March 2025 Month-Long Volunteer Application

Desert Aid Volunteer Program

March 2025 Month Long Program: Sunday, 3/2/25 - Friday, 3/28/25

Application Deadline: December 1st, 2024

Humanitarian Aid under COVID-19: Thank you for being interested in volunteering with No More Deaths during this world-wide pandemic. Humanitarian aid is essential work and we have managed to keep providing support along the borderlands. We are in a place where we need your support and are inviting non-local volunteers to join us again! We want to be transparent about what practices we have in place in response to COVID-19 and what we can offer month-long volunteers during this time.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is required to volunteer including the booster shot, or be within the 6 month period of receiving the 2nd dose of either Moderna or Pfizer, within 2 months of receiving the 1st dose of Johnson & Johnson.

Please, review the following FAQs before applying to our program.

About this Application: This application is a first step in getting to know you. Please note that this application involves several short answer questions and will likely take some time to fill out. We receive many applications and can only accept a small number each program. We appreciate your time and effort in answering all of the questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. You may want to review the application and think through your answers before submitting. We look forward to reviewing your application!
Name*

First NameLast Name
Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
Email (Please do not use a university or employer email! Gmail is also preferable for the purpose of Google Calendar access)*
example@example.com
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
What organization or individual will be providing your letter of introduction?*
Please provide the phone number and email of an individual who can verify your involvement in the above organization and act as a character reference. This can be the same individual who wrote the letter of introduction.*
Reference

We ask for a letter of introduction, preferably from someone in a grassroots organization with which you have worked or in which you have been involved. Examples include activist collectives, nonprofits, advocacy groups, volunteer organizations, and community-service organizations. If you do not have a reference from a grassroots organization, you can use a reference from a current/former employer, co-worker, or professor. Please make sure they complete the recommendation form by the application deadline.
Background Information
Age*
What pronouns do you use to refer to yourself? *
Example: She, her, hers / they, them, theirs / he, him, his
What is your racial or ethnic identity?*
Do you have any of the following dietary restrictions? We will try our best to accommodate the following dietary needs, but cannot guarantee being able to do so.*

NoneVegetarianVeganGluten freeHalalKosher
Are you vaccinated against COVID-19, including the booster dose?*

YesNo
Do you have any health conditions, including allergies, that we should know about? Please tell us about them, including any medications you are currently taking.*
Which of the following describe your status in the US? This information is pertinent to legal protections for those volunteering in the desert. Please see our FAQ for more information.*

US CitizenLegal Permanent Resident / Visa recipient / Visa Waiver Program recipient / Temporary Protected Status recipient / Other
Skills/Abilities/Experience
Do you speak Spanish? Please choose the percentage that best indicates how much you can understand and articulate in ordinary situations.*

None: 0%Basic: below 50%Intermediate: 60%Conversational: 80%Completely fluent: 95-100%Native speaker: 100%
What other languages do you speak and how would you rate your proficiency? (I.E. Intermediate French, Conversational Arabic, Basic Quechua, etc.)
Do you have previous camping experience? Hiking experience?*
Desert Aid volunteers will spend time in remote areas with primitive camping conditions. We encourage volunteers to bring their own backpack and hiking supplies for day trips, and sleeping bag and tent for overnights, if possible. If not, please contact our volunteer or logistics coordinators about our gear lending library.
Do you have any medical certifications?*

NoneCPRFirst AidWilderness First AidFirst ResponderWilderness First ResponderEMT/ WEMTParamedicNursing StudentNurseMedical StudentPADoctor
COVID-19 Questions
Please read the Byrd Camp Protocol.
Do you agree to follow these protocols? Do you have any questions or concerns regarding the Byrd Camp Protocols? (It's OK to have questions. We will have more in-depth training when you go to camp and can tailor training to address questions/ concerns.)*
Traveling to Tucson
- Before Arrival: A negative COVID-19 antigen test result on the day of travel prior to departure is required.
- Air Travel: 1) Wear a N95 mask that has been properly fitted the entire trip. It would be optimal for volunteers to travel nonstop and fly on an airline that does not fill all the seats (leaves center seats vacant). 2) Diligent hand hygiene and sanitizing practices. 3) Throw away the N95 mask upon arrival.
- Upon Arrival: Take an antigen test (available at the volunteer house) upon arrival before moving into the organization housing.
  - If the result is negative, you may move into the house without further precautions taken inside the house. Courtesy check in with new house-mates about best practices.
  - If the result is positive, you may move into a part of the house which is isolated from the rest and keep separate from the rest of the house. The Vol Coord will support is showing you the space.
    
    Isolate for 7 days then use an antigen test.
    
    Ventilate the house well.
How do you plan to travel to Tucson? Do you have any questions about the information above? *
Do you have any questions about the COVID-19 FAQ (found at the top of this application)?*
Short-Answer Questions

Please write a couple of sentences to share your answer the following questions with your thoughts and experiences. There are no minimum wording requirements but the more you share with us (in a concise manner) the easier it is for us understand you.
How did you find out about No More Deaths? Do you know anyone involved in the organization? If so, who? *
Do you have any previous experience volunteering with NMD, or experience with any other humanitarian aid work, grassroots organizations, social justice work, or social service work? If not, what draws you towards doing this kind of work? *
Why are you interested in working with No More Deaths?*
What strengths do you have that you think could contribute to No More Deaths? (For example: experience working with maps and GPS, organizational skills, interpersonal skills/conflict resolution, translation skills, experience cooking for large groups, legal background, mechanical skills, carpentry, plumbing.) *
A day of volunteering with Desert Aid often means waking up early to do physical labor until the afternoon and occasionally longer. This can require a lot of emotional and physical energy. In what ways will you prepare for your experience volunteering with us? This might include intellectual, emotional, or physical preparation. *
Please let us know if you have concerns- physical, moral, legal, ideological, etc.- regarding our work. (Also please see the General FAQ on our website.)
Is there anything else about yourself or your background that you would like us to know?
Should be Empty:

Background Information

Skills/Abilities/Experience

COVID-19 Questions

Short-Answer Questions