Community
The San Antonio MVS house is currently located on the south side of the city, in the historic King William District. The surrounding neighborhood is full of friendly Texans, and is a great place to take walks, whether it is a few blocks to get to the River Walk, or a 15-minute jaunt into the heart of downtown.
Participants are expected to attend church three Sundays per month, and otherwise be open to getting to know the church community. Since the church is only two blocks from the house, it is easy to be involved in activities like community gardening and church social events.
Social justice issues such as immigration, education, and economic inequality are close to the heart of the congregation. We welcome MVSers who want to live intentionally and thoughtfully day-to-day in community with each other, the church, and our south Texas border town.
Service
Our volunteers work at nonprofits surrounding downtown and are depended on to fill roles supporting the larger community. We have several placements that aid the refugee and immigrant communities, and several more that help by administering services and teaching. We welcome volunteers who have a heart for people and who embrace new responsibilities. Spanish-language skills are helpful but not required for all positions.
We have established lasting relationships with several local organizations, including RAICES, a law firm where our volunteers assist with refugee and immigration cases and Catholic Charities, a health and human services organization where our volunteers have assisted in the refugee, after-school, and homeless programs. In addition, we currently have partnerships with Guadalupe Street Coffee Shop (Baptist Child Family Services) and Daughters of Charity preschool.
Volunteers can get to their placements using San Antonio's bus system, bikes, or carpooling, and are expected to be an integral part of their work team.