75 volunteers facilitate cultural encounters

Photography: Sake Rijpkema

Huis de Pinto is five years old

One of the 75 volunteers at Huis de Pinto is Tanja Hol (80). She works one morning and one afternoon a week as a hostess at this meeting place in the heart of Amsterdam where residents can read newspapers, magazines, and books, and exchange or borrow books. During her shift, she accepts books, lends books, and, most importantly, welcomes visitors.

GrandchildrenSince she has been living in Amsterdam for 28 years, Tanja has been doing volunteer work, including for Vluchtelingenwerk and the SOS helpline (now Hulplijn Amsterdam). The most enjoyable volunteer work she did? Taking care of her grandchildren three days a week!VOCHuis de Pinto on Sint Antoniesbreestraat is a house with a history, built in 1606 by a director of the VOC. After the Second World War, the house turned into a slum, many houses in the neighborhood had already been demolished. The municipality bought the house in 1968 to demolish it and make way for a highway. In the early seventies, Huis de Pinto was squatted by the Association Friends of the Amsterdam Inner City, who fought for the preservation of the historic building. At the last minute, the municipality decided not to build a highway through the Nieuwmarkt neighborhood, Huis de Pinto was placed on the National Monuments List, and in 1976 the house became a branch of the OBA.RebellionIn 2007, the OBA opened its new main location on the Oosterdokskade and planned to move the branch at Huis de Pinto to Czaar Peterstraat. Local residents protested against this and founded the Huis de Pinto foundation.MeetThis foundation has now been in existence for five years: since 2014, with the help of approximately 75 volunteers, it has been providing a literary and cultural meeting center that focuses mainly on the neighborhood. In addition to the meeting function and library, there are cultural activities in the evenings and on Sundays with music, film, and lectures.

Interested in doing volunteer work?

Museums, theaters, cultural festivals like Huis de Pinto are always looking for volunteers. Think of the Van Eesteren Museum, ART Zuid, the Molen van Sloten, Kunstuitleen Beeldend gesproken, Museum het Kromhout. Volunteer vacancies from these and other organizations can be found on theVolunteer Central Amsterdam Job BoardHello.Volunteer CaféOn May 16th, VCA is organizing a Volunteer Café for seniors and other older youths at Huis de Pinto! Around eight organizations will be there to talk about the volunteer work you can do with them. The focus is on volunteer work in the Centrum district. Interested?Read more and sign up!