Weekend of Service
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 Sierra Service Project is offering four faith-rich service weekends in this winter. Like our summer projects, these weekends combine fun fellowship with youth from other youth groups with a challenging, hands-on service project and a strong focus on understanding how we can all live out our faith in the world around us.
Each weekend starts on Friday evening and ends on Sunday afternoon. We will partner with different local organizations to provide much-needed hands-on service work (see 2011 projects below). Our work projects involve many of the usual SSP skills: carpentry, floor and wall repairs, and painting. We will enroll between 25 and 40 volunteers in each session. |
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| Portland Location and 2012 Dates |
Augustana Lutheran Church 2710 Northeast 14th Avenue Portland, OR 97212 Registration Deadlines are April 1st for the April dates, and May 1st for the May dates: The cost for this project is $75 per participant. SSP hosted its first-ever Weekend of Service project in Portland, Oregon the first weekend in November, 2011. Youth and adults from three churches participated in the inaugural weekend. Read about the work that was done with the Northeast Emergency Food Program. SSP is excited to expand its year-long programs into the Pacific Northwest. |
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| Sacramento Location and 2012 Dates |
Oak Park United Methodist Church (pictured above) 3600 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95817 There are no currently scheduled upcoming dates for this program. Two sessions were ran in 2012 and three in 2011. We plan to continue this program during the fall of 2012. If your group is interested in a particular weekend, call the office to discuss the posibilities at (916)488-6441. The cost for this project is $95 per participant. |
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| Registration and Information Downloads | Sacramento Downloads:
Sacramento Weekend of Service Information Flier Portland Downloads: Portland Weekend of Service Information Flier |
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| Current Availability |
This chart shows the total number of spaces available (youth and adults) for each weekend session. If you would like to sign your group up please contact Meghan Osborn at (916)488-6441.
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| Photos | Photos from the Sacramento and Portland Weekend of Service sessions. | ||||||
| Previous Service Projects | SSP participants have worked for Oak Park homeowners in Sacramento as well as for nonprofits in both Sacramento and Portland. Below are some bios on the work projects.
 Northeast Emergency Food Program
At the pilot Weekend of Service in Portland, Oregon, youth worked at the Northeast Emergency Food Program building compost bins, stairs and raised garden beds that will supply produce to the food program and a teaching opportunity for people to learn how to grow their own food. Northeast Emergency Food Program is a vital part of the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Learn more about the Food Program.
In 2011 SSP sent volunteers to work at Yes 2 Kollege Education Resources, Inc. (Y2K), a nonprofit organization in Oak Park. Yes 2 Kollege believes that any hardworking student can attend college, regardless of family background or income. They work to empower parents and students with services and resources to become responsible citizens who value education as a lifelong process. The Y2K's office is in a converted garage that previously had water damage. SSP volunteers installed a drainage system to prevent water from flooding into the building again. The youth also repaired drywall, painted new siding and installed a floor structure to level the floor. Soil Born Farms In 2012 youth demolished and rebuilt two walls at Soil Born Farms. Their goals are to develop a food and environmental education program focused on service and experiential learning for youth and adults as well as to address food security needs by developing alternative food distribution and food donation programs that target our under-served communities. Soil Born Farms also focuses on bringing people together to celebrate cultural diversity and share the simple pleasures of living life in harmony with nature.  Aspire Alexander Twilight College Preparatory Academy
In 2011 SSP volunteers worked at Aspire Alexander Twilight College Preparatory Academy, a local charter school, remodeling a teacher's office and storage room. Aspire operates public charter schools throughout California, with an emphasis on serving low income communities. Aspire's motto for their students is “College for Certain”. They want to change the opportunity equation for every family they serve by preparing students to become college bound and college ready. SSP volunteers repaired walls, added insulation, installed new flooring and painted.
 Ubuntu Green
During one session in 2011, one work team worked with Ubuntu Green, a nonprofit organization in Oak Park. Ubuntu Green is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that is committed to promoting healthy, sustainable and equitable communities through advocacy, education and community empowerment. The work team installed edible raised garden boxes for two low income homeowners. |
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Yes 2 Kollege Education Resources, Inc.