GIVE BACK
Many pilgrims return from the Camino with a strong desire to give back in a meaningful way. You are not alone in trying to think of what the next stage of your Camino life might be. Opportunities exist at the local, national and international levels. American Pilgrims on the Camino can connect you with opportunities big and small, both at home and abroad.
Become a Member
American Pilgrims on the Camino membership is open to anyone who has walked, or has dreams of walking, a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Camino bicyclists are also welcome.
We invite you to join the global community of pilgrims to experience the Spirit of the Camino before, during and after your journey!
Membership is a great way to connect with your fellow pilgrims, support the infrastructure of the Camino, qualify for Hospitalero training, contribute to our La Concha publication, and attend exclusive members-only events.
Join a Chapter
On the local level, all programs and events at each of our nearly 60 local chapters are planned and run by volunteers. Each local chapter is led by a team of co-coordinators and they are always looking for help in planning events, finding speakers, organizing walks and administrative work like maintaining mailing lists. Please consider reaching out to your chapter’s co-coordinators to see how you can help.
Volunteer
Serving as an hospitalero at an albergue provides a unique and very fulfilling experience of the Camino. We offer hospitalero training courses to prepare you for this experience. You can learn more about the program and register for an upcoming class on our Hospitalero Training page.
Alternatively, the Ribadiso Welcome Service provides a unique volunteer opportunity at the Albergue of Ribadiso do Baixo, operated by the Xunta de Galicia. Volunteers care for pilgrims by welcoming them, answering questions and providing information. They work alongside hospitaleros but are not responsible for cleaning or cooking.
You might find joy and purpose working alongside your fellow pilgrims as a part of our board of directors. Our hard-working, all-volunteer board members make sure the organization runs smoothly by responsibly managing the business of the organization. The work of the board includes membership, local chapter development and support, communications, managing our grants program, Facebook and website assistance and hosting our annual Gathering of Pilgrims. If this sounds like something that interests you, please send an email to the nominations committee at boardnoms@americanpilgrims.org.
And we always need volunteers with various skills to help us with our programs, website, events and communications. Follow this link to volunteer opportunities and see how you can make a difference.
Stay Inspired
La Concha, the quarterly magazine of American Pilgrims, publishes original works by members. Share your photographs, poems, reflections and original art with your fellow pilgrims. Submission guidelines can be found on our La Concha page.
Support Our Grant Program
Our largest discretionary budget item is the in the form of grants which support projects on the Camino. The American Pilgrims grants program has awarded more than $200,000 over the last four years to support Camino infrastructure.
Learn more about what we've been doing on our grants page. Or support the program with a donation.
We welcome and thank you for your support!
Rev 10/21/24