Service and Justice Experience Site Listings

(BEGINS SUNDAY, October 9th)

Driving  

Aquinas Center is located on the campus of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Community in the heart of South Philadelphia. Parishioners and guests come together to express hospitality, promote education, and engage in service.  The group will have a true cross-cultural experience in this community that is home to immigrants from various parts of the world as well as long time residents of South Philly.  This immersion experience will involve meaningful service that balances interaction with people (tutoring, recreation, literacy, etc.) and demonstrated impact (community gardening, packing food, painting, etc.) as well as neighborhood tours, educational presentations, and guided reflections around faith and justice topics.

Website: http://staquinas.com/aquinascenter/

Cost: $300       Participants: 10

Flying

Volunteers will work at an Augustinian Mission in a small city of Chulucanas in northern Peru. Volunteers will have the opportunity to interact with the local people and experience the Peruvian culture while accomplishing various tasks necessary for the community, such as cleaning, painting, and tutoring at the local parochial school. Your hosts, the Bishop and Diocese of Chulucanas, will guide you through various service projects, cultural experiences, and interactions with local Peruvians. These experiences include attending Mass with the community on Sunday, working at a local orphanage and elderly home, visiting a trade school for women, and taking a trip to and purchase items from an authentic Chulucanas pottery workshop.

Cost: $1,400    Participants: 12

(BEGINS SUNDAY, October 9th)

Driving

The Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET) is an environmental retreat center with an urban farm located in Camden, NJ that engages and educates people of all backgrounds to practice a more environmentally responsible way of living on the planet. During the week, the group will spend their days working on service projects at a variety of locations throughout the city.  Participants can expect to work on projects that expose the social injustices that are in Camden.  These activities focus on topics like education, homelessness, food access, and community development.  During the evenings, there will be a number of educational sessions which help participants contextualize their experience and better understand their connection to the city of Camden.

Website: http://www.cfet.org/

Cost: $300       Participants: 10

Driving

ESVA Habitat serves 2 of VA's poorest counties on Rural Delmarva Peninsula between Atlantic Ocean & Chesapeake Bay. Farming and commercial fishing are the main industries. They have a large low-income population, much substandard housing and few unskilled job options (Perdue plant). There is a growing Hispanic population working in agriculture and construction.  Many live in labor camps.  They have many small towns with a friendly family atmosphere and great hospitality.  Excellent HFH worksite staff teaches and encourages volunteers.

Website: http://www.easternshorehabitat.org/

Cost: $350 Participants: 16

Driving

Groups in Auxier work with Hand in Hand Ministries at the Auxier Center.  They primarily assist with home building and repairs.  They may also work at a local food pantry that is open twice a month for income-qualified members of the community. The center provides food for at least 100 families each month. The Auxier Center has a computer lab where participants may teach computer classes to local residents.

Website: http://myhandinhand.org/

Cost: $350       Participants: 14

Driving

Hickory is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has been named an “All-America City” three times. 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 their community. They build approximately 10 houses a year with the help of many volunteers and donors.  They’d love to have you come and work alongside them.

Website: http://www.hickoryhabitat.org/index.html

Cost: $350       Participants: 16

Flying                                                 

Laredo is a city along the US/Mexico border with a population who is 96% Hispanic. There is a large amount of substandard housing in the area.  Laredo Habitat builds new homes and does repairs to existing homes to address the need.  Participants stay at a local church.

Website: http://www.habitatlaredo.org/#home1

Cost: $750       Participants: 14

Driving

Maine has the oldest housing stock in the country and much of it is substandard.  Midcoast Habitat serves Knox County addressing the need for affordable housing. The affiliate is based in Rockport, where they have an office and ReStore. They are currently building in Rockland and anticipate the next build in Thomaston. There is plenty to do in the Midcoast area especially outdoor activities.

Website: www.midcoasthabitat.org/

Cost: $350       Participants: 16          

Flying                                                                                                                      

The Fort Smith area is rugged, mountainous and steeped in rich American history. Arkansas Valley Habitat has constructed 91 homes since 1989 in Crawford and Sebastian Counties. Participants are lodged at a local church and several meals are shared with people from the community.

Website: http://habitatfs.org/                                                     

Cost: $750       Participants: 14

Driving

Located in central Appalachia, Bethlehem Farm is an intentional Catholic community that strives to transform lives through serving the local community and teaching sustainability. During the week at the Farm, the group works with the surrounding community, prays together, learns about and from the people of Appalachia, and experiences ways of practicing and living a sustainable life. The group may find themselves doing a variety of projects, from working alongside a family in repairing their home to practicing sustainability by working the farm and preparing the food it produces.

Website: http://www.bethlehemfarm.net/main/

Cost: $350       Participants: 15          

Flying

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. Participants will stay on a farm that uses both modern and traditional agricultural practices and visit with Navajo people. Much of this experience will be about being a witness to the beauty of the Native American culture.

Website: www.communitylearningnetwork.org

Cost: $800       Participants: 14          

Driving

There is significant need for both new houses and neighborhood revitalization projects in Winston-Salem where 5% of the housing does not meet the minimum housing code and 2.5% live in over-crowded conditions.  Forsyth County HFH has built 375 homes and served more than 1,400 families in our 30 years. Participants will stay in dormitory style housing and will meet with Villanova alumni from the area.

Website:  http://www.habitatforsyth.org/

Cost: $350       Participants: 16

Flying                                     

(BEGINS SUNDAY, October 9th)

Hand in Hand Ministries is a faith-based international service organization that shares life’s essentials with those who are experiencing poverty. Groups will have the opportunity to work alongside the “Building for Change” partners while building a modest 16x16 foot home from start to finish. Groups may also have the opportunity to learn from a variety of speakers who work in various capacities with Hand in Hand Ministries

Website: http://myhandinhand.org/

Cost: $1,400    Participants: 14

 Flying 

Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Alabama relies on volunteer support to help make the dream of home-ownership possible for families in Mobile County! They have several churches who offer up excellent accommodations as well as a friendly face. Located on the Gulf Coast, Mobile offers many interesting places to explore.

Website: http://www.habitatswalabama.org/

Cost: $750       Participants: 14

Driving 

Marion County has the highest unemployment rate in the state and poverty housing is rampant. The affiliate is striving to eliminate that by building one quality, affordable home at a time.  Participants will have plenty of work to do and will be welcomed by the Marion community, which prepares most meals for college groups.

Website:  http://www.marionschabitatforhumanity.org/

Cost: $350  Participants: 18               

 (Begins Sunday, October 9th)

Driving

Presbyterian Hope in Action is an outreach ministry of Presbyterian congregations in New York City.  They actively work to help New York City residents affected by Hurricane Sandy restore their lives physically, emotionally and spiritually working alongside our partners locally and from across the nation. The group will work with the organization in their rehabilitation and support efforts.  The local church community is excited to welcome Villanova back!

Website: http://www.phianyc.org/

Cost: $350       Participants: 14