2012 Host Sites
Alamosa, CO - La Puente (6-12) Volunteers typically choose to spend a few days up to a week working on a number of tasks including cooking a meal at the shelter, stocking shelves at the Food Bank, building and painting fences, and gleaning vegetables from local fields, just to name a few. Groups will grapple with some of the larger issues surrounding homelessness, malnutrition, and poverty and hope to in every way possible make this not only an enjoyable experience for all but an educational one as well.
Baltimore, MD - Bon Secours (6)
Bon Secours Volunteer Ministry is a full-time service program that offers “good help to those in need.” With a focus on health care,education, and social service, students have the opportunity to make new neighbors and to serve their neighbors in a variety of ways. Located in Baltimore city, students will be immersed in the city and will witness the symptoms of economic injustice present throughout the city. Opportunities for service may include: working with young children, visiting elderly patients, and assisting with projects to support the work of these ministries. In addition to service, opportunities for reflection and education on urban injustice are included in the week.
Baltimore, MD - My Brother's Keeper (12)
My Brother’s Keeper is a faith-based ministry serving those in need in the Irvington community of Baltimore City. Hot meals are feed to upwards of 70 people a day, but it's more than a soup kitchen. Social services are also provided to break the cycle of poverty, overcome addiction, and connect people with the programs that can restore them to a better quality of life. Volunteers will also work in a nearby food bank and learn the complexities of urban poverty.
Benton Harbor, MI - Readiness Center (12)
Founded in 1980, the Readiness Center helps families of Benton Harbor break the cycle of poverty by educating the entire family. The center provides a variety of educational opportunities for both parents and their pre-school through grade ?ve children. Volunteers will assist with the preschool programs as well as the center's other ministries.
Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies (4-5)
Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies (BCS), located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, prepares young people for success in college and postsecondary careers. Students range from shelter kids to kids from working class families, grades 6 through 12. BCS promotes a rigorous and engaging curriculum. Volunteers can expect to engage in the education of the students and assist in the completion of long papers and college-style essays. Volunteers will be housed by teachers in close proximity to Brooklyn.
Canton, MS - MadCAAP (12)
Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty is a community agency dedicated to eradicating poverty in the town of Canton, MS and throughout Madison County. Typical projects working with MadCAAP include home repairs such as painting, installing siding and basic carpentry work. Participants typically spend time getting to know the home owners who live in poverty and may work alongside them on their home. This trip supplies hands-on education about the problem of extreme poverty in the United States and what one community is doing to combat it.
Cincinnati, OH - St. Xavier Church (6)
This Jesuit parish is bordered on one side by a thriving downtown area, and on the other side, a neighborhood in transition and need. Students serving at this site can expect urban poverty work with Catholic Social Services, affordable housing advocacy groups and food pantries. In addition, students will receive a significant amount of education on the issues faced by the poor and homeless of Cincinnati.
Detroit, MI - Detroit Catholic Worker (5)
The Detroit Catholic Worker or Day House is in the inner city neighborhoods of Detroit, just a few blocks from Tiger Stadium. In
the morning, students will help prepare and serve food at the soup kitchen. Some help may also be needed during the day to answer the phone or door, prepare meals, or clean the house. The rest of the time the group is free to help with any social justice activities at the house.
Denver, CO – Vincentian Volunteers (6)
Vincentian Volunteers is a community of faith and action that responds to the Gospel call in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul. Volunteers can expect to serve Denver's poor, elderly, homeless, developmentally disabled and troubled youth. The program offers an opportunity for spiritual, emotional, professional growth, and a way of discerning and living one's Christian vocation.
Enid, OK - Habitat for Humanity (12)
Enid, Oklahoma is home to about 50,000 people, and exhibits a strong sense of community that students will feel very much a part of. Students will work with the local Habitat chapter to build a house for an Enid, OK family. This may entail beginning work, such as framing, roofing, and siding the house, or later stages, such as painting and building flower beds. Usually, students are able
to build the house alongside the family who will be living there.
Erie, PA - L’Arche Communities (4)
L’Arche communities attempt to build a normalized family environment for the mentally and physically disabled. Students will have the opportunity to live and work with the community members in a variety of capacities. Activities may include working in the wood shop, touring local malls or walking along the lake front with the wheelchair group, spending the day with handicapped children, or going shopping with the elderly members of the community. Not a very physically challenging trip, yet emotionally, it will leave you exhausted at the end of the day. The group may be split up to live in different houses during the week, but will meet up each day for activities. In Erie, the activities may include assisting with daily activities (cooking, cleaning, etc.), yard work, painting,
and "Spring House."
