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Youth Mission Opportunities

Mission/Service Camps located in or near the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church
(This list is by no means exhaustive)
The mission/service camps are listed alphabetically along with their website, contact information, cost and a short explanation of each work camp taken from their websites.

Name of Organization: ASP (Appalachia Service Project)
Website: http://asphome.org/
Contact: 423.854.8800 
Description of camp: “Appalachia Service Project, Inc. (ASP) is a Christian ministry, open to all people, that fosters human development by addressing the housing needs of Central Appalachia. After a few days of hard work repairing homes with ASP, your hands will grow a little tougher, your arms a little stronger, and your relationship with God a whole lot deeper. You’ll return home to your community with a passion for service, a renewed compassion for other people, and a fresh appreciation for your place and purpose in this world. Best of all, you’ll discover first-hand that regardless of geography, education, or economic class, we are all equal members of the family of God.”

Name of Organization: Catholic Diocese of Arlington
Website: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/WorkCamp/ 
Contact: 703.841.2559 OR [email protected] 
Description of Camp: “This is a weeklong intentional Christian community for high-school aged youth. We begin each day with the celebration of Mass before going to work sites where we serve those in need by making their homes safer, warmer, and drier. The evening program consists of Christian entertainment, songs, and speakers. A reconciliation service is always a part of the week and Eucharistic adoration is frequently the way we close the day.”

Name of Organization: C.E. Workcamps
Website:  http://cemidatlantic.org
Contact: 610.369.0207 OR [email protected]  
Description of camp: “Any person willing to put their Christian faith into action by taking a week to unselfishly serve people in need can attend Life Builders Youth Work Camp Ministry. People the age of 13 and up are invited to join others in helping people recover from natural disasters and/or are living in poverty. By helping the people you will help to extend their funds to purchase more building materials, be the hands and feet of God, and share your faith through good deeds, all while being with friends and others from your church.”

Name of Organization: Cross Country Ministries, Inc.
Website: http://www.crosscountryministries.net/
Contact: 205.508.0077 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp: “SEYC, Southeastern Youth Camp, is an outreach of Cross Country Ministries, Inc., a Christian ministry dedicated to leading young people into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. During the summer, week long camps are offered in two states.  Young Campers from many different states attend the camp in Alabama and Virginia seeking ways to follow God.  Speakers, counselors and staff encourage and mentor these students all week to learn God’s Word, follow Christ daily and show love toward others.  Every activity and class is oriented toward weaving the gospel message and life applications from God’s Word.  The week is filled with wonderful moments of fun, fellowship and faith encounters.  Many campers return year after year and become great leaders each year at camp.” 

Name of Organization: Group Work Camps
Website: http://www.groupmissiontrips.com/
Contact: 1.800.385.4545 or [email protected]
Description of camp: “ Work camps are designed to deepen your walk with Christ, while you serve people in Christ’s name. It’s not so much about the “service projects” (although the challenge is important), it’s more about God changing the lives of the people you serve…and the hearts of your students. The “work” fades, but the impact of selfless service and new relationships lasts! Our purpose is to come alongside youth leaders and provide experiences where young people grow in Christian faith and character…and have loads of fun at the same time. Opportunities vary from home repair to community service…domestic to international. Service projects are determined by the most pressing needs of the communities we serve in. Project crews are divided into small teams (typically 1 adult and 5 young people) to promote strong friendships within each crew…and to build meaningful relationships with the people you are serving.” 

Name of Organization: Habitat for Humanity
Website: https://www.habitat.org/
Contact: Depends on desired location 
Description of camp: “Habitat is entirely about community. Groups who come expecting to keep to themselves and not integrate with the community or other groups always leave feeling frustrated. This can and should be a spiritual experience for all the volunteers, but not in the quiet, meditative, introspective way that a “retreat” would. Plan for some time alone with your group to process feelings and talk about what they’re seeing and experiencing during the week, but also take advantage of the one-time opportunities available to you to get to know the other groups and members of our community who will undoubtedly want to get to know you! These relationships are often the most memorable and important part of your work camp experience. Each group does their own cooking.”

