We will be working with our local nonprofit community partners throughout the spring and summer to develop our trips. When you register, we will have you rank your interest in the type of trip you would like to take.
Johnson Park used to be the roughest spot in the Cornhill section of Utica, but thanks to the work of the Johnson Park Center, it's now a thriving place of positive change, with a youth mentoring and tutoring program, transitional housing for homeless families, job-training and placement for women including ex-offenders. The group helped with various programs including the food pantry, recreational and educational activities with kids, and neighborhood improvement projects. http://johnsonparkcenter.org/
Along Eagle Street in Utica, within two or three blocks of each other, are several human service agencies: Hope House, a free meal program for the homeless and hungry, Health Friends, making prescription drugs available for low-income families, New Horizons, a shelter for teenage girls who are on their own, Abraham House, a facility for hospice care for terminally ill, and Emmaus House, a homeless shelter for women and their children. Last year, the group focused most of their work on Hope House and Emmaus House, helping out with various projects on their wish lists and of course, preparing and serving lots of meals.
Helping Hammers is a group that partners with area churches to do re-building projects for local low-income homeowners. There is special focus on taking on jobs that will assist elderly homeowners and help them remain safely in their homes. The Helping Hammers group completed two projects in Rome, NY, during their two and a half days of service, including the building of a ramp for an elderly woman so that she has easier access to her home. http://www.oneidafirstpres.org/helping_hammers
The Chenango Canal Association oversees the Chenango Trails project as well as the preservation of the canal, surrounding waters and land, while maintaining it as both an historic and public recreation site. The Trails project is an ongoing effort to create well- groomed walking and biking trails that will link numerous communities in Chenango, Madison and Oneida counties. The group performed a variety of trail clearing and building projects, and in addition helped with some clean-up efforts in the general vicinity. http://www.chenangocanal.org/
The Thea Bowman House provides quality care to some of the community's most vulnerable children and youth in the hope of breaking the cycle of poverty through a structured program of educational and social enrichment. The Thea Bowman House summer camp, located in Ava, NY, provides a healthy and fun outdoor experience for Utica's children free of charge and is an opportunity for them to get out of the city in the summer. The OA group spent their days with the kids, playing games, doing arts and crafts , and teaching them about fishing and other outdoor activities. http://www.theabowmanhouse.org/
Rebuilding Together performs home improvement projects for low-income homeowners who are being forced to choose between vital necessities such as food or medicine or a roof that does not leak, working to ensure that as many families as possible do not have to make these difficult choices. The OA group, in partnership with RTMV and the ARC, did renovation work on a home in Port Leyden, NY, owned by a couple with multiple health problems. http://www.rebuildingtogethermv.org/
