Volunteer Basics
Yes! There are several ways folks who live abroad can get involved. Many outside penpals who live abroad choose to use digital mail (ex. JPay or Securus) to connect with their penpals online, but you can also explore other options with a penpal, such as buying international stamps or pairing up with someone in the US who can receive your physical mail for you.
If you are interested but have questions on specifics, feel free to send us an email!
Great question! The best way to find an upcoming orientation is to check out our Calendar page. If you check the Calendar and still have questions, please send us an email at [email protected].
The first step to becoming a volunteer is filling out our volunteer interest form. From there, you should automatically receive a follow up email that includes details on how to join a New Penpal Volunteer Orientation, which we strive to host at least once a month. If those times do not work for you, you can email us at [email protected] and we can find an alternative arrangement.
At the orientation, we go over basics of the organization and the logistics of being a penpal and answer any questions folks have. From there, you’ll be able to be matched with your penpal(s)!
There are many ways to volunteer other than being a penpal. You can learn more on the Working Groups page.
Yes! We are receiving new requests from community members on the inside for penpals everyday, so we are always looking for more penpals. We’re also always looking for more folks to volunteer more with the collective, such as with running orientations or helping maintain some of our backend systems. You can learn more about that on our Working Groups page.