Mission Service Sites | Habitat Service Sites
Spring 2013 Mission Service Experiences
Antigua, Guatemala: God’s Child Program
Volunteers will be working with the God’s Child Program and the Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados who help thousands of Guatemala’s poor. A main focus of your trip will be working on life-changing construction projects, such as pouring concrete floors in shacks (to reduce illness and infection) and building a home in three days. You may also distribute clothing and other needed items to the poor and assist malnourished children. Another part of your trip will be spent with the children at The DREAMER Center, an educational and health facility being built by the Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados on the edge of the San Felipe. Volunteers divide into smaller groups to participate in home-stays with local families. You will also have the opportunity to learn about Guatemala with its unique Mayan-Latina culture and breath-taking nature, its history, and its government. A visit to a forensics lab in Guatemala City, Guatemala to learn about the genocide in Guatemala may also be part of the schedule.
The cost is about $1300 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.gcpnc.org and http://www.godschild.org
Athens, Georgia: Oasis Católico San Rafaela
Volunteers will have the opportunity to work at The Oasis Católico Santa Rafaela in Athens, Georgia, which was founded by the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in September 2002. Here, the Handmaids live in solidarity with the community. Volunteers will work with the sisters who provide basic necessities to over 2,000 individuals in the community. Additionally, the Handmaids support social aspects of immigration and advocacy while nourishing the intellect through tutoring, providing support for vulnerable mothers, and provide special food programs to the community. They also provide a place for individuals to worship opportunities and religious instruction. Volunteers will live simply in an outreach center run by the sisters.
The cost is about $750 and is open to 10 people.
Website: http://www.oasistutors.org/
Auxier, KY: Hand in Hand Ministries
Volunteers will stay at the Auxier Center in a school building that has been renovated into a community center with dorm type rooms on the second floor for both men and women. A kitchen and dining room are available for groups who stay at the center. Volunteers may teach computer classes to local residents. Classes are held from March to June and from September to November. Individuals who complete the entire program are given a used/refurbished computer for their home so they can continue to work on their job development skills. The Auxier Center also houses a food pantry and sewing center. The Auxier Center also operates a home repair program. Volunteers will mainly provide the manpower and financial assistance to help make the home repairs that are needed.
The cost is about $325 and is open to 10 people.
Website: http://myhandinhand.org/our-work/our-work-appalachia/
Belize City, Belize: Hand in Hand Ministries
Volunteers will be working with the organization Hand in Hand Ministries in Belize City which is a faith-based international service organization that provides life’s essentials to the poorest of the poor, giving them dignity today and hope for tomorrow. Volunteers’ main project will be with the “Building for Change” program. This program provides housing for the poorest of the poor in Belize City. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work alongside the new homeowner while making a modest 16x16 foot home from start to finish. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to learn from a variety of speakers who work in various capacities with Hand in Hand Ministries. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to work in Hand in Hand Ministries Outreach Center which provides medical care and hope for 15 children and 38 families affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS, work with children at a local elementary school that is funded by Hand in Hand and also talk with local adults affected by HIV/AIDS
The cost is about $1200 and is open to 14 people.
Website: http://www.hhministries.com/
Camden, New Jersey: Romero Center Ministries:
Volunteers will participate in the Urban Challenge Program, Romero Center Ministries’ cornerstone program. Geared toward high school and college-aged students, the Urban Challenge experience gives Catholics and other people of faith the opportunity to build bridges of understanding. Volunteers will confront issues which divide us – poverty, race, class – in a prayerful and constructive environment. Volunteers will serve in Camden and Philadelphia with theological reflection, prayer, listening to local speakers, and other educational activities. During the day, volunteers will work at a variety of work sites: schools and pre-schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters, soup kitchens and food banks, housing rehabilitation, drop-in centers for persons infected and affected with HIV and AIDS, and other social service agencies in the area. In the evening, Volunteers will have the opportunity to discuss urban poverty and social and economic justice, and reflect on our call, as disciples, to embrace a “preferential option for the poor.” This process might include taking a tour of Camden, listening to local speakers tell their stories, and engaging in other educational activities.
