St. Joseph’s University, New York has received $155,000 from the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph (CSSJ) to support the University’s service learning trips, also known as mission trips, for students across the University.
The Office of Campus Ministry hosts the annual mission trips as an opportunity for SJNY students to visit underserved areas of the country and locally providing assistance at local shelters, soup kitchens and other organizations that serve their communities. This year, $5,000 of the grant monies will be used to fund a winter mission trip to Camden, New Jersey. The remaining funds of $150,000 will be used to create an endowment for future mission trips with the University.
The generous grant ensures that this important facet of the University’s mission will remain intact for the University’s students.
This year’s SJNY winter mission trip will be the first held since 2020 when the trips were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the weeklong trip, students will work within different organizations to gain insight about the Camden, New Jersey, community, and later reflect on their day’s work during evening activities to gain a better understanding of current social justice issues affecting underserved communities in general.
“With this inspirational grant from the CSSJ, we can continue the Sisters’ legacy and commitment to helping the underserved,” said Rory Shaffer-Walsh, vice president for institutional advancement. “This grant will endow the mission program at SJNY and allow for students to give back with service. We are truly grateful to the CSSJ for their generosity.”
Previous mission trips have included the areas of Houston, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Oklahoma; North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information, visit sjny.edu.
