Latest Adventure: Jesuit Volunteer Corps in New York City!
I’ll be the first to admit I have a chronic problem with directions. I don’t get lost, exactly; rather I frequently find “alternative” ways to get to my destination. As a result, exploring new places has become an inevitable hobby.
For the next year, I’ll be exploring many alternative routes with the help of Jesuit Volunteer Corps. JVC is a nonprofit organization that assists the Catholic Church with its educational and pastoral activities in mission areas of the United States and around the world. JVC provides young men and women the opportunity to integrate the Christian faith into their lives by living, working and praying with people who are poor and marginalized. JVC is founded on four principals: living simply, doing justice, deepening faith and building community.
The year of service opens the door to a world of new challenges—but Jesuit Volunteers are up for the adventure.
This Minnesota girl will be living and working (and getting very lost) in Harlem, New York, so the first adventure will be, well, getting home.
The next set of adventures will be of a slightly different nature. I’ll be finding new ways to work for social justice as a community advocate with the Centro Altagracia de Fe y Justicia, a nonprofit that that uses faith-based initiatives to meet the needs of the Latino (largely Dominican) community in Washington Heights. I’ll be finding new ways to deepen my faith as I live in a community with other Jesuit Volunteers. And I’ll be finding new ways to make my shampoo last as long as absolutely possible. Room and board taken care of, but volunteers get a monthly stipend of $100.
The goal is to live in solidarity with the people we serve. That means no lattes from Starbucks and no fancy-shmancy shampoo.
But, Jesuit Volunteers save placement organizations more than $6 million each year! That’s money that goes directly back to the people and communities in need.
So, please join me on my adventure exploring faith, advocating social justice and getting very lost in New York City. I’m hoping to find some direction in the things that make us equal as people.
Let’s Go – ¡Vámonos!
Sarah Milnar is a 2010 journalism and Spanish graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Hey girl hey! Just thought I’d give you a shout and say that I hope things are going well in with JVC