Family Participation Fee and Payment Schedule

FAMILY PARTICIPATION PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The Family Participation Payment for 2009-2010 will be $2300 for first year volunteers and $1800 for veteran volunteers.  The $50 application fee is included in this total amount.

Family Participation Payment Schedule

The Family Participation Payment is due in installments according to the schedule below. If monthly payments are not current by April 2^nd, the Volunteer’s air travel cannot be made with the group’s reservations.

Where to Send Payments

Payments should be made by check and mailed to the Chapter Treasurer at the following address:

Alanah Fitch
Chicago North Chapter
P.O. Box 367
Winnetka, IL  60093

Checks should be made out to Amigos de las Americas – Chicago North (just Amigos is also acceptable).

Refund Policy

We need to send monthly payments to the International Office to ensure the participation of our volunteers. As a result, the timely payment of fees is essential.  The following is the refund policy of the Chicago North Chapter if a volunteer withdraws or is dismissed because the volunteer does not satisfy any of the Amigos requirements:

Except as otherwise provided below, if a volunteer withdrawals from the Amigos program by:

•    January 6, refund of 100% of the Family Participation Payment paid to date by or on behalf of the volunteer (except the $50 application fee will not be returned);
•    February 3, refund of 50% of the Family Participation Payment paid to date by or on behalf of the volunteer*;
•    March 3, refund of 25% of the Family Participation Payment paid to date by or on behalf of the volunteer*; and
•    There will be no refunds after March 4, 2010.

*This assumes that the volunteer’s Family Participation Payment amounts due as of such withdrawal date have all been paid.  If there are past due payments, the refund amount may be decreased by the Board in its sole discretion.

In addition, the Chicago North Board shall have the sole discretion to decrease the amount of the refund of the Family Participation Payment paid as provided above, in an equitable manner, for (a) amounts expended by the Chicago North Chapter prior to withdrawal date on behalf of, or as a result of, the acts of the Volunteer that cannot be recovered by the Chicago North Chapter or (b) expenditures that will be paid subsequent to withdrawal date by the Chicago North Chapter on behalf of, or as a result of, the acts of the Volunteer and which, at the discretion of the Board, must still be paid following withdrawal.

If a volunteer transfers to International’s Correspondent Volunteer Program, the amount of any refund will be determined by the Board of the Chicago North Chapter in a fair and equitable manner.


Frequently Asked  Questions

The information below provides answers to some frequently asked questions. Please contact our chapter Treasurer (Alanah Fitch) whenever you need more information.
 
Q.    How do I turn in the money for the Family Participation Payment?
 
A.     Checks should be mailed to the Chapter Treasurer. You cannot be credited for payments not received by the Treasurer.
 
Q.    Can I turn in cash?
 
A.     Please, only checks. If necessary, the volunteer or parents should convert cash into checks. The checks should be labeled as “converted cash.”
 
Q.    How should checks be made out?
 
A.    Checks should be payable to: Amigos de las Americas – Chicago North (just Amigos is acceptable). If a check is payable to you, endorse the check to Amigos by writing on the back ‘Pay to the order of AMIGOS de las Americas.”
 
Q.    What do I do if my parents cannot help me financially?
 
 A.   You can make your own Family Participation Payment payments. Many volunteers earn money from part-time jobs. You may use personal gifts of money from family and friends; however, these are not direct contributions to Amigos and may not be tax deductible.