Name of Organization: Harvest of Hope (Society of St. Andrew)
Website: http://endhunger.org/hoh/ 
Phone number: 800.333.4597
Description of camp: “Harvest of Hope is the ecumenical study, worship, and action mission program of the Society of St. Andrew.  Harvest of Hope (HoH) provides an opportunity to learn about hunger and a commonsense solution to the issue – gleaning.  The goal of Harvest of Hope is to educate participants concerning the domestic and global hunger problem; encouraging them to make lifeline commitments to being part of the solution. Together we will glean fresh fruits and vegetables which will immediately, through the help of local feeding agencies, find their way onto the tables of those in need.  HoH strives to provide an opportunity for participants to experience a simple and healthy lifestyle during the event.  Also, we will worship together, exploring what God wants us to do concerning our neighbors who are in need.”

Name of Organization: Highland Support Project
Website: www.highlandsupportproject.org
Contact: (804) 363-6789 or hello@highlandsupportproject.org
Highland Support Project, an Advance Special of the Virginia Conference, has 25 years of experience leading short-term youth mission teams to Guatemala and  Arizona. In both places, we work with historically underserved indigenous communities in partnership with local grassroots organizations to provide the most transformational impact for everyone involved. Youth have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ via construction projects and fellowship-building activities with the local communities. 

Name of Organization: Hinton Rural Life Center
Hinton Rural Life Center (Advance Project #731372), an agency of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The UMC, that offers ministries of retreat and missional outreach. Hinton is responding to current individual and family needs to retreat, reflect, renew, and serve during this uncertain and stressful time by offering affordable options to either getaway and serve at Hinton or stay at home and serve, being mindful of the ongoing need to protect oneself and others. Hinton is located in Hayesville, NC, in the Appalachian Mountains, two hours from Asheville, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Greenville.
FOR FAMILIES
Now youth can share a summer mission experience with their families! This is a great opportunity for families who’ve been sheltering and following pandemic protocols, but seek a change of scenery and activity – recreational and missional – which Hinton is offering on its 33-acre campus in Hayesville, NC, in the Appalachian Mountains. Check out our Mission Vacation package here: www.hintoncenter.org/missionvacation 
YOUTH VIRTUAL AND ON-SITE MISSIONS
Hinton is also offering opportunities for youth mission teams to serve this summer in ways that address Covid-19 safety concerns. Hinton has a VIRTUAL MISSIONS package so teams can serve at home but still be connected with a mission week at Hinton through shared devotionals, games, poverty awareness activities, worship, and Appalachian culture night. The package contains t-shirts, videos, schedule, and more; teams set up service projects in their own church or community.
Hinton is also prepared to host ON-SITE MISSION TEAMS, with Covid-19 protocols in place to protect staff and guests.
For more information on Virtual Missions, On-Site Missions, our Covid-19 protocols, and to register for THIS SUMMER, go to https://www.hintoncenter.org/missions

Name of Organization: Impact Richmond
Website: https://www.impactrichmond.org/ 
Phone number: 804.379.1748
Description of camp: “The Mission of Impact Richmond is to help repair the homes of those in need while helping students and homeowners strengthen relationships with Christ and one another. We want to take Christ to our community by sending volunteer work crews to spend time with the elderly and less fortunate while providing home repair services. We do this by working closely with Senior Connections, the Capital Area Agency on Aging, to find homeowners whose homes need repair but are on a fixed budget. We also want to provide a place where students can experience meaningful worship by being the hands of Christ. We provide all of the tools that the students will need to complete their home improvement jobs, as well as a place to stay, and programmed evening activities.” 

Name of Organization: Impact Virginia 
Website:  http://impactmissioncamps.org
Contact: Depends on desired location 
Description of camp: “Impact Virginia is a construction based mission project. Each person is expected to come prepared for construction related types of work. Impact Virginia will also challenge students through worship, Bible study and community life. It is the responsibility of each church leader to lead their group in a manner that will enhance the entire Impact Virginia experience. They offer camps all throughout Virginia so you can choose the camp that is right for you.” 

