You will be equipped with everything you need to know to share the Forai story of impact with customers. Would you enjoy chatting with fellow change-makers?
- ESL Tutor (Meet once a week in-person) Meet one-on-one with a refugee artisan as she moves through our ESL curriculum. Learning English is crucial for our artisans to build community, work, and thrive in their new home. Would you enjoy patiently encouraging a refugee as she learns to speak English? *Can be located anywhere.
- Refugee Mentor and Friend (Commit to at least once a month in-person) Build a relationship with one refugee artisan as they move through their resettlement journey in St. Louis. You might help them understand their Forai work assignments, share a meal, or visit a park together. Does offering a friendly face to someone learning a new language and culture excite you? Then we need you to befriend one of our artisans!
Sewing and Jewelry Class Volunteer Opportunities:
- Sewing Class Teachers and Assistants (Wednesday and Thursday mornings, 9 am - 12 pm in the Forai workshop) Offer your sewing and teaching skills to our sewing classes! Help refugee artisans learn our sewing curriculum.
- Sewing Class Kit Prep (Wednesdays 9 am - 12 pm) Compile sewing supply kits for refugee artisans so they can complete their work at home. This might include cutting sewing samples, organizing, etc.
- Jewelry Class Assistants (3rd Saturday of each month, 9:30 am - 12 pm in the Forai workshop)Offer your basic crafting skills to our jewelry classes! Work with refugee artisans one-on-one, help with jewelry check-in and quality control and encourage learning.
- Jewelry Class Kit Prep (3rd Saturday of each month, 9:30 am - 12 pm in the Forai workshop) Compile jewelry supply kits for refugee artisans so they can complete their work at home. This might include prepping jewelry tags, bagging jewelry pieces, etc.
Other Volunteer Opportunities:
- Student Internships 60-120 hours per semester). Would you like your internship to make a difference in the lives of refugees and immigrants? We would love to customize marketing, communications, sales, and nonprofit student internships with you!
- Volunteer at our Annual "Happy Hour and Fundraiser"Assist with silent auction item facilitation, technology, creative collateral, event logistics, and more.
If you have any questions, please email volunteers@forai.org