This experience costs $500 and is open to 10 people. Website: www.romero-center.org
Chulucanas, Peru: Augustinian Volunteers and Mission: Nursing and Campus Ministry:
Volunteers will work at an Augustinian Mission in a small village of northern Peru. Volunteers will have the opportunity to meet the local people in their homes while working on projects necessary for the community (building, tutoring, and experiencing the Peruvian culture.) Your hosts, the Augustinian Volunteers, will guide you through various service projects, cultural experiences, and conversations with local Peruvians. These experiences include attending Mass with the community on Sunday, working at a local orphanage with the program Victor’s Vision, visiting and elderly home and a trade school for women, and taking a trip to and purchase items from an authentic Chulucanas pottery workshop. This year’s experience will include a group of senior nursing students who are currently enrolled in a Community Health course. The remaining spots will be filled with volunteers whom complete this application. Volunteers may have the opportunity to observe home care health with the nurses and participate in community health teaching as well.
The cost is about $1300 and is open to 20 people.
Kingston, Jamaica: Jamaica Volunteers
Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with many different service programs offered through the organization Jamaica Volunteers. Volunteers work at several Catholic social service sites that provide services for the destitute, the sick, the disadvantaged and the economically displaced in Kingston. Service projects include a home for the elderly and homeless run by Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity, a school for at-risk children run by St Patrick's Foundation, teaching and spending time with children who are severely ill or handicapped at the Bustamante Children's Hospital, assisting in the classrooms of the Pre-Primary School at Riverton City, visiting with children at Bethlehem House run by the Missionaries of the Poor, and the opportunity to spend time with kids from the local neighborhood.
The cost is about $1200 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.jamaicavolunteers.com/
Navajo Nation, NM: Via International
Northern New Mexico is one of the most unique and culturally distinct areas of the United States. It is the home of both ancient Native American communities and pueblos founded long before the inception of the United States. Traditional Navajo refer to themselves as Dine'. The real name for Navajo Nation is Dinetah. Visiting Dinetah offers a rare opportunity to connect with ourselves, each other, and the natural world through a unique blend of cultural immersion, environmental intimacy, and service opportunities that can be deeply inspiring and
transformational. Volunteers will enjoy the extraordinary beauty of the natural world while exploring a valuable sense of place and relation thanks to the deep traditions and cultures of the region. Volunteers will stay on a farm that uses both modern and traditional agricultural practices and visit with Navajo people. Work may include farming, construction, water conservation or land and cultural restoration efforts in local and native communities.
The cost is about $800 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.viainternational.org/new-mexico.html
Rancho Mastatal, Costa Rica: Environmental Service Experience:
During this week of immersion, students live on Rancho Mastotal, an environmentally sustainable ranch. Students learn practices of sustainably by living at the ranch, and they have opportunities to learn first-hand from the tropical forests of Mastatal. Students also have opportunities to learn about the economic and cultural make-up of the local Costa Rican communities, and each student participates in 2-3 home stays in the Mastatal community. Throughout the week, students may work on rainforest restoration projects on the ranch, in parks and in gardens. Furthermore, students may have an opportunity to visit local schools in order to better understand the Costa Rican educational system. Students learn the positives and the challenges associated with Costa Rica's free public education. Pura Vida!!
The cost is about $1200 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.ranchomastatal.com
San Diego, CA: Via International
Volunteers will explore the rich trans-border culture of the San Diego region while participating in volunteer service learning projects along the U.S. side of the international border with Mexico. San Diego is fast becoming the hub of an emerging trans-border culture, and the city is home to the largest refugee population in America. The demands of this development have created numerous opportunities for learning and service. Whether caring for the environment, serving immigrants, or experiencing a mélange of cultures, San Diego offers a range of activities including restoring damaged beach areas, working on local organic farms, visiting Chicano Park, meeting with migrant farm workers, and touring the border wall. Volunteers will work on local community development projects in San Diego, learn about the importance of sustainable agriculture, be introduced to Via's methods of community development, and come to a greater understanding of the human aspects of border issues and immigration.
The cost is about $800 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.viainternational.org/san-diego.html
San Salvador, El Salvador:
Volunteers will be working with the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and their Project FIAT program (Faith in Action Together) in San Salvador, El Salvador. Volunteer work may include building projects with the local communities, interacting with children in after-school programs, and participating in the daily lives of the Salvadoran people. Volunteers will learn about the current cultural and political situation of the country as well as its history, including the life and works of Oscar Romero. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to visit the Romero Center, Universidad Centroamericana in San Salvador, Puerta de Diablo and tour the scenic countryside. Volunteers will be able to experience cultural presentation of traditional songs, dances and folklore throughout their time in El Salvador. Volunteers will live in Casa Voluntariado Santa Rafaela Maria volunteer house which is in the medical district, a safe part of the capital city, San Salvador.
