HOW TO JOIN

AMIGOS gives you an exciting chance to have an adventure and explore the world outside of a classroom. You will live in a new country with a host family and work on sustainable community service projects. These experiences prepare you for your future, improve your Spanish, and build your confidence. You develop leadership skills that will set you apart in college and throughout your career. With AMIGOS, you will learn about the world by living in it. Click here to explore our Summer Programs.
READY TO APPLY?
  1. Explore our website. Check out our programs and review our admissions requirements. If you want to apply to the Portland Chapter you need to choose a program that is at least 3 weeks long.
  2. Learn more about the Portland Chapter activities by exploring the tabs on this webpage!
  3. Attend an HQ-led online information session.
  4. Attend a Portland Chapter Information Session (see below).
  5. Submit your application (it should take around 30 minutes or less) and pay the $75 application fee to hold your spot. Questions or tech issues? Reach out to our Admissions team at [email protected].

 

Watch the recorded PORTLAND CHAPTER INFORMATION SESSION

Click HERE to learn about AMIGOS programs, Portland Chapter training and fundraising, financial assistance, and the application process!

Questions? Please contact [email protected].

 

Application Deadlines

The deadline for Portland Chapter applications is January 14, 2026.

Missed the local chapter deadline? You can still join us for summer 2026 through the National Chapter! Learn more about how you can complete training virtually by contacting [email protected].

 

Interviews

Once you submit your application, you will be invited to sign up for a family interview that takes place in-person. The interview is an opportunity for you to learn more about AMIGOS and our chapter, and for us to learn more about you! It consists of conversations between chapter representatives, the applicant, and one or more of the applicant’s parents/guardians.

At least one parent or guardian is required to attend, and the interview lasts approximately 1 hour. Interviews will take place December 21, 2025 between 1:00pm-5:30pm and Sunday, January 11, 2026 from 1:30pm-4:30pm.

 

CONTACT

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Kitty Kaping, Portland Chapter Outreach Coordinator [email protected].

ABOUT

The AMIGOS Portland Chapter is part of a 9 Chapter Network that recruits, trains, and supports AMIGOS volunteers and families in their local community. Volunteers from the Pacific Northwest/Portland, Oregon area train together as a group before leaving for their summer experience in Latin America.  Our board supports volunteers and families with group fundraising, service learning, community building, and overall preparation. Learn more about our Summer Programs here!

 

HISTORY

Since the Portland Chapter’s incorporation in 1997, over 550 youth from Portland and its suburbs have volunteered through the chapter path, fundraising and training locally before the summer.

 

CURRENT VOLUNTEERS

Portland Chapter volunteers attend Abiqua School, Catlin Gabel, Central Catholic, Churchill, Cleveland, Corvallis, De La Salle, Franklin, Grant, Ida B. Wells, Lake Oswego, Lincoln, Milwaukie, North Clackamas, Oregon Episcopal, Riverdale, Roosevelt, Southridge, St. Mary’s, Tigard, Tualatin, and many more!

 

TESTIMONIALS

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

AMIGOS actively recruits and supports inclusion of volunteers from diverse backgrounds. AMIGOS Portland provides need-based financial assistance (FA) with distribution determined by family income, number of dependents, and special financial circumstances.

The Portland Chapter has $20,000 of FA for families who qualify. In some cases the chapter has assisted with over 85% of the cost. Priority for FA will be given to families with adjusted gross incomes of $160,000 per year or less. Families that earn more than this amount will be considered for FA if there are extenuating circumstances. Applications for FA should be completed on the AMIGOS website.

On the application, students should select “Yes” that they intend to apply for financial assistance. Students must select “Yes” to this question in order for the Financial Assistance Application to appear on their dashboard. Then, at the end of the application, they should select, “I request a waiver”.

Applicants applying for financial assistance may request a temporary waiver of the $75 non-refundable application fee. The waiver is temporary while the chapter reviews the financial assistance application and determines an award offer (if any). If the volunteer and family accept the offer to join AMIGOS, they will then be required to pay the $75 non-refundable application fee.

 

ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

All alumni interested in volunteering again with AMIGOS qualify to apply for the Alumni Award. We highly encourage you to apply for financial assistance.

Alumni and parents of alumni can earn discounts or cash payments for referring the next cohort of AMIGOS volunteers! Learn more about our Alumni Referral Program and sign up to receive your unique referral code.

CONTACT:
  • Please reach out to Alexi Bernagros, Portland Chapter Financial Assistance Contact, via email at [email protected] with any questions about financial assistance.

TRAINING

The transformative AMIGOS experience starts before leaving home.

With over 60 years of experience preparing young people for travel and service abroad, AMIGOS training offers unparalleled global youth leadership development. Pre-departure training equips volunteers with the critical thinking, communication skills, and technical knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact across cultures while staying healthy and safe. The Portland Chapter AMIGOS training is experiential learning that prepares volunteers for their AMIGOS experience, builds a community of youth and families with shared values, and develops life-skills to help students succeed beyond AMIGOS. Training sessions are facilitated by the Training Team and Portland Chapter Board of Directors.

 

SERVICE LEARNING

The Portland Chapter incorporates service learning into the AMIGOS training to add depth and first-hand experience to the curriculum. Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities.

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDE:
  • Unparalleled leadership development
  • Cross-cultural awareness and understanding
  • Health and safety training
  • Opportunities to practice Spanish
  • Creating a community of young people with shared values
Portland AMIGOS Training Calendar 2026:

CONTACT:

Please contact Susan Douglass, Portland Chapter Training Director, at [email protected] with any questions about pre-departure training.

FUNDRAISING

GROUP FUNDRAISING

The Portland Chapter offers significant reductions in program fees through letter writing to donor contacts (February-March). We chose this activity to maximize our ability to provide the AMIGOS experience to all volunteers without regard to family financial circumstances. The individual fundraising goal is approximately $3,000 to cover fee reductions and chapter expenses.

All volunteers are required to fully take part in letter writing, as fundraising skills are an important component of the AMIGOS training program. Fundraising also raises awareness of AMIGOS programs in the Portland community. Detailed financial information, including fundraising and financial assistance are discussed at our Information Sessions and then again more completely at Candidate and Parent Interviews.

LETTER WRITING/DONOR CONTACTS

Each volunteer is required to send out 100 letters to friends, family and other contacts, requesting individual tax-deductible donations to the chapter (the revenue from this effort is pooled). Letters are written by the volunteer with considerable help provided by the chapter during the process.

To see some of our fundraising efforts from last year, check out our Summer 2025 CauseVox Campaign here.

 

Portland chapter family fees

Please note that airfare is not included in the fee for National Chapter and Portland Chapter volunteers. Airfare estimates can be found here.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jeff Spalding
Co-President/Fundraising (Grapefruit)

Alysha Catalano
Co-President

Eric Hill
Treasurer

Jennifer Schmidt
Parent Support/Recruitment

Linda Ganzini
Fundraising (Letters)

David Pribnow
Paperwork/Workspace

Riley Stevenson
Recruitment/Newsletter/Community Events

Alexi Bernagros
Financial Aid

Recruitment and Training Team

Kitty Kaping
Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]

Susan Douglass
Training Director
[email protected]