Ways to Help
Three ways to help a newcomer get started: give, show up, or open a door.
Donate
Donations pay for the small, concrete things our programs run on: materials for a trade workshop, a bus pass so someone can get to a job interview, filing fees for registering a first business, a translation of a document. Every contribution is used for program work.
- Workshop materials
- Bus passes to interviews
- Business filing fees
- Document translation
How to give right now
Email info@bsusa.org and we'll send you the details for one-time or recurring donations by check or bank transfer.
An online donation form will be published on this page as soon as it is set up.
Email us to donateTax-deductibility
Better Start USA Foundation, Inc. is organized to qualify as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS has not yet issued a determination letter. Once a favorable determination is issued, qualifying contributions are generally deductible as charitable contributions, and the IRS typically treats exempt status as effective back to the date of incorporation (if the application is timely filed). Donors should consult their own tax advisor for guidance on a specific contribution.
EIN: 43-2597508
Volunteer
We are looking for people who can give a few hours a month in one of these roles:
Mentors
Walk alongside a newcomer who is working on something concrete: a job search, a document, a first customer. One hour a week is enough to make a difference.
Trade trainers
Experienced practitioners in cleaning, handyman work, painting, landscaping, light moving, or related trades, willing to run an occasional workshop.
Career advisors
HR, recruiting, or hiring-manager experience, especially in industries that are hiring entry-level in your area.
Small business advisors
Small business owners, accountants, insurance agents, or paralegals willing to help someone through the paperwork of getting legal.
Workshop hosts
Organizations with a room, a kitchen, or a yard that can be borrowed for a half-day workshop.
Partner
We work with organizations in three ways:
Employers
Who are hiring entry-level and are open to a warm introduction from a candidate's advisor instead of a cold application.
Training providers
Community colleges, apprenticeship programs, short-course providers whose offerings fit a career pathway we can refer to.
Community organizations
Resettlement agencies, places of worship, cultural associations, legal aid clinics — anyone already working with the same participants and looking for a program to refer them to.