READesign Internship
About The Heart of America Foundation
Founded in 1997, The Heart of America Foundation’s focus is to provide disadvantaged children everywhere with the tools they need to read, succeed and make a difference in life. The Heart of America Foundation’s programs uniquely combine volunteer service and reading. The organization is volunteer-led and peer-driven, operating with a small staff and hundreds of volunteers.
About READesign
READesign is a library makeover program that revitalizes school libraries in areas of high need into warm, friendly places that engage children in learning. Each themed READesign library includes vibrant paint, original artwork, new furniture, and approximately 1,000-2,000 new, high quality library books, and each child receives up to seven books for their personal home libraries. The program also serves as a vehicle to engage local, youth and corporate volunteers in community service.
About the internship
The Heart of America Foundation, a national nonprofit, is seeking dynamic, self-motivated interns for its Washington, DC headquarters. Interns work up to 40 hours per week; start and end dates are flexible, although we prefer longer term interns.
This unique internship will offer a variety of excellent hands-on opportunities to engage in grass-roots nonprofit operations, while promoting community service and reading. Interns will support our READesign Team, which manages and coordinates our national READesign library makeover projects. This position will provide ample opportunity for professional and personal growth while working alongside a fun and dedicated staff.
Duties may include some or all of the following:
- Administrative tasks
- Online research
- Programmatic support
- Administrative tasks:
- Answer phones; respond to routine inquiries and requests for information
- Route incoming/outgoing mail; prepare packages for outgoing correspondence
- Arrange travel for staff and assist with appropriate follow up (expense reports, etc.)
- Provide logistical support for meetings
- Draft/type a variety of correspondence including memos, letters, and reports
- Develop and maintain databases and manage mass mailing for different programs
- Support orders for office supplies for restocking
- Online research and reporting:
- Conduct research and gather data on school districts in select cities. Focus is on major issues, including staffing, political concerns, testing scores, Title I schools, free and reduced price meal information, student demographics, etc.
- Consolidate and present information according to established standards
- Programmatic support:
- Assist with the organization, coordination and execution of local service projects, including school book distributions
- Assist with volunteer recruitment and oversight
- Support pallet packing as well as book sorting and packaging in the Heart of America warehouse, assist with receiving and inventory, as needed
Qualifications
To be successful in this internship, applicants must possess the following qualities:
- Solid written and oral communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- A collaborative attitude
- The ability to work individually, and as part of a team
- A community service mind-set
- A positive attitudeProficiency in Microsoft Office programs
- Confidence working with diverse groups of people, including volunteers and children, as well as a high comfort level with public speaking
- Students with a solid history of volunteerism and community service and/or those studying the fields of education, communication, social work, public relations or other related fields are encouraged to apply
This internship is unpaid.
Values Statement:
At The Heart of America Foundation, we look for people who work with their heads AND their hearts. Talent is essential, but talent is not enough. We are looking for people who are passionate about our mission and goals and who are committed to an organizational culture based on compassion, integrity, respect and cooperation. Please review our Operational Principles before submitting your application.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter to:
re*****@he************.org
Please indicate “READesign Internship” in your subject line.
Due to the high volume of submissions, we will only contact those we feel are a good fit for the position.