Winter Service Week
A service experience over Winter Break, Winter Service Week (WSW) is an opportunity for Canisius students to experience a week of service in the context of solidarity, spirituality, simplicity and social justice. Jesus sent disciples out in small groups to minister to those in need; Winter Service Week is based on this gospel notion and enables students to experience the variety of ongoing ministries present in both rural and urban settings.
Winter Service Week is an opportunity to work and learn in communities in the Bronx, Manhattan, New Orleans, Erie, Buffalo and Syracuse. This will be the twelfth year of Winter Service Week at Canisius College. Campus Ministry will be going to 5 different locations to do service.
New York City (25 people will work at 5 different sites)
Saturday, January 5-Saturday, January 12, 2013
Participant cost: approximately $250*
Participant pays for: transportation to NYC, local transportation, and a $50 fee toward food/lodging.
*The total cost depends on where you are traveling from and how you choose to get to NYC (bus, plane, train, car).
Campus Ministry will take care of housing and most food.
In New York, participants will be assigned to work in a service agency of some sort (shelter, food program, after-school program or Jesuit middle school). Participants will live together at a variety of living sites in NYC, in religious communities and volunteer communities. In some cases, participants will have to bring sleeping bags. On the weekends there will be some limited time for folks to tour NYC and to work in a large urban soup kitchen. Participants are first accepted to New York City and then are later placed at agencies after an information meeting.
New Orleans (10 open places)
Friday, January 4-Saturday, January 12, 2013
Participant cost: approximately $450
Participant pays for: flight to New Orleans plus a $125 fee for transportation, food, and tours
Campus Ministry will take care of local transportation, housing, and most food. Student participants will be asked to cover 1-2 meals on their own.
This year’s NOLA group will be serving with St. Bernard’s Project. Participants will be staying at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in the Garden District. Evening activities will include a visit to the French Quarter, beignets and café au lait at Café Dumond, a tour of the damage done by Katrina, and an evening of jazz at the historic Preservation Hall.
Erie Benedictine Community (6 open places)
Sunday, January 6-Saturday, January 12, 2013
Participant cost: $200 per person (All inclusive: transportation, housing, and food)
Students will work with the Benedictine sisters in a variety of ministries throughout the inner city and within the monastery itself. Volunteer opportunities include education centers for adults and children, a community center for disabled adults, after-school programs for underprivileged children, a children’s art house, soup kitchens, a food bank, and endless opportunities to help the sisters at the Mount. Participants will stay at the monastery and experience the sisters’ daily life of prayer and service. Evenings will be spent reflecting with the sisters on the experiences of the day.
Syracuse Northside CYO (7 open places)
Sunday, January 6-Saturday, January 12, 2013
Participant cost: $225 per person (All inclusive: transportation, housing, and food)
Students will partner with the Catholic Charities CYO in Syracuse, NY. Participants will work within a combination of four CYO programs: helping in pre-K classrooms, working in two inclusive classrooms, assisting with an after-school program, and taking part in an evening respite program for disabled teens and refugees. Catholic Charities serves a large refugee community in the Syracuse community. Participants will be working with local Jesuit Volunteers and engage the local JVC community with an evening reflection. Lodging will be at the Sisters of St. Francis’ Spirituality and Nature Center.
Syracuse Cathedral Academy at Pompei (5 open places)
Sunday, January 6-Saturday, January 12, 2013
Participant cost: $225 per person (All inclusive: transportation, housing, and food)
Students will serve alongside recent alum and JVC volunteer, Mary Mietlicki, at the Cathedral Academy at Pompei. This innovative school provides culturally responsive teaching and learning to students from diverse linguistic, economic and ethnic backgrounds. Participants will also be working in classrooms, participating in the after-school program and working on projects at Our Lady of Pompei Parish. Lodging will be at the Sisters of St. Francis’ Spirituality and Nature Center.
If you have questions, come to an information session on:
Thursday, October 4th at 4pm or Tuesday, October 9th at 4pm. Both will meet in OM 219.
Friday, October 12: All applications are due by 5pm in Campus Ministry (OM 207). Applications are available in Campus Ministry or can be downloaded here.
Questions? Contact Sarah Signorino at 716-888-2424 or signoris@canisius.edu
