Resident Volunteers
Special Appeal: Support Our Thriving Resident Volunteer Program
We are reaching out with an exciting development that has grown so large that we need your help to carry it forward. We are at a critical point where this essential work can only continue with your support.
“Our work with residents speaks for itself. It is something we have given ourselves over to, as part of our ministry of presence. We currently have a 70,000€ budget for our Resident Volunteers in 2024. We’ve grown to the point where this will be an important legacy of Eurorelief inside camp. Never before have we partnered with residents in this capacity, and far-stretching impact is felt by everyone,” shares Rob, our Field Coordinator.
Biniamin from Eritrea, one of our resident volunteers, says, “When I started to help Eurorelief, I was happy.”
Our resident volunteer program provides a valuable way for over 100 residents to grow and be in community while volunteering their time and skills. Many of these volunteer positions are skilled professions that our international volunteers could not fill, but because resident volunteers generously give their time and skill to help, they dramatically increase our capacity to serve in the camp while also making a difference in the lives of their fellow residents.
Every day, we have nearly as many resident volunteers as international volunteers. That means that a lot of what Eurorelief does in the camp would be impossible without the refugees who serve shoulder to shoulder with us daily. On Lesvos, we have over 100 Resident Volunteers in our program and are trying to grow our Resident Volunteer team on Samos. Monthly, we provide each Resident Volunteer with a grocery voucher, phone credit, a hygiene distribution from our warehouse, and a separate clothing distribution from our warehouse as a thank you for their help. The average to maintain the program amounts to about €80 per resident volunteer per month.
Please help us reach our €70,000 budget goal by July 1, 2024. Your support will enable us to continue empowering residents, fostering community, and providing essential services in the camp.