The cost is about $1300 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.projectfiat.org/
Spring 2013 Habitat for Humanity Experiences
Beaumont, TX - Jefferson County HFH
Gators, zydeco, gumbo, and sunshine. That's southeast Texas! We're just west of the Louisiana border, 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, 80 miles from Houston, and right in the middle of gator country. Come build with us and you'll need to pack your sunscreen and shorts! We accommodate students at area churches, you'll help build a house, and if it rains, we'll go work in the ReStore. Monday is your day off for site-seeing. Visit Gator Country and hold a baby gator. Do some line dancing, take a trip to Galveston. It's all up to you! Come build with us in Beaumont, Texas!
The cost is approximately $725 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: http://www.beaumonthabitat.org/HFHJC.asp
Fort Smith, Arkansas – Arkansas Valley HFH The Fort Smith area is rugged, mountainous beauty that is steeped in rich American history. There are lots of lakes and rivers, museums and historical sites, scenic drives and many other opportunities for adventure and is soon to be the home to the US Marshals Museum. This site usually arranges for several meals to be shared with local churches. The cost is approximately $725 and it is open to 18 participants.
Website: http://habitatfs.org/
Hickory, NC - Catawba Valley HFH (Freshmen Only)
Hickory is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has been named an “All-America City” three times. Like many cities we have too many people living in poverty and substandard housing. Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley is a non-profit, Christian-based community organization dedicated to building simple, decent, and affordable housing for hard-working, low-income families in our community. We build approximately 10 houses a year with the help of many volunteers and donors. We’d love to have you come and work alongside us.
The cost is approximately $325 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: http://www.hickoryhabitat.org/index.html
Lucedale, MS – George County HFH
George County, a rural county (population 22,500) is 35 miles north of the MS Gulf Coast beaches. The need for decent affordable housing here is great even seven years after Katrina! We are a small but growing affiliate which has served 38 families (33 homes, 5 repairs) and plan to build 3 more homes and 2 more major repair projects by June 30, 2013. We are one hour from the Gulfport/Biloxi airport and 45 minutes from the Mobile, AL airport. Malls, theaters, museums, and beaches are all within an hour's drive. We promise you Southern hospitality and great appreciation for your help!
The cost is approximately $725 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: http://www.georgecountyhabitat.org/Home_Page.html
Marion, South Carolina – Marion County HFH Marion County is located approximately 45 miles from Myrtle Beach, SC which offers over 60 miles of wide, soft, sandy beaches. We are also located approximately 115 miles from the rich history of Charleston, SC. We afford students Wednesday afternoon off of work in order to enjoy their brief stay in Marion County and visit some of the attractions our state has to offer. Poverty housing is rampant in Marion County and our affiliate is striving to eliminate that by building one quality, affordable home at a time.
The cost is approximately $325 and it is open to 18 participants.
Website: http://www.marionschabitatforhumanity.org/
Meridian, MS – Lauderdale County HFH
We are building new, single family green homes and working on raising funds to start a critical repair program and "A Brush With Kindness." College groups in the past have enjoyed our wonderful lakes & rivers or taken day off to drive down to New Orleans. If you are interested in the Civil Rights movement, we have arranged for speakers involved with the movement in East Mississippi to visit in the past.
The cost is approximately $725 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: none, but you can learn more on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lauderdale-County-Habitat-for-Humanity/313905876190
Morgantown, WV – Mon County HFH
Mon County Habitat for Humanity started in 1990. During the 2013 Collegiate Challenge season we will start our 44th home. You will work with great construction managers and in one week develop a great appreciation for MCHFH of West Virginia. We have a variety of dining and entertainment options in our community as well as home of the WVU Mountaineers.
The cost is approximately $325 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: http://moncountyhfh.org/
New Jersey or New York – Hurricane Sandy Recovery
The details of this break experience have not yet been finalized. We are in the process of confirming a site in New Jersey or New York that will allow students to assist with hurricane recovery efforts. Most likely efforts would focus on clean-up, demolition, aid distribution and/or essential repairs to homes.
The cost will range between $325-$425 depending on location and it will be open to 15-20 participants.
Pittsboro, NC – Chatham County HFH (Freshmen only)
For over 23 years, Chatham Habitat has partnered with 107 families to build their homes. While we are located only 20+ min. from Chapel Hill and Raleigh, this is a rural community and students have been key in building Habitat homes. Participants spend most of their time on home construction, but we also give a taste of the whole Habitat experience, providing other types of meaningful work. Students stay at Camp Royal complete with dining facilities, indoor basketball court, lighted soccer field, etc. Jordan Lake is only 10 min. away.
