Opportunities From: Montgomery County Volunteer Center

Opportunity Title: Translation Support (Farsi to English and English to Farsi)

Opportunity Description: We are looking for translation assistance of personal documents from a client to be included in an upcoming filing on their behalf. The translation from Farsi to English will need to include a certificate of translation and will be included in the asylum filing with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS does not require you to be a certified translator, but you do have to be fluent in both languages and competent to translate the document.

Department/Individuals Assisting: Ayuda Legal Department –Maryland Immigration team

# of Volunteers Requesting: We are looking for a 1 volunteer to assist with this opportunity

Responsibilities:
• Translating multiple letters of support from Farsi to English
• Sending completed translations to our MD-IMM team for final review before being provided to clients/included in application

Opportunity Qualifications:
Required:
o Aged 18+ or older
o Bilingual abilities/English – Farsi fluency
o Computer Literacy/Experience with Microsoft Word
o Polite, courteous, and a positive disposition
o Ability to communicate well with others
o Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
o Organized, timely, and able to meet deadlines

Preferred:
o Some experience in translation work
o Previous experience working to assist low-income individuals, immigrants, refugees, or survivors of domestic abuse/sexual assault/trauma
o Passionate about serving asylum seekers

Commitment: Documents requesting translation of will be shared via email with volunteer who can then complete them on their own time and remotely. It is multiple short letters of only a few pages, although hand-written. We expect to have translation needs in this language up until the hearing in early December.

Technology Needed: The following technology will be needed for this opportunity and not provided by Ayuda

• Computer/Laptop with access to Microsoft Word
• If you would like to do this entirely remotely, you will need to either print, sign, and scan the certificate of translation, or take a photo of your wet ink signature and add it to the certificate of translation using a pdf editor.

Sign Up/Application: To help with this opportunity and completion of translation for our MD-IMM team, please sign up for our opportunity here!

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please don’t hesitate to reach out to him at volunteers@ayuda.com.

Not approved for MCPS SSL hours.

At Ayuda, we aim to maximize our impact by creatively engaging the community in seasonal in-kind donation drives that directly support our clients. Whether it's backpacks and school supplies at the start of the school year, toys and winterwear during the holidays, or essential items like female hygiene products and WIC supplies for International Women’s Month and Mother’s Day, we strive to go above and beyond for those we serve.

As we approach the end of the year, we’re excited to launch our 2025 Holiday Toy Drive! We’re collecting new toys, games, and gadgets to wrap and distribute to our young clients and families across our offices in Virginia, DC, and Maryland.

The joy of a parent being able to give their child a brand-new gift during the holidays is unmatched.

In a time when inflation is high and budgets are tight, this campaign is especially meaningful for the families we support, including newly arrived immigrants. We aim to provide hundreds of toys for children of all ages across our three offices. We’ll need your help to collect, wrap, and distribute these gifts, ensuring that this holiday season is a joyful one for our clients!

In-kind donations to Ayuda are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donors are responsible for determining the fair market value of their donated items. Ayuda does not assign a monetary value to in-kind donations. Please retain your receipt for tax purposes. Ayuda’s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1136608.

Ways to Get Involved & Requirements:
Purchase New Holiday Toys
• Purchase toys via our Amazon Wishlist – shipped directly to Ayuda’s VA office
• Purchase toys outside of Amazon – drop unwrapped gifts off at Ayuda’s offices
• Note: All toys must be new; we cannot accept used items.
• If delivering in person, please contact our Volunteer Manager to schedule a drop-off.

Not approved for MCPS SSL hours.

Adopt a Family (or multiple!)
• Provide specific gifts requested by a family. Upon signing up, you’ll receive the family’s Wishlist and background information.

Not approved for MCPS SSL hours.

Organize a Donation Drive
• Host a toy drive at your workplace, place of worship, or other community event to benefit our clients.
• Contact our Volunteer Manager for support. We reserve the right to approve donated items to ensure they meet our standards and maintain our clients' dignity.

Not approved for MCPS SSL hours.
Join a Gift-Wrapping Day
• Help wrap and prepare toys as well as write holiday card at our offices.
• While not required, volunteers who can lift up to 10 lbs. are preferred.
• Space is limited, so priority is given to groups, family adopters, and regular volunteers.

Dates & Commitment: If there are any schedule changes, our Volunteer Manager will notify confirmed participants.
• December 10th: Gift Wrapping at our Fairfax, VA Office
• December 11th: Gift Wrapping at our Silver Spring, MD Office
• December 17th: Gift Wrapping at our Washington, DC
• December 17th: LAST DAY WE WILL ACCEPT HOLIDAY TOY DONATIONS

Sign Up: To get involved in our holiday toy drive, please check out our Wishlist here, sign
up to adopt a family here or email our Volunteer Manager here to explore other ways you can get involved.

We look forward to welcoming your support for our campaign and thank you in advance for supporting Ayuda’s mission and the 3,000+ immigrant families we support.