The AMIGOS East Bay Chapter is part of a 13 Chapter Network that recruits, trains, and supports AMIGOS volunteers and families in their local community. Volunteers from the East Bay train together as a group before leaving for their summer experience in Latin America. Our board supports volunteers and families with group fundraising, service learning, community building, and overall preparation. Find the most up-to-date information and additional details regarding fees, fundraising, training, and the board at the chapter’s webpage: East Bay - East Bay, CA (amigosinternational.org) 

Training Calendar

• Meeting 1 – Welcome/Intro to AMIGOS
• February 11, 11AM-4PM
• LDS Moraga 3776 Vía Granada, Moraga, CA 94556
•  Meeting 2 – Cultural Humility, Leadership, Packing
• March 11, 10AM-4PM
• LDS Moraga
•  Meeting 3 – Health and Safety
• April 15, 11AM-4PM
• LDS Moraga
• Meeting 4 – Final Training
• May 13, 11AM-4PM
• LDS Moraga
•  Graduation
• May 20, Time TBD
• Newt Hollow Picnic Area – Briones Regional Park 

Highlights of the Training Include

• Unparalleled leadership development
• Cross-cultural awareness and understanding
• Hands-on training for technical aspects of the program
• Extensive health and safety training
• Opportunities to practice Spanish
• Creating a community of young people with shared values 

Fees and Funding

The East Bay Chapter covers AMIGOS program costs through a combination of fundraising and the family fee contribution. All chapter volunteers fundraise to maximize our ability to provide the AMIGOS experience to all interested students, without regard to family financial circumstances. Fundraising activities develop skills that are an important component of the AMIGOS training program and raise awareness of AMIGOS programs in the community. 

Product Sales

East Bay Chapter volunteers raise funds through the sale of products. This effort primarily takes place in November, December and January. Volunteers receive considerable help with regard to sales strategies. Our volunteers will learn how to summarize the AMIGOS story and their passion for their projects – the famous “elevator pitch”. Through product sales training, they will present their story to others eloquently and persuasively to support the efforts of all volunteers. They will use these skills in country as they work together with local leaders and their host community members. The experience gained in this effort build important skills beyond their summer! 

Letter Writting

The ability to compose a persuasive fundraising letter allows our volunteers to raise support to accomplish their projects, not only in their host community, but also in their own communities upon their return home to the U.S. Each volunteer is required to send letters to friends and family to request tax-deductible donations that support AMIGOS projects. The revenue from this effort is pooled. The chapter provides this training for all East Bay Chapter volunteers.