Local Outreach Teams
Local Outreach provides numerous opportunities for students to engage in consistent service-learning with local community partners, helping to fulfill community needs and facilitating student learning and growth.
Each semester, Local Outreach coordinates teams of student volunteers to serve alongside community partners. We offer a wide range of service opportunities, including service with the elderly, the homeless population, individuals with special needs, children and youth, and ESL programs. Each team is led by a trained local service student leader who communicates with the Community Partner and student volunteers, provides transportation, and facilitates reflection to foster personal growth and learning.
Messiah Lifeways (1:1)
Contact: messlifewayscoord@messiah.edu
Paxton Ministries
Contact: paxtoncoord@messiah.edu
Intergenerational Fellowship & College Connections
Contact: intergencoord@messiah.edu
Bethesda Men's Shelter
Contact: bethesdamisscoord@messiah.edu
Bethesda Mobile Mission
Contact: bethesdamisscoord@messiah.edu
New Hope Ministries
Contact: newhopecoord@messiah.edu
Wildheart Ministries
Contact: wildheartcoord@messiah.edu
Bethesda After-School Program
Contact: bethesdayouthcoord@messiah.edu
Bethesda Hotspot
Contact: bethesdahotspot@messiah.edu
Center for Champions
Contact: c4ccoord@messiah.edu
Salvation Army After-School Program
Contact: salvarmycoord@messiah.edu
PAIRWN After-School
Contact: refugeecoord@messiah.edu
Are you interested in becoming more engaged with the local community? Get involved with our Local Outreach program! The Agapé Center Outreach Teams send hundreds of students into a variety of local community service experiences in Harrisburg and the surrounding communities each week. See opportunities here! Questions? Contact: outreach@messiah.edu.
Domestic Service Trips
The Agapé Center Service Trips team provides students with opportunities to engage with diverse communities through acts of service and fellowship. Through service, we hope students will experience enriching and challenging growth which will help to foster learning of oneself, of the needs of others and of the role that service plays in society through a lens of Christian faith. Fall break trips are currently full. Stay tuned for information regarding our upcoming Spring and Summer break 2024 trips. Questions? Contact: emma.narber@messiah.edu.
- City Service Mission - Washington, D.C.
- Urban Promise - Wilmington, Delaware
- Interfaith Center of Philadelphia - Philadelphia, PA
- Priority 1 Ministries - Bronx, NY
Applications are closed.
- Praying Pelican Missions - Maui, HI
- Mennonite Disaster Service - Crisfield, MD
- The Philly Project - Philadelphia, PA
- Priority 1 Ministries - Bronx, NY
Applications are open. There was an email sent on January 16th with the link to the application. Applications are due January 26th.
- Catholic Charities (Baltimore, MD)
- Catholic Charities USA is a national organization that offers support to member agencies, provides disaster relief and promotes poverty reduction through research and legislative reform. Volunteers will assist with meal programs, after school tutoring programs, and immigration assistance programs.
- Priority 1 Ministries (Bronx, NY)
- Students will actively engage with impoverished and hunger-stricken communities in the greater NYC area. Volunteers assist with the Breakfast & Lunch Ministry program; an after school program for tutoring inner-city children; the World Vision Storehouse, and more! Students also have the opportunity to actively reflect upon their interactions with the urban populations that they will serve.
- UrbanPromise (Wilmington, DE)
- The mission of UrbanPromise Wilmington is to equip children and young adults through Christ with the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, personal growth and servant leadership. Volunteers will help kids with homework after school, assisting in building maintenance and renovations, neighborhood cleanup, and/or landscaping.
- City Service Mission (Washington, DC)
- City Service Mission offers their “time, energy, and prayers, ministry sites are supported and built up to their full potential of service. You will be integrated into a variety of hands-on service opportunities to ensure that your time is spent supplying substantive help to God’s people in the city.”
- Interfaith Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)
- Interfaith Philadelphia is committed to increasing peace and understanding among people of all faith backgrounds. Their tagline, “Dare to Understand” encompasses their dream that people will take a chance for understanding, replacing fear and hate with acceptance and harmony. Volunteers will participate in programs and service projects that promote interfaith learning and engagement.
- Praying Pelican (North Carolina)
- Praying Pelican is a Christ-based, short-term international missions organization that desires to work alongside churches and nonprofits who are serving the community. Due to recent hurricanes and tropical storms in the Carolinas, Praying Pelican is partnering with local churches to provide ongoing recovery support for communities. Volunteers will assist in home repairs and will support outreach initiatives.
- Priority 1 (Bronx, NY)
- Students will actively engage with impoverished and hunger-stricken communities in the greater NYC area. Volunteers assist with the Breakfast & Lunch Ministry program; an after-school program for tutoring inner-city children; the World Vision Storehouse, and more! Students also have the opportunity to actively reflect upon their interactions with the urban populations that they will serve.
- Vigilant Hope (Wilmington, NC)
- Vigilant Hope is an urban mission experience in the heart of Wilmington, NC designed to love and serve the poor and to challenge you to do the same. In this week long experience, volunteers feed the hungry, serve the homeless and restore dignity to the urban community through home repair and beautification projects.
- WorkFest (Mt. Vernon, KY)
- WorkFest, also known as Christian Appalachian project, is a Christian-based organization which seeks to provide home repair and reconstruction services to participants, providing safe, warm and dry housing for families and individuals who otherwise could not afford adequate living conditions.
Have Additional Questions?
Local Outreach:
Email: outreach@messiah.edu.
Domestic Service Trips:
Email: emma.narber@messiah.edu.