Service Immersion Destinations

Connect with Vincentian Volunteers in an urban setting. Explore the effects of poverty on marginalized communities including; industry and the environment, employment, hunger and homelessness with an emphasis on the effects that these issues have on children. Live and work in a communal setting that supports intentional living, service, spirituality and social justice.

Share the lives and history of the people of El Salvador for nine days. You will stay with the CrisPaz organization in San Salvador. There you may serve in the parish day care center, an elderly care center, an orphanage and/or other ministries with the Daughters of Charity. The immersion may also include traveling to Perquin, a rural community. Service will include learning about and listening to the stories of the people you will meet; what their lives were like before the Civil War, during the war (1980 -1992) and since the peace accords of 1992. You will also have the opportunity to visit historical and spiritual sites, including memorial sites of people executed because of their opposition to human rights abuses and violent repression by the military during the 1970's and 80's. The El Salvador immersion also focuses on the Latin American migration experience and the challenges that modern immigrants face.

Dive into our own backyard and explore the Vincentian mission beyond DePaul University. Immerse yourself for a week with the Daughters of Charity at Marillac House to work with youth and learn about grassroots communities committed to making change in different neighborhoods in the city.

Meet fellow first year students, and learn more about the political, economic, social and cultural influences that are a part of the everyday reality for the people of St. Louis. Become a part of the Vincentian spirit of DePaul. The interaction will be with current post-graduate volunteers in Vincentian Volunteer Corps program. Service will range from tutoring children, building projects and accompanying the elderly. Service projects will respond to the ever-changing needs of the community.

In partnership with the Fr. McKenna Center and the Daughters of Charity, students will learn about the root causes of homelessness and learn how to advocate for systemic issues on Capitol Hill. Service includes working in soup kitchens, shelters, and transitional living homes.

In partnership with Resurrection Catholic Mission, students will explore the American civil rights movement-past, present and future. Service includes working with children, hearing stories from civil rights leaders, and working with senior residents in a skilled nursing facility.

In partnership with the Sisters of Charity and the St. Bernard Project, students will assist with hands-on rebuilding projects and learn how environmental disasters affect communities. Service will be physically demanding (cleanup of neighborhoods, removing sheetrock, and clearing of debris are possible service opportunities). However, our service responds to the ever-changing needs of the community. Applicants should be aware of the strenuous nature of this immersion before making it a top choice.