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Albuquerque, a city of 600,000, is located in the
shadow of the Sandia Mountains. Although the
Anszasi, ancestors of today's Pueblo Indians,
settled the area nearly 1,000 years ago, Albuquerque
was founded by Spanish and Mexican settlers in 1706
and absorbed into the United States in 1846.
It is the site of large research laboratories and
computer-related industries. Mennonites have
lived in the city since the 1940s. The Albuquerque
Service Adventure unit began in August 1998 and is
sponsored by Albuquerque Mennonite Church.
The Center for Action and Contemplation is a non-profit organization in Albuquerque's South Valley neighborhood that was started in 1987 by Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest. The CAC's mission is to create a place of teaching and action for non-violent, faith-based social change. This placement would include a heavy load of computer work, much of which would be creative computer design work. There would be opportunities to design covers for new CDs, put together posters and flyers, and work on behind the scenes pieces for conferences and workshops. A strong knowledge of computers and at least a basic understanding of graphic design work would be important, but there are many opportunities to learn and a mastery of computers and graphic design is neither expected or necessary.
Bandelier Elementary School serves
a large and diverse student population in the Albuquerque
metropolitan area. The educational assistant works
in a local elementary school (within walking distance
from unit house) helping teachers and staff in a variety
of ways. In particular the E.A. will work in the Title
One Homeless Project classroom, which in addition
to classes during regular school hours provides after-school
tutoring, meals, clothes & other resources to
area homeless/transient children. Other duties
may include clerical work in the office, monitoring
recess, or assisting the librarian or individual teachers
in the classroom. (full-time)
St. Martin's Hospitality Center provides short-term, case management-oriented housing for homeless who are severely mentally ill or have substance abuse issues. The homeless aide works in all aspects of services to the homeless, including meal preparation, clothing and shower supply distribution, helping out at the front desk, mail distribution, and janitorial work. Because a large number of the residents are male, a male in this position would be preferred.
The Center for Action and Contemplation is a non-profit organization in Albuquerque's South Valley neighborhood that was started in 1987 by Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest. The CAC's mission is to create a place of teaching and action for non-violent, faith-based social change. One important part of this mission is a series of organic gardens on the site of the CAC. A placement working with this part of the CAC would include working closely with Chuck O'Herron-Alex, the organic gardener of the CAC, and a member of Albuquerque Mennonite Church, on all aspects of the grounds and maintenance which includes lots of growing of vegetables all year round, as well as common yard work and maintenance tasks like mowing the lawn, weeding the flowers, fixing toilets and doing the recycling. Another large aspect of this placement would be working with the CAC's HomeGrown Nutrition Program, which is a project to get 4'by4' gardens into the homes of low income people both on the border with Mexico as well as in Albuquerque. This project includes trips to Juarez, Mexico to plant new gardens as well as maintain the old ones along with various trips around the city to put in new gardens and teach about them.
ReStore, a part of Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity, sells new and used building materials at a discount price. The monies earned from these sales go towards new homes for families. The participant placed here will be asked to assist customers in the store, clean appliances and other goods donated to ReStore, assist in organizing and maintaining order within the store (as the quantity and type of goods are always changing), ride with the ReStore donation truck a couple days per week to pick up donated items from residents of Albuquerque and the surrounding area. Opportunities for office work, computer work, new home construction, and general work are available depending on the interests and abilities of the participant.
A New Day is a social service agency that seeks to provide refuge, education, prevention, intervention and treatment services to youth, ages 12-18, who are at risk in the community. A New Day offers a variety of services, including a shelter for youth, case management and tutoring within middle schools. The paraprofessional is under the direct supervision of a case manager and assists the case manager in providing and coordinating basic human services for clients and their families. Ability to speak Spanish a plus. (full-time)
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