Ewing, VA - Wilderness Road State Park (6-12)
Close to the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, and there is no better place to experience nature and hiking at its best. Crews will remove and replace spit rail fencing around Wilderness Road State Park. If you want to commune with nature, there is no better place!
Ivanhoe, VA - Ivanhoe Civic League (12)
Ivanhoe is the ideal M.A.P. trip for you if you love to learn about the history of the places you visit and are looking to immerse yourself in the life of a community. In the face of the many struggles that have ensued after its mine closed, this small town of 650 has united to rebuild their community in a way that will inspire you. The Ivanhoe Civic League and residents will work alongside your group on tasks such as painting, gardening, and restoring old homes or the town park throughout the week. Be prepared to let the Spirit move you to learn about simple living from the people you will meet and the stories you will hear. You may even have the chance to kick up your heels in true flat-footing style!
Joplin, MO - Tornado Relief (24)
May 22, 2011, Joplin was directly hit by an F5 multi-vortex tornado. Through church outreach programs, volunteers will spend five days learning more about the community of Joplin, MO and working to rebuild and restore the community. Housing will be provided through St. Paul’s UMC and Catholic Ministry. There will be two separate M.A.P. groups.
Kansas City, MO - Cristo Rey School (6)
Cristo Rey School Kansas City provides a Catholic, college-prep education to culturally diverse students with economic need. Cristo Rey schools focus on solid academic learning and training in the skills needed for successful employment later in life. Started by the Sisters of Charity of Lovingworth, Kansas, the school follows the model of all Cristo Rey schools, namely, the integration of academics, work, and extracurricular activities.
Milboro, VA - Douthat State Park (6-12)
Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains at an altitude of over 3000 feet, Douthat State Park was built in 1936 and is a National Historic Landmark. Crews will participate in a variety of trail repairs including surface erosion repairs, re-establishment of water crossings, foot bridge construction, trail route definition, trail marking, and trail closures. Other work may include tree planting and upkeep on park facilities.
Montgomery, AL - Resurrection Catholic Missions (8)
Located in the capital of Alabama, Resurrection Catholic Missions reaches out to the community around it. Some of the things that you may do here include assisting in the child care center, working in Resurrection Catholic School (tutoring, P.E., reading, etc.), assisting with the elderly outreach program, gardening, or assist with the addiction counseling program.
Nashville, TN - Smithson Craighead Academy (6)
SCA is primary school recently founded by Sister Sandra Smithson in 2003. As Spring Break for students at SCA coincides with Spring Break for Marquette, this is an opportunity to work closely with Sister Sandra as well as administrators, teachers, and community volunteers in fixing up the school. As the school was damaged in the bad flooding that occurred in Nashville last year, it is in dire need of repairs and restoration for the kids to come back to a more positive learning environment. Day-to-day activities range from painting and replacing ceiling tiles, to cleaning and organizing the different classrooms."
Oakville, IA - Flood Relief (12)
Oakville is a small town in Louisa county, which has the lowest per capita income in the state of Iowa. The flooding of 2008's summer left millions upon millions of dollars in damage. You will work with the community of the small town of Oakville with many spring repairs and building of houses. You will work alongside members of local churches and flood victims while hearing their stories and experiences of homelessness and perseverance. Building skills are not needed, just a desire to learn and to help.
Oglala, SD – Pine Ridge Reservation (6)
The projects and immersion will be in connection with Our Lady of the Sioux Parish. Volunteers will be introduced into the culture, social justice issues, and the people of Oglala and Red Cloud Missionary system. The work will be specifically through Our Lady of the Sioux Parish in collaboration with the pastoral associate, who is an active member of the Oglala Sioux tribe.
St. Louis, MO - De La Salle Middle School (6)
This is a Jesuit Parish which has been serving the African-American community of St. Louis for many years. People serving in this placement can expect to do nursing home visitation, youth programming and activities, home repair, and even gardening. You can be sure you will have good contacts with people in this needy, yet vibrant community.
Campus Ministry