Name of Organization: Jeremiah Project
Website: http://www.jeremiahproject.org/#/events
Contact: 1.866.574.5744 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp: “The youth and adults who participate in the project spend the week performing home repair tasks such as porch construction, house painting, wheelchair ramp construction, yard work, and other jobs. A strong emphasis is also placed on interacting with the persons for whom we work. This is designed to help us see that all people have many types of needs, including the visible, physical needs. Families are referred to us by agencies or individuals, and the family requests the type of work needed – this way we meet their needs as they see them. Middle school aged kids.”

Name of Organization: M25 Summer Missions
Website:  http://M25camp.org 
Contact: 770.971.2880 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp:  “M25 is a mission program designed to bring students together to serve God by serving others located in Atlanta Georgia. Sometimes going out into all the world means helping those in our own backyard, and with M25, your group will have the incredible opportunity to help some of 20,000 homeless people in Atlanta. Not only will students be able to witness needs, but they will also get to fill them. M25 focuses less on manual labor and more on relational ministry as students get a rare chance to meet, get to know, and minister to people from a different side of life. They will bring hope to the hopeless and be able to walk as Jesus did as they seek out the least of these.”

Name of Organization: Project Crossroads
Website: http://holston.org/ministries/missions/church-and-community-workers/project-crossroads/ 
Contact: or 276.782.3339 OR [email protected]
Description of camp: “Project Crossroads is a mission of The United Methodist Church. With headquarters in Marion, Virginia, Project Crossroads serves the needs of God’s children through home repair, new home construction, firewood delivery, and emergency assistance. By working with Project Crossroads, you or your group have the opportunity for faithful witness of Christ’s presence through love in action.”

Name of Organization: REACH (Real Experiences Affecting Change)
Websitehttps://www.reachinroanokeva.org/ 
Contact: 540.529.9200 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp: “REACH is located in South East Roanoke, VA and is a weeklong mission adventure for middle and high school youth with a desire to affect real change.  Your adventure may involve home repairs, where we emphasize making homes warmer, drier and safer.  Or, you may choose from any number of service opportunities where you will work with children, the elderly, homeless, pets, community gardens, just about anyone or anything you can imagine.  Join us in this “Relational” ministry as we strive to be the servant leaders we are called to be.”

Name of Organization: Reach Work Camps
Website: http://www.reachmissiontrips.org
Contact: 1.888.732.2492 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp: “Week long mission of service to low income communities. Camps are located throughout the Eastern US.  It is a life changing experience as campers participate in activities that build community and self-esteem, encourages spiritual growth and enables them to understand their role in combating poverty.  Our trips are limited to just 65 people a week because we want every person on a YouthWorks trip to be known and know others. Year after year YouthWorks continues to minister through local ministry partners. It is our desire to walk alongside our friends in ministry, helping support the kingdom building work they do daily in their own communities.”

Name of Organization: Recreation Experiences
Website: http://www.ReCreationexperiences.org 
Contact: 828.645.4800 
Description of camp: “ReCreation Experiences provides a faith based outlet for individuals and groups who feel called and compelled to respond to the needs of others out of their sense of faith.  Founded in 1990, the ministry grew out of a desire to provide quality  mission experiences where both the people receiving the work as well as the people doing the work grow through the experience. Our foundational “building blocks” continue to keep us balanced and in tune with meeting both the needs of work teams and the clients we serve.”

Name of Organization: Redbird
Website: http://rbmission.org/work-camp/ 
Contact: 606.598.5133 OR  [email protected] 
Description of camp: “The goals of our Work Camp program are fourfold. First, we hope the time spent working and sharing together will help your group to grow in Christian love. In addition, we hope that each individual will use the time away from their normal environment and routine to reflect and pray about the problems and joys in their own life and be enriched spiritually. Second, we wish to help each individual understand what Red Bird Mission is and why it is important to the Appalachian region of Southeastern Kentucky. Third, we want to make the daily work beneficial to the Mission and the surrounding community. Fourth, we hope during your stay here that you will learn to appreciate the enriching beauty of the mountains and the people who live here, and will compare their struggles and problems with those of your own communities.”

