Volunteer Guide
Central American Resource Center (Washington D.C. Office)
![]() |
|
|
|
|
The Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) is a community-based organization that seeks to foster the comprehensive development of the Latino community in the Washington metropolitan region. CARECEN was founded in 1981 to protect the rights of refugees arriving from conflict in Central America and to help ease their transition by providing legal services. Today our programs provide direct services in immigration, housing, and citizenship while also promoting empowerment, civil rights advocacy, and civic training for Latinos.
State served: | District of Columbia |
Services Provided
Are immigration legal services provided? | Yes |
Areas of immigration legal assistance: | Adjustment of Status, Consular Processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment authorization, Family-based petitions, NACARA, Naturalization/Citizenship, T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas |
Types of immigration legal services provided: | Help completing forms, Filings with USCIS |
Other areas of legal assistance: | Civil Rights, Community Development, Debt/Credit/Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, Housing |
Non-legal services: | Citizenship / Civics classes, Department of Justice (DOJ)/Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)-funded services for trafficking victims, ESL, Legal Orientation Programs (LOP) / Know Your Rights Presentations (KYR), Legislative advocacy (state or national), Referrals to other services |
Populations served: | Domestic Violence Victims, Farm workers, Human Trafficking Survivors, Individuals who are not in legal immigration status, Individuals with physical/mental disabilities, Juveniles, Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender, Torture survivors |
Languages spoken: | English, Spanish |
Access to a commercial interpreting service or language bank: | Yes |
Nominal fee charged? | Yes |
Other information: | Organization also serves Virginia and Maryland. ESL classes are aimed at students preparing for the government and civics naturalization exam. |
Staffing Information
Number of attorneys on staff: | 2 |
Is organization BIA recognized? | Yes |
Number of fully accredited BIA representatives on staff: | 0 |
Number of partially accredited BIA representatives on staff: | 3 |
Number of paralegals/legal workers on staff: | 1 |
Additional Details
Pro Bono opportunities? | Yes |
Network affiliations: | American Immigration Lawyers Association, Asista, Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), Central American Resource Center, Immigration Advocates Network, NCLR Affiliate |
Volunteering
Volunteer Coordinator |