Special Youth Programming

Catholic Heart Work Camps

These week-long Catholic workcamps throughout the country offer quality service projects and evangelical programs for Catholic young people and their leaders. Most of the camps are open to students entering grade 8 and several are open to those entering grade 7. The camps give students the opportunity to explore a new city while serving others and strengthening their faith.
Contact: Catholic HEART Workcamp
P.O. Box 2226
Goldenrod, FL 32733-2226
catholichrtcamp@msn.com
Phone: 407-678-0073
www.heartworkcamp.com

Souper Bowl of Caring

A international initiative that happens locally, the Souper Bowl of Caring is a simple effort to "love the Lord our God and love our neighbors." The project entails encouraging people to give one dollar each as they leave worship on Super Bowl Sunday. Every penny collected is sent directly to a soup kitchen, food bank or other charity. Young people all over the country organize this fundraiser, decide where to donate the funds, collect money and deliver it to the charity of their choice. Then, they report their donation to the national organization. In 2004, over 12,500 groups collected over 4.2 million dollars for the hungry!
www.souperbowl.com

Urban Challenge

Sponsored by the Romero Center in Camden, NJ, this overnight, weekend, or one week program gives Catholics and other people of faith the opportunity to build bridges of understanding and awareness. The program combines volunteer service in Camden and Philadelphia with work, study, and prayer. During the day, students work at a variety of work sites: in schools, with hot meals programs, at homeless shelters, at a drop-in center for persons infected and affected with HIV and AIDS, at housing construction, with the South Jersey Food Bank, and with several other agencies in the Camden and the Philadelphia area. In the evening, groups discuss urban poverty, social and economic justice, and reflect on our call, as disciples, to embrace a "preferential option for the poor". For 6 - 8 graders, the center offers an orientation and introduction to Catholic Social Teachings, with the opportunity to help agencies who serve people who are struggling. This usually takes the form of clothing or food collections. Groups also tour the city and listen to people from the community tell their stories about living in Camden.
Contact: Romero Center
Larry DiPaul, Director
2907 Federal Street
Camden, NJ 08105
info@romero-center.org
Phone: 856-964-9777
www.romero-center.org

YouthServe

A two-day, overnight service learning program for young adolescents in 7 and 8 grades that can be sponsored by a diocese, region, parish, Catholic school, or a group of parishes and/or Catholic schools. YouthServe provides an excellent way for dioceses to include service as part of their comprehensive ministry with young adolescents, for parishes to integrate service into their young adolescent program and/or confirmation preparation, and for Catholic schools to incorporate service as a part of their curriculum for 7 and 8 grade students. The Center for Ministry Development provides sponsors with a proven curriculum, trained faculty, and program materials for YouthServe. Sponsors organize the program locally and provide for facilities, service sites, and supervision.
Contact: Cheryl Tholcke
Center for Ministry Development
9 Governors Court, Sacramento CA 95817
cheryl@cmdnet.org
Phone: 916-451-1551
www.cmdnet.org