Name of Organization: SPY
Website: http://www.fieldstoneumc.org
Contact: 540.260.3402 OR  [email protected] 
Description of camp: “Service Projects for Youth is a week-long mission adventure for middle and high school youth. Physically, we are a home repair ministry, making homes safer, warmer and drier, for families who want our helping hands. This is a great opportunity to go out into this community and give to those who have already given so much.”

Name of Organization: Team Effort Ministries
Website: http://TeamEffort.Org
Contact: 800.989.1507
Description of camp: “TEAMeffort is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian youth mission organization dedicated to providing opportunities for both youth and adult leaders to reach out to others through Christian service and live out a passion for God, in the context of “putting our faith into action.”  The mission trips are designed to be a mixture of hard work, spiritual growth, and good clean adventurous fun. It is our desire that at the end of each mission trip, the youth will return to their churches in more cohesive groups, sharing in memories that will last a lifetime and enjoying a renewed excitement about what Jesus Christ is doing in all of their lives.”

Name of Organization: The Center for Student Missions
Website: http://www.csm.org
Contact: 267.928.2620 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp:  “CSM exists to bring students and adults in to the inner city for ministry. Although not a physical place, CSM is an experience in which students come to know God in a new way. CSM finds places in urban centers for students to use their gifts to promote the Kingdom of God. We do not create our own projects, but link with existing churches and agencies to help them with their ministries. By participating in people-to-people ministries, students make new friends and become involved in the lives of city dwellers.”

Name of Organization: Tri-Cities Workcamps (TCW)
Website: http://www.tcworkcamps.org
Phone Number: 804.862.3427
Description of Camp: TCW is an ecumenical high school youth workcamp retreat in Petersburg, Virginia. Founded in 1987, Tri-Cities Workcamps is a total package. Each workcamp is a weeklong urban encounter for teams of youth to work hard during the day and teambuild/play hard during the evenings. Youth groups camp out on the floor of a local school. Meals & building supplies are included with your stay. Work crews of 6-7 travel to the same home each day to repair porches, walls, floors and build handicap ramps. Evenings are filled with liturgical gifts of sign language or dance, talent shows, crew fun competitions and a candlelight ceremony. Heads up…your youth group will not be working together. Crews are made up of young and old, experienced and unexperienced teens from all over the United States and the Middle East. We have veteran youth group leaders from your denomination to chat with about their experiences if you like. 

Name of Organization: U.M. ARMY
Website: http://ne.umarmy.org/ 
Contact: 484.329.7635 
Description of camp: “Middle and high school youth groups of all sizes are invited to join United Methodist Action Reach-out-Mission by Youth (U.M. ARMY) for a week of mission during the summer.   Participants will be working in local communities and doing home repairs and small construction projects for neighbors in need.  Clients are referred through local social services agencies and church organizations.  Participants eat, sleep, enjoy fellowship and worship in a church.”

Name of Organization: World Changers
Website:  http://www.lifeway.com/worldchangers/
Contact: 1.800.254.2022
Description of camp: “World Changers seeks to provide Christian youth and adults with opportunities to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others through practical learning experiences that teach servant-hood and personal commitment to missions. Groups are typically housed in local schools, churches, or college facilities. Breakfast and dinner are provided cafeteria-style at the lodging site. Lunch is provided at the work site by local churches. In preparation for the week, youth are required to complete a pre-project study based on the theme for the year, including a local work project.”

Name of Organization: Youth Works
Website: http://www.youthworks.com/
Contact:  1.800.968.8504 OR [email protected] 
Description of camp: “YouthWorks is committed to creating a close-knit, safe place for teens to be teens and communities to be blessed. Our trips are limited to just 65 people a week because we want every person on a YouthWorks trip to be known and know others. Year after year YouthWorks continues to minister through local ministry partners. It is our desire to walk alongside our friends in ministry, helping support the kingdom building work they do daily in their own communities.”

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