Greenheart Volunteer Homestay Program
If you're a teen or adult interested in helping others while improving your English and making American friends, you should consider the Greenheart Volunteer Homestay Program. 
The Greenheart Volunteer Homestay Program allows participants to volunteer with environmental, humanitarian or educational organizations while living with an American host family. You should feel comfortable traveling from your home country unaccompanied and be prepared to spend time seeing and experiencing their host community independently. Participants may use public transportation to and from their volunteer project sites.
You can choose the fields in which you are most interested in volunteering including:
| Field |
Sample Projects |
| Environment: |
Nature restoration projects, Community gardens |
| Animal Welfare: |
Animal shelter, Veterinary clinics |
| Education: |
Summer school teacher, Language teacher |
| Social Work: |
Homeless shelter, Food bank, YMCA volunteer |
| Arts/Culture: |
Fair trade, International club, Community Orchestra, Drama and acting camp |
Host families provide accommodation and all meals in the home. The Volunteer Homestay program is most suitable for mature participants as host families are not expected to entertain, and may often be gone during working hours.
"It was a very good program! It allowed me learn a lot about American culture and volunteering. My family was very kind and the volunteering was a very rewarding experience!" -- Jeremy, Greenheart Volunteer Homestay participant with a local food pantry in Pennsylvania
Program Includes
- Room and board with a volunteer American host family (half board during weekdays; full board on weekend)
- Placement with a volunteer organization in the field of: Environment; Animal Welfare; Education; Social Work; Arts/Culture for 10 – 35 hours per week
- Orientation provided by a CCI Local Coordinator
- Support & supervision of a CCI Local Coordinator
- Medical and accident insurance
- Airport transfers to/from nearest airport from homestay community
- Support letter for tourist visa
The program does not include: international airfare and ground transportation; transportation to/from volunteer site/s; lunch on volunteer days; meals and entertainment outside host family home; pocket money for personal use.
Program Requirements
- At least 16 years old
- Able to communicate in English at a basic conversational level
- Mature enough to feel comfortable traveling alone
- Genuinely interested in volunteering
- Be willing to become a member of an American family
Available Destinations
Participants may select three of the seven regions listed in order of preference. Request fulfillment is based upon availability.
- Atlantic Coast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia or Washington D.C.
- Colorado and Plains: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska
- Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin
- Pacific Coast: California, Oregon or Washington
- South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia
- West: Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
- Island: Hawaiian Islands. (Only available September 1 – June 14. Maximum stay is 4 weeks).
Deadlines
Applications are due to CCI 8 weeks prior to requested arrival.
Ready to Apply?
For more information contact eclapp@cci-exchange.org.