A Letter from Sara Nathan, AMIGOS President & CEO, on our 57th Summer

 

 

August 26, 2021

Our 57th summer has now come to a close and I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished. 415 volunteers stepped up to make a difference in their communities. Online and in-person, they collaborated with peers from across the Americas, explored issues they care about, and developed their personal leadership skills.

During a tremendously challenging year, I remain filled with hope. As AMIGOS has proven over more than five decades, young people have incredible capacity to make an impact on their world. AMIGOS is here to show them how.

The AMIGOS impact is so powerful because it endures.  

“This AMIGOS project was a continuous learning and growing experience. I learned a lot about myself as well as how to improve as a leader and, more importantly, how to humbly serve others. These are lessons and experiences that I will use for the rest of my life.”
–Cellestine H.

“I think that having a global perspective and interacting with people from around the world lets us see the potential of humanity.”
–Elaine G.

 

“…This program has been great for me, especially during this school year. I think it has been a very stressful year overall and having this class to look forward to at the end of the day has definitely been one of the highlights. I really do enjoy holding conversations with my Brazilian peers and having cultural exchanges because I feel like it’s made me more aware of how life is outside the U.S.”
–Emily N.

 

This year, our team:

• Redesigned programs to meet health and safety concerns around COVID-19
• Updated training curriculum to include modules on race, privilege, ethical service, and design thinking
• Piloted a partnership with the Houston Independent School District and the Brazilian Consulate in Houston to run a virtual service and immersion program for high school students in Houston, Texas and Belo Jardim, Brazil
• Launched our first-ever U.S.-based Summer Program in Colorado
• Designed the inaugural Social Impact Accelerator, a virtual program for recent alumni to implement a service project in their home communities.

 

These 415 volunteers could not have done this without you. You rose to the challenge and helped AMIGOS remain strong. Thank you so much for being a part of the AMIGOS family.

Warmly,
Sara