HOW TO APPLY

AMIGOS gives you an exciting chance to have an adventure and explore the world outside of a classroom. You will live in a new country with a host family and work on sustainable community service projects. These experiences prepare you for your future, improve your Spanish, and build your confidence. You develop leadership skills that will set you apart in college and throughout your career. With AMIGOS, you will learn about the world by living in it. Click here to explore our Summer Programs.

 

READY TO APPLY?

The deadline to apply to the local San Francisco-North Bay Chapter of AMIGOS has passed. We are still accepting applications through our National Chapter! You can learn more about the National Chapter here.

 

CONTACT

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Krista Boscoe at [email protected].

ABOUT

The AMIGOS San Francisco-North Bay Chapter is part of a 13 Chapter Network that recruits, trains, and supports AMIGOS volunteers and families in their local community. Volunteers from San Francisco 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. Learn more about our Summer Programs here!

San Francisco-North Bay Chapter Summer 2022 volunteers!
History

Since the San Francisco-North Bay Chapter’s incorporation in 2013, over 150 youth from San Francisco and its surrounding suburbs have volunteered through the chapter path, fundraising and training locally before the summer.

 

Current Volunteers

San Francisco-North Bay Chapter volunteers attend Lowell High School, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, San Francisco University High School, School of the Arts, San Francisco Waldorf School, and many more!

 

OUR CHAPTER’S IDENTITY

The San Francisco-North Bay Chapter seeks to embody our city and its communities. We’ve identified the following values as central to our chapter identity:
SF AMIGOS Values

FEES & FUNDING

The family fee to participate in an AMIGOS Summer Program in the San Francisco-North Bay Chapter varies by project.* Please see the Fees section to the right to review pricing.

The San Francisco-North Bay Chapter covers AMIGOS program costs through a combination of family fee payments and fundraising activities. We also offer financial assistance (details below). The San Francisco-North Bay Chapter engages in a significant fundraising campaign to help support families, and especially seeks to provide the AMIGOS experience to all volunteers without regard to family financial circumstances.

The fundraising proceeds are pooled between all chapter families as a group through a letter writing campaign. Thus, the targeted fundraising amount will vary by year, depending on the number of volunteers and the needed amount of financial assistance. All volunteers are required to fully take part in fundraising, which is an important component of the pre-summer training program. The chapter provides significant support to students and families throughout the fundraising process.

 

LETTER WRITING

Each volunteer is required to send out a combination of 100 letters and emails to friends and family, to request individual tax-deductible donations (the revenue from this effort is pooled). Letters are written by the student with considerable help provided by the chapter during the process. The campaign will take place between February and April 2023. Please note that stamps are not an expense that is covered by the chapter.

To see some of our fundraising efforts from last year, check out our Summer 2022 CauseVox Campaign here.

 

Additional funding opportunities

All alumni interested in volunteering again with AMIGOS qualify to apply for the Alumni Award.

FEES

Non-Refundable Application Fee: $50

Summer program family fees vary by project length:

  • 2-week projects: $3,175
  • 3-week projects: $4,375
  • 4-week projects: $4,675
  • 6-week projects: $4,875

*Flight costs are not included. Learn more about airfare and travel support here.

FEES INCLUDE

  • Training materials and workshops
  • Secondary short-term international medical insurance
  • Program excursions
  • Food, lodging, and transportation in Latin America
  • Supplies for community project and extracurricular activities
  • 24-hour On Call Emergency Management System
  • Travel hotline and support

Click here for more information about our Fees & Funding.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

It is our mission to support every student that wants to participate in AMIGOS, regardless of family income. We offer a range of financial assistance packages on a case-by-case basis and encourage you to apply and work with us to find a price point that works best for your family.

 

Family Income (AGI) Expected Family Fee
$0-49,999 $450-1,099
$50,000-99,999 $1,100-2,199
$100,000-149,999 $2,200-3,299
$150,000-199,999 $3,300-Full Family Fee

 

While this income scale represents a potential range for family fee, each financial assistance application is reviewed for special circumstances that may not be represented in family income. Our goal is to make the Amigos program as accessible as possible.

Financial assistance applications are reviewed on a rolling basis starting in December until the deadline. The Financial Assistance Application is a separate application available to complete through your dashboard. Apply here! Please contact the Chapter Treasurer at [email protected] for more information.

TRAINING

The transformative AMIGOS experience starts before leaving home.

With over 55 years of experience preparing young people for travel and service abroad, AMIGOS training offers unparalleled global youth leadership development. Pre-departure training equips volunteers with the critical thinking, communication skills, and technical knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact across cultures while staying healthy and safe. The San Francisco Chapter AMIGOS training is youth-led, experiential learning that prepares volunteers for their AMIGOS experience, builds a community of youth and families with shared values, and develops life-skills to help students succeed beyond AMIGOS. Training sessions are facilitated by the Training Team and include guest speakers from the community and the San Francisco-North Bay Chapter Board of Directors.

Volunteers learning about the AMIGOS vision and mission.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM 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
TRAINING CALENDAR

 

Sunday, February 12th (1-4pm)
Optional Fundraising Presentation for Parents at 3:30
Location: Mill Valley Community Center

 

Sunday, February 26th (11-1pm)
Location: Sports Basement Presidio

 

Saturday, March 4th (8-11am)
Service Day: Families welcome, students get first priority (RSVP by 2/26)
Location: SF Food Bank Illinois Warehouse (30 spots)

 

Sunday, March 12th (1-4pm)
Location: Elks Lodge San Rafael

 

Saturday, March 18th-Sunday March 19th (3pm Saturday – 12pm Sunday)
Overnight
Location: Point Bonita YMCA

 

Sunday, April 16th (1-4pm)
Location: Elks Lodge San Rafael

 

Sunday, April 30th (1-4pm)
Location: Sports Basement Stonestown

 

Saturday, May 6th (8-11am)
Service Day: Families welcome, students get first priority (RSVP by 4/16)
Location: SF Food Bank Illinois Warehouse

 

Sunday, May 14th (1-3:30pm)
Goodbye Party: Family and friends welcome!
Location: TBD

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lucy Schaefer
President
[email protected]
Bill Rusitzky
Treasurer
[email protected]
Tenaya Martinez-Smith
Secretary
Jody LeWitter
Financial Assistance Committee
Andrea Richerson
At-Large
Krista Boscoe
Recruitment and Training
[email protected]
Charlotte Doughty
Recruitment and Training
[email protected]
San Francisco-North Bay Chapter board members, alumni, and friends!

TESTIMONIALS