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American Friendship Partners
And Volunteers
There are a variety of opportunities for ISI Volunteers to help international students. One is to become a Friendship Partner, or to volunteer in one of the many areas that we are have needs in.
FRIENDSHIP PARTNERS
Friendship Partners are American families, single persons or college students who volunteer to befriend an international student. Friendship Partners can offer international students experiences of a lifetime, by including them in their home for meals, including them in their favorite sports, arts, religious and cultural events, as well as celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings.
Students want to experience what American life is like. We can do that just by involving them in many of our everyday activities. We can also be a family away from family through our love, support and friendship.
As one Friendship Partner said, "When international students arrive, everything is new. They need someone to prepare them for how things are done, how we think, and the easiest ways to adjust to our culture. They need someone who is truly going to be their friend." You can be a Friendship Partner and be that friend to them!
International students aren't the only ones at the receiving end of this relationship. Friendship Partners, by their interaction with international students, receive cultural experiences which enrich their lives. Many become lifelong friends with their international students.
Volunteers can help in many other important ways as well! Please see how you can help:
FRIENDSHIP PARTNERS
Friendship Partners are American families, single persons or college students who volunteer to befriend an international student. Friendship Partners can offer international students experiences of a lifetime, by including them in their home for meals, including them in their favorite sports, arts, religious and cultural events, as well as celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings.
Students want to experience what American life is like. We can do that just by involving them in many of our everyday activities. We can also be a family away from family through our love, support and friendship.
As one Friendship Partner said, "When international students arrive, everything is new. They need someone to prepare them for how things are done, how we think, and the easiest ways to adjust to our culture. They need someone who is truly going to be their friend." You can be a Friendship Partner and be that friend to them!
International students aren't the only ones at the receiving end of this relationship. Friendship Partners, by their interaction with international students, receive cultural experiences which enrich their lives. Many become lifelong friends with their international students.
Volunteers can help in many other important ways as well! Please see how you can help:
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Annual Garage Giveaway
Each August ISI has a Garage Giveaway for new students where we provide needed items for students' apartment or living situations - beds desks, chairs, and lamps. These items are donated by individuals all over the Kansas City area. We also try to help students with these items throughout the year as they come available. We need LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS!
We need donated items for the Giveaway
We need help collecting furniture
We need help setting up and organizing the Giveaway two and half days before it
We need help the day of the Giveaway helping load and transporting items back to the student’s living situations
We need people with trucks and vans to help with transporting items.
**We always need lots of help with big City-wide events - setup, food, and cleanup.
**Transportation of students to City-wide events, trips, retreats, conferences, and other events.
**We need people to help with the Walmart Trips that help the students get groceries and other needed items.
**Help with Airport Pickups of students and scholars arriving to the US for the first time.
**We need women to help with the International Wives Connection.
**Help with our International Student Fellowship (ISF) Home Groups
**Meeting with a student/scholar or international wife on a weekly basis for English conversation practice. This can be very helpful to the student and gives a great opportunity to build a good relationship with them. Help a student by volunteering with one of the university or college’s Intensive English
Programs (IEP).
If you are interested in being a Ministry volunteer (Ministry Partner) in some way or an American Friendship Partner please contact Carol Douglass
All Friendship Partners and most volunteers must fill out a Ministry Partner Application and need to go through our ISI Ministry Partner Training. The training is 3 1/2 hours. The cost is $25 per family unit. We do many trainings throughout the year and on Zoom. Contact Carol Douglass for an application.
Investing financially in the ministry is another very important way you can be a part of what we are doing. As a non-profit everything we do is dependent on those that believe in what we are doing and will invest financially to make it possible.
Each August ISI has a Garage Giveaway for new students where we provide needed items for students' apartment or living situations - beds desks, chairs, and lamps. These items are donated by individuals all over the Kansas City area. We also try to help students with these items throughout the year as they come available. We need LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS!
We need donated items for the Giveaway
We need help collecting furniture
We need help setting up and organizing the Giveaway two and half days before it
We need help the day of the Giveaway helping load and transporting items back to the student’s living situations
We need people with trucks and vans to help with transporting items.
**We always need lots of help with big City-wide events - setup, food, and cleanup.
**Transportation of students to City-wide events, trips, retreats, conferences, and other events.
**We need people to help with the Walmart Trips that help the students get groceries and other needed items.
**Help with Airport Pickups of students and scholars arriving to the US for the first time.
**We need women to help with the International Wives Connection.
**Help with our International Student Fellowship (ISF) Home Groups
**Meeting with a student/scholar or international wife on a weekly basis for English conversation practice. This can be very helpful to the student and gives a great opportunity to build a good relationship with them. Help a student by volunteering with one of the university or college’s Intensive English
Programs (IEP).
If you are interested in being a Ministry volunteer (Ministry Partner) in some way or an American Friendship Partner please contact Carol Douglass
All Friendship Partners and most volunteers must fill out a Ministry Partner Application and need to go through our ISI Ministry Partner Training. The training is 3 1/2 hours. The cost is $25 per family unit. We do many trainings throughout the year and on Zoom. Contact Carol Douglass for an application.
Investing financially in the ministry is another very important way you can be a part of what we are doing. As a non-profit everything we do is dependent on those that believe in what we are doing and will invest financially to make it possible.