The cost is approximately $325 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: http://www.chathamhabitat.org/
Rocky Mount, NC – Rocky Mount Area HFH
We’re close to the coast right down I-95. Our affiliate serves those in our community who need an opportunity to help themselves. Please join us in serving the least, the lost, and the last. We have a young energetic staff and great facilities for our Collegiate Challenge teams. We make Habitat FUN and rewarding.
The cost is approximately $325 and it is open to 20 participants.
Website: http://rockymounthabitat.org/
Winston Salem, North Carolina – Forsyth County HFH
Our affiliate will have complete 300 homes by the end of 2011, serving more than 1000 family members. There are many substandard housing areas in our community and Habitat Forsyth has started rebuilding neighborhoods vs just build houses. Our affiliate offers dormitory style
accommodations located above our offices with separate sleeping quarters, showers and access to a full service kitchen. We are close to many parks, mountains and only 4 hours from the beach. We engage many community partners that provide lunch and dinner for the students on site, at Habitat or at a home or church.
The cost is approximately $325 and it is open to 18 participants.
Website: http://www.habitatforsyth.org/home0.aspx
Winter 2013 Mission Sites
Duran, Ecuador: Rostro de Cristo
Rostro de Cristo is a Catholic program whose mission is to provide spiritual and educational opportunities for young people from the United States to live out the Gospel together with the people of Duran, Ecuador. The program invites participants to lead a simple lifestyle, build an intentional Christian community, engage in relationship building with the Ecuadorian people and reflect on the face of Christ in their joys and struggles. Volunteers explore long term solutions to the problems of poverty, reflect on their experiences, and together seek opportunities to improve the lives of the people. Group members will dedicate several hours of each day doing home visits, playing with and teaching young children at various after-school programs, visiting Hansen’s disease clinics, and reflecting on what it means to live as an Ecuadorian. This service experience is one where not much is “done” in the sense that no homes will be built; however, much is felt, experienced, reflected on and shared among the group participants and the people of Duran in the hopes of learning more about poverty and understanding each individual's moral obligation to eradicate poverty and live out his/her life as the face of Christ. This Mission Experience is open to 14 participants.
Dates: January 2-10, 2013
Approximate Cost: $1,300 which includes airfare, accommodations, food, transportation within Ecuador, program fees, and group guide.
Website: http://www.rostrodecristo.org
San Salvador, El Salvador: Project FIAT
Volunteers will be working with the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and their Project FIAT (Faith in Action Together) in San Salvador, El Salvador. Project FIAT began many years ago with Handmaids volunteering some summer free time for service projects to reach out to needy communities and has now been able to accept volunteers throughout the year. Volunteers will help build houses and roads with the local communities, aid in the nurturing of malnourished children, help to distribute food to those in need at a soup kitchen, and share their hearts in a home for abandoned children. During Project Fiat International (PFI), volunteers leave the comfort, efficiency, and competitiveness of their culture, to enter to some extent into the experiences, and limiting circumstances with which billions of the world’s people live. PFI accepts volunteers from any religious affiliation who desire to collaborate in making our world more genuinely human.
Volunteers will live in Casa Voluntariado Santa Rafaela Maria volunteer house which is in a safe part of the capital city, San Salvador. The house is surrounded by an iron gate and also has a gate keeper 24 hours a day.
The house has running water, plumbing and electricity. There are 4 large rooms that contain 10 bunk beds. The men and women have separate sleeping quarters as well as bathrooms. Volunteers will pack a lunch every morning and fill up water bottles to take on the jobs. No food is eaten or bought off the street. Safety is the number one priority for all volunteers. Vans are rented to take volunteers back and forth to their destinations. No one is allowed to travel alone or use public transportation. The US dollar is the monetary unit of El Salvador.
Volunteers will learn about the cultural and political situation of the country. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to visit the Romero Center, Universidad Centroamericana in San Salvador, Puerta de Diablo and tour the scenic countryside. Volunteers will be able to experience cultural presentation of traditional songs, dances and folklore throughout their time in El Salvador. This Mission Experience is open to 15 participants.
Dates: To be determined.
Approximate Cost: $1,300 which includes airfare, accommodations in the volunteer center, food, transportation within El Salvador, program fees, group guide and weekend excursions.
Website: http://www.projectfiat.org/
