Posts related to on Sierra Service Project

Youth Service Opportunities for 2016 Summer

May 11th, 2015

: A high school youth in Smith River, CA, repairing a roof.

: All volunteers, even middle school youth, are trained in safety before given any power tools!

: Work team with their homeowner, Mary, in Tsaile, AZ.

: Making delicious and healthy meals in the Smith River United Methodist Church where volunteers stay

Sierra Service Project, or SSP, provides service opportunities during the summer and school year for middle and high school youth groups. SSP is:

Challenging service. Youth take on complex projects, learn to safely use power tools, and cultivate teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Fun! The SSP experience includes a tradition of games, songs, and lasting friendships.
Safe & Dependable. SSP has 40 years of youth service, leadership, and home repair knowledge, is dedicated to physical and emotional safety, and provides nutritious meals and spiritual support to all volunteers.
Intercultural engagement. Working with others to strengthen communities different from their own allows youth to experience new cultures in an authentic way.
Community-based, transformative service learning experience.

During the 2015 summer, SSP hosted 1,757 volunteers. They worked together to complete 94 projects which included replacing 9 failing roofs, constructing 10 brand new wheelchair ramps, and painting 17 homes. SSP worked with 5 United Church of Christ churches who sent 53 volunteers in 2015.

Reverend Daniel Ross-Jones is the Associate Conference Minister for the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ and he has participated in SSP’s summer and year-round programs. He has also just joined SSP’s Board of Directors. Rev. Ross-Jones says that he is, “excited about Sierra Service Project as an avenue to minister to youth in a safe, fun, and affirming environment.” He says that, as hard as it is to get youth to be involved in any church-related activity, his youth “are always excited and ready to serve with Sierra Service Project.”

(…) his youth “are always excited and ready to serve with Sierra Service Project.”

SSP is committed to providing safe, accessible, and affordable programs for youth to deepen their relationships with God and others through service. SSP trips cover housing, meals, construction training, spiritual development, fellowship and more. We also offer scholarships to groups and individuals who may not otherwise be able to attend.

Groups of all sizes can enroll, and no group is too small. Those interested, including individual youth, may register where space is available. Call (916) 488-6441 or click today for more information!

Sierra Service Project is an independent, interdenominational Christian 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides equal opportunity for everyone to experience God’s grace through service. SSP believes in offering the invitation to service and relationship freely, without expectation. SSP is open and affirming, and welcomes anyone who is interested in participating in its programs.

Youth Service Opportunities for 2016 Summer

May 11th, 2015

Sierra Service Project, or SSP, provides service opportunities during the summer and school year for middle and high school youth groups. SSP is:

Challenging service. Youth take on complex projects, learn to safely use power tools, and cultivate teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Fun! The SSP experience includes a tradition of games, songs, and lasting friendships.
Safe & Dependable. SSP has 40 years of youth service, leadership, and home repair knowledge, is dedicated to physical and emotional safety, and provides nutritious meals and spiritual support to all volunteers.
Intercultural engagement. Working with others to strengthen communities different from their own allows youth to experience new cultures in an authentic way.
Community-based, transformative service learning experience.

During the 2015 summer, SSP hosted 1,757 volunteers. They worked together to complete 94 projects which included replacing 9 failing roofs, constructing 10 brand new wheelchair ramps, and painting 17 homes. The California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church sent 612 of those volunteers from 48 Cal-Pac churches; the most of any denomination’s conference!

Pastor Robb Fuesler is the Senior Pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Tustin, CA. He has participated in SSP’s programs for the past seventeen years. He explains that, “Jesus calls us to bless others with no strings attached, and [SSP] is a great opportunity to just come and serve without any hidden agenda.” Pastor Fuesler also says that every year, “there’s one week that I’m sure I’m doing exactly what Jesus would want me to do, and SSP is where I get to do it.”

“there’s one week that I’m sure I’m doing exactly what Jesus would want me to do, and SSP is where I get to do it.”

SSP is committed to providing safe, accessible, and affordable programs for youth to deepen their relationships with God and others through service. SSP trips cover housing, meals, construction training, spiritual development, fellowship and more. We also offer scholarships to groups and individuals who may not otherwise be able to attend.

Groups of all sizes can enroll, and no group is too small. Those interested, including individual youth, may register where space is available. Call (916) 488-6441 or click today for more information!

Sierra Service Project is an independent, interdenominational Christian 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides equal opportunity for everyone to experience God’s grace through service. SSP believes in offering the invitation to service and relationship freely, without expectation. SSP is open and affirming, and welcomes anyone who is interested in participating in its programs.

BIG DoG: Boost Your Support May 5th!

May 4th, 2015

Sierra Service Project is proud to be participating in Sacramento’s Big Day of Giving (BIG DoG) on May 5^th. Starting tonight at midnight, you will have 24 hours to give where your heart is, and we hope that is with SSP! When you donate before 11:59PST on May 5^th, your gift to SSP will grow thanks to a pool of funds that will boost all gifts!

SSP has spent the past 40 years learning about communities, serving with our neighbors and worshiping with new friends. We need your help to build the experience for the next 40 years so that more teenagers can be transformed by the humbling experience of service, more homes and community centers can be repaired, and for more young adults to become our next generation of leaders.

The Sacramento Region Community Foundation, in partnership with GiveLocalNow, Placer Community Foundation, Yolo Community Foundation, and other partners are working together to increase awareness and donations for Sacramento area non-profits. From midnight to midnight, Sierra Service Project will join 500 other non-profits in the region who will all work together to engage as many as 25,000 donors, and we hope you will be one of them!

We are encouraging all of our supporters to give $40 (or $40 per month!) in honor of SSP’s 40th year of service at 4:40AM PST (for our East Coast friends) and 4:40PM PST! Keep your eye out for special #SSPswag giveaways to our 4th, 14th, 24th, etc. donors!

Site Visit to Tsaile, Arizona

April 9th, 2015

By Dedrick McCord, Navajo Nation Site Director, from Community United Methodist Church of Pacific Palisades

Driving into Tsaile at night left me in my hotel room as impressionless as when I had woken up that morning in Los Angeles. I had spent the previous six hours driving with a recent Tsaile Site Director, Pascal Domicone, and his excitement never waivered for a moment. He told me about the beauty I had to look forward to, but when we got there the Red Rock Forest was covered completely in darkness.

The next day, the first stop we made was Canyon de Chelly. Huge, flat cliffs spanning for miles on end. There were no sounds there other than us, it was like nature was there just for us to experience it. Our second stop led us towards the Chapter Houses. Within minutes on the road the red rock mountains started coming into view. White capped from the last snowfall and sparkling with the reflection of the sun. It was difficult to stop staring long enough to go inside the building.

While at the Tsaile/Wheatfields Chapter we came into contact with a man named Silver. He was a family member of our contact at the chapter and meeting him was an incredible blessing. He told us about his graduate education studying tribal law and his effort to become fluent in the Navajo language. Silver led us around Tsaile helping us to understand the place my staff and I would be staying. He is excited to help us bring a truly powerful program to the SSP program in Tsaile this year.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to have seen Tsaile already and allow my excitement for this summer to come even earlier this year. I can’t wait to experience it again with all my new friends and family this coming June!

Editor’s Note: There are still some space is still available in Tsaile and all other sites. If your youth group is going to Youth 2015 or doing something else this summer, you can still go to SSP! Learn about our Individual Youth Program.