Casa Central

Since I got back to Chicago on Monday, I have been relatively busy--sending in applications, meeting with some great contacts, making phone calls--and have not had as much internet time as usual. But I'm determined not to let my blog suffer from our lack of home internet access, so I stopped by the library on my walk home from an interview, even though I really wanted to go home and get a snack! 

Yesterday I had a meeting with a woman in  Resource Development at Casa Central, a Hispanic social services agency that I am going to begin volunteering with. Since I got to Chicago I have been looking for volunteer opportunities, especially ones that would combine my interest in working with children and my Spanish language ability. I haven't really had the opportunity to practice speaking since I got back from abroad--I didn't take a Spanish class last semester :( -- and I really don't want to lose it. I stumbled upon Casa Central in my internet research, and after my meeting yesterday, I'm shocked that it took me so long to find. It's an amazing organization, with dozens of programs, serving all levels of the Hispanic community. 

I am going to be helping out with their Adult Wellness Center, which is a program for seniors that goes on every day from 9 am to 3 pm. At the Center, the seniors are provided with breakfast, lunch, and snack, and take part in arts and crafts, as well as aerobics. It seems like a great opportunity for elderly members of the Hispanic community to get together and to stay active and healthy, in both body and mind. I'm going to be helping out there, talking with the seniors and helping organize the activities. 

 

On the flip side, it's great because I will get to practice my Spanish. Initially, I thought that I'd like to work with kids, but the woman I met with made a good point--the kids mostly speak English. She assured me that if Spanish practice was something I wanted, that I would get much more working with the adults. She also mentioned that a small number of the participants had expressed interest in learning English, and had started a kind of ESL group within the program, working with English-speaking volunteers. When she asked if that was something I might be interested in, I jumped at the chance. 

So if all goes well with my drug test and background check, and as long as I don't have TB, I'll be starting up with Casa when I get back from Montana with my family. Who knows, maybe the volunteer role could turn into a staff position with them; they have a newsletter, and a website, and have to write grants, and I'm sure they could always use more PR and outreach.