I want to help. How can I?
Are there curriculum resources to help teachers?
My school would like to raise money for Bahia Street. Can we? What are the best ways to do so?
I would like to donate books, clothes, or other things to Bahia Street girls. May I?
Are there employment opportunities at Bahia Street in Seattle or London?
Are there employment opportunities at the Bahia Street Center in Salvador, Brazil?
Can you recommend any other groups that do similar work to Bahia Street in Brazil?
Can individuals or tour groups arrange to visit the Bahia Street Center?
I want to help. How can I?
Bahia Street is run through incredible support of interns and volunteers, and we welcome more help from new people wanting to join our community. The best way to help is to send us an email telling us about yourself and what your talents and interests are. Most people help by getting involved in the organization of events, which typically take place three or four times a year. Others help by leading fundraising efforts or donating their talents in some other way. Start by letting us know more about you, and we’ll follow up the discussion from there.
Are there curriculum resources to help teachers?
Yes, we have started to gather teaching resources to be used by teachers and students. Our Multimedia and Learning page on our website lists all of our available resources, and we are gathering more all the time. Teachers are welcome to send us their ideas or curriculum that they have developed for us to integrate into the resources we make available on our website.
My school would like to raise money for Bahia Street. What are the best ways to do so?
Yes, absolutely! Bahia Street is honored to receive the support of school groups and students. One way for kids to act on what they learn is to raise money to help people in another part of the world. Every bit helps, too. There isn’t a minimum amount that kids must raise in order to make a difference.
We recommend that teachers or parents start with our curricular resources, listed on the Multimedia and Learning page on our website. This provides some background on why we do what we do.
In the past, schools have raised money through a variety of ways:
Penny drives: A school in Seattle raised over $1,000 through their annual coin collection drive.
Music and dance events: Particularly for older students, Brazilian music lends itself to a fun party. Charge something at the door, and funds can be raised by having a good time.
Sales: Volunteers have held yard sales, bake sales, and car washes. One university group held a textbook drive, selling their used textbooks to other students and donating the money to Bahia Street.
I would like to donate books, clothes or other things to Bahia Street girls. May I?
Yes and no– it depends. We have conducted book drives in the past, and the English language library at the Center now has plenty of books. You are welcome you to let us know about books that you may have, but please remember that all book donations need to be brought down to Brazil, and we have limited opportunities in which to do this. Portuguese books are always welcome.
We do not take donations of clothes, and there are several reasons for this. Girls in Brazil are very stylish and would much prefer local clothes over our hand-me-downs. It is also safer for them to wear locally-bought clothes since donated clothes highlight them as possibly having a benefactor somewhere, and they might be targeted for robbery if this is thought to be the case. And lastly, we believe that we will make a more sustained impact on poverty in Salvador if we buy everything needed at the Center locally within their economy. Rita does buy clothes for girls if needed—and she certainly buys Capoeira uniforms and school uniforms—but she does so buy purchasing from small, family-owned businesses that rely on the local economy. In this way, our funds help many more people than just the girls that we serve directly.
We do accept donations of art supplies and other educational resources that would be useful in Brazil. We are particularly interested in games and teaching resources that teach math and science.
Are there employment opportunities at Bahia Street in Seattle or London?
No. Bahia Street is a small non-profit run in the U.S. by two part-time staff members and numerous interns and volunteers. We do not have funding to expand our staff. In London, our office is run entirely by volunteer board members; there is no paid staff in the U.K. We welcome individuals interested in employment to consider volunteering with us.
Are there employment opportunities at the Bahia Street Center in Salvador, Brazil?
No, we don’t have any paid employment opportunities at the Bahia Street Center in Salvador. Our entire program is based on the belief that local people are the best people to work for local solutions. All of the leaders and staff members at the Bahia Street Center are from the communities they serve. The only exception are the volunteer English teachers. We recognize that many people want to work at the Center and get involved in a grassroots effort that addresses the poverty in Salvador. We recommend our volunteer programs to those who would like to gain firsthand experience with Bahia Street and Salvador.
Can you recommend any other groups that do similar work to Bahia Street in Brazil?
Yes. Please refer to the following websites:
Can individuals or private groups arrange to visit the Bahia Street Center?
Yes. Please contact Bahia Street at info@bahiastreet.org.
