Single Day Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to full case placement opportunities, Catholic Charities also seeks volunteers to support single-day events such as our Community Legal Clinics (CLC) throughout the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley and our Immigration Court Helpdesk Project in downtown Manhattan.
Community Legal Clinics are single-day general immigration legal screening clinics designed to provide remote New York communities with access to legal information, brief services, including on site application assistance for those who qualify, and referrals for representation.
At a CLC, which takes place at local safe spaces such as schools, churches, and community centers, one Catholic Charities attorney supervises four Pro Bono Volunteer Advocates to offer comprehensive legal consultations and immigration application assistance. The use of volunteers is critical. Your participation allows us to serve 80-130 immigrants per clinic in just a 7-hour day!
This innovative program leverages the expertise of Catholic Charities immigration attorneys and our trusted name to bring services not otherwise available to remote immigrant communities. To date, Catholic Charities has hosted more than 15 such clinics, serving more than 1500 immigrants, throughout the state in locations such as Harlem, Port Chester, Poughkeepsie, Spring Valley, Newburgh, Kingston, Peekskill, Monticello and more.
The Immigration Court Helpdesk (ICH) provides general immigration legal screenings, access to legal information and referrals to immigrants without representation who have cases in Immigration Court. Catholic Charities staffs the helpdesk 10 days per month at the New York Immigration Court. ICH uses volunteers both as screeners of potential clients and as interpreters. In addition, Catholic Charities hosts a monthly self-help workshop for immigrants seeking to complete and file pro se asylum applications, as well as other court required motions, at our downtown Manhattan office. ICH provides crucial assistance to immigrants with cases in immigration court who might not otherwise be able to access legal assistance.
Learn more about these opportunities and register by visiting our calendar!