The Interchange
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Covenant House Faith Community
Mission Statement
As members of Covenant House Faith Community, we put the values of absolute respect and unconditional love into action through the opportunities of service, community, and prayer/reflection. We believe that with service comes sacrifice, and we offer ourselves to Covenant House with a willingness to serve wherever the need is greatest. We strive to make a difference in the lives of the homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth of Covenant House, as well as being a source of joy and encouragement to our fellow staff. Living in a diverse community, we share ourselves and support one another during our journey together. We embrace the challenge of living simple, respectful, and healthy lives. The opportunity for daily personal and communal prayer/reflection encourages us to grow spiritually, and we welcome people of all or no faith backgrounds and religious traditions. Through our Faith Community experience, we hope to reflect God's love to all those we encounter.
Nature of Work
Covenant House is a non-profit agency providing crisis care, food, shelter, clothing, medical services, counseling, transitional living, substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health services, educational opportunities, vocational training and other services to homeless youth under 21 years of age. Faith Community is a full time volunteer program where individuals can spend 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months serving the youth of Covenant House.
Faith Community offers the following opportunities for volunteers:
SERVICE - The majority of Faith Community members serve in direct care to youth at the shelter as Resident Advisors, Case Managers, or Youth Advisors; while others may serve indirectly in food services, health services, pastoral ministry, outreach, or administration. Volunteers receive training for their service placement, and serve a minimum of 40 hours per week in regularly scheduled shifts at Covenant House.
COMMUNITY - Faith Community members come from all over the country to serve, and are beautifully diverse. Volunteers range in age from right out of college to retired. There are typically 4 to 6 people in each community. All members share household responsibilities and participate in community activities. Volunteers are asked to take on the challenge of living simple, healthy, and respectful lives.
PRAYER/REFLECTION - Volunteers in Faith Community have the opportunity to pray/reflect together for 30 minutes each day, six days per week. People of all or no faith backgrounds and religious traditions are welcomed and respected. Part of the prayer/reflection time is spent in meditation or quiet.
Placement
Faith Community currently has 3 placement sites available for volunteers:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Atlantic City, NJ
New York, NY
Time Frame
3 months, 6 months or 12 months
Remuneration
No
Requirements
- 21 years of age or older
- College degree or commensurate life experience
- Emotional maturity and good health (medical exam required)
- Open, flexible, and joyful outlook on life
- Ready to serve at any site and in any position where there is the most need
- Applicants may be married or single (no dependents)
- Willingness to submit stories and/or photos about Faith Community experience to Covenant House
Other Details
Benefits:
- Room and board (includes utilities, linens, basic hygiene stipend, transportation, and food)
- $20 per week stipend
- Medical and dental insurance
- Vacation benefits of 4 days/$125 stipend for 3 month volunteers, 1 week/$250 stipend for 6 month volunteers, 2 weeks/$500 stipend for 12 month volunteers
- Severance stipend of $100 per month served, payable at end of service commitment
- Community retreats in March and August
- Deferral of most student loans
- AmeriCorps Educational Award opportunity
Contact Info
Katrina Amann
Covenant House Faith Community
5 Penn Plaza
Third Floor
New York, New York
United States 10001
PH:(212) 727-4149
FAX:(212) 727-4992
faithmail@covenanthouse.org
www.covenanthouse.org/faithcommunity
Last updated: 2007-04-19
Please note that the Crisis Centers in Vancouver and Toronto are still open and continue to serve homeless youth, but the Faith Community houses in these sites are no longer open.