Volunteer

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Our Values

Our Values

Fundavenyc’s “can-do” spirit, camaraderie, and dedication have set our organization apart from the very beginning. From the Directive Committee to new volunteers, we follow three central tenets to effectively create a positive impact in the lives of those we serve.

Leadership

We recognize power skills are critical in empowering our community and developing efficiently. We equip our members with the technical and power skills necessary to ensure a responsible, positive impact.

Solidarity

People remember you not just by what you do, but how you make them feel. Fundavenyc ensures asylum seekers and migrants not only know we are here to support them in achieving their goals, but that they are welcome. We keep empathy and kindness at the forefront with each individual we come into contact with.

Respect

The most basic of our tenants is also the most important. Our diverse volunteer family comes from around the world, with many different experiences and perspectives. Respect is foundational to the deeper connections we create in our community.

Juan Vargas

Juan Vargas

Juan has always been passionate about sports, especially soccer, and has been a soccer director from a young age. After fleeing to Peru to escape political persecution in Venezuela, he became captain of the ANFAP national team.

 

Tragically, Juan lost a limb in an accident in 2021. That alongside xenophobia pushed him to cross the notorious Dairen jungle on crutches to enter the United States in 2022.

 

Juan is now our Soccer Team Director and a Housing Ambassador. He is also part of NYC Football Club’s Metro New York Amputee team.

Watch Juan's Interview

Karla & Ricardo Vargas-Ortiz

Karla & Ricardo Vargas-Ortiz

Karla and Ricardo are the parents of two beautiful children, Miguel and Milan. The Vargas-Ortiz family fled from Venezuela and obtained asylum status in New York. The family of four experienced many challenges, especially inaccessible high rent. We helped Karla apply for her family to NYC Housing Connect 2.0 in December 2020. By June 2021, they received word that their application had been selected for review.

 

After eight months, three rejections, and two appeals, the Vargas-Ortiz family was finally approved for a two-bedroom apartment with a monthly cost of $1,071, <30% of their income. Karla and Ricardo are now volunteers. They have helped over ten families get approved for affordable housing.

Become a Volunteer

"NYC Service sits with deep respect for the work Fundavenyc does – our experiences has been that the entire design is thoughtful and well organized, and appreciate the large volunteer network you've quickly built to support new New Yorkers. It's been amazing to see such a passionate group of people…use peer volunteers to help navigate complex systems and have real impact."

Laura Rog Chief Service Officer, NYC Service
READY TO JOIN

our volunteer family?

Fundavenyc is more than a team – we celebrate unity, warmth, and solidarity. There are many ways to get involved with us, whether you’re an individual or a group looking to make a difference. Long- or short-term, rest assured we you will feel at home in our volunteer family.

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