American Friends Service Committee

The Cambridge office of American Friends Service Committee serves as the main administrative hub for the Northeast region.One of its programs is the Material Aid & Advocacy Program (MAAP), founded in 1944, is a one stop resource for those in need in the Greater Cambridge-Boston area.

MAAP helps to alleviate people’s immediate basic suffering by providing referred recipients with free material aid including clothing, household goods, survival supplies, and hygienic items. We assist recipients in meeting their broader needs by making available our Resource Guides that include all the information necessary to access shelters, food pantries, community meals, employment assistance and more. Annually, MAAP serves over 2,000 individuals and families referred from over 80 service providers and community organizations from the Greater Cambridge-Boston Area. We are committed to treating those we serve with dignity and respect, and provide a safer space to share resources, build community and move forward together.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

AFSC’s Material Aid & Advocacy Program (MAAP) uses volunteers in many ways:

Host a Drive

MAP currently hosts one seasonal drive, a school supply drive in the summer and three ongoing drives for hygiene, personal hygiene and survival kits.

Assist with a Special Project

Help is needed throughout the year for resource guide updates, website updates, mailings, translation of documents, database work and light carpentry and other various projects. Most of these projects can be done outside of our hours of operation.

Volunteer to Deliver Donations

In an effort to recycle and put donations our recipients cannot use or are not up to our quality standards to good use we donate them to serveral other partner service providers or non-profits. As MAAP does not have a vehicle there is a need for individuals to volunteer to make deliveries. Although your donation of time is not tax-deductible, the cost of transportation is.

Volunteer at our Semi-Annual Tag Sale

Extra volunteers are always needed during our Semi-Annual Tag Sale fundraiser, which takes place in May and November. Volunteers help solicit donations, promote, prepare, price and display items, assist customers and clean up.If you are interested in volunteering at MAP please contact Cassie Hurd, Program Coordinator, at (617) 876-5312 or via email churd@afsc.org. We are happy to coordinate with schools, courts, early release and other programs for community service hours.