Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Epworth Project located?

Map_of_locationEpworth Project
360 Robert Blvd
Slidell, LA 70458

[30.299688, -89.752376]

Epworth Project is located in Slidell, Louisiana on the “Northshore” of Lake Pontchartrain, about 30 miles outside of New Orleans.

The Epworth Project has a unique dorm facility called the Epworth Building. Check out pictures of this facility on our virtual tour. This building (built by volunteers in the weeks following Hurricane Katrina) has separate sleeping quarters for men and women with bunk bed accommodations, spacious bathrooms with showers, common space, and a full kitchen. We can accommodate 54 volunteers in bunks. Larger groups are welcome.  We work with our host church – Aldersgate United Methodist Church – to creatively meet the housing needs of bigger groups.  Don’t worry… all lodging will be arranged.

Our Epworth Building houses most of our volunteers and it also is home to our office. Please be aware that this is a shared space.  Our staff and ministry partners often meet in the same building as our dormitory facility.

Aldersgate United Methodist Church is gracious enough to provide parking, meeting and dining space, and other resources for all of our volunteer groups over the summer. Please be mindful when parking vehicles and playing outside that this is a church and many things happen on the campus during the day and evening – from Bible studies to committee meetings.  Please ask your youth to be considerate of others as we share these facilities.

 

Who can volunteer with Epworth Project?

volunteers 3Epworth Project Mission Trips are designed for groups of all ages and skill levels – from inexperienced youth to seasoned adults. You can make a difference whether you are an experienced construction pro or if you’ve never even seen a hammer!  We work diligently to try to accommodate all skill levels by matching work sites to work teams.

Does a volunteer need health insurance in order to participate?

health-insurance-policyEpworth Project prefers that every participant has at least basic health insurance in order to participate. All volunteers sign a liability waiver, but if you are uninsured, you must sign a special release of liability.  Please contact our office for more information.

All volunteers must have a general liability waiver signed.  Youth (minors) must have this document signed by their parents or guardians and notarized prior to arrival.

What is the cost per person to volunteer and what does this cost cover?

front doorThe group rate is $270/person for a 6 night stay during the year (prices subject to change). The regular rate includes building supplies, lodging, leadership, and orientation.

Our groups typically arrive on Saturday or Sunday afternoon and leave on Friday or Saturday afternoon. If other arrangements are necessary, please let us know when you reserve your dates.

Groups interested in staying for less than a week will be considered as space is available for a cost of $45/person per night.

A non-refundable/non-transferable deposit of $25/person is due within 30 days of booking to reserve your dates. If you are interested in serving with Epworth Project but have secured housing elsewhere, a supply fee of $125/person is necessary to cover construction costs.
Please make checks payable to Epworth Project.

Are meals or transportation provided?

ICON_meals public_transportationMeals are not provided throughout the year …but are provided during the Epworth Summer Program. You are responsible for your own meals and transportation unless you have arranged otherwise. You will have access to a fully-equipped kitchen and many grocery store options.  If you are interested, our church’s cook (Andrea) may be available to provide food for your group during your stay.  Outside of the Summer Program, she bills her services separately from Epworth Project and is paid separately.

You are responsible for your own transportation for the duration of your stay.  If you are not driving to Louisiana, you will need to make arrangements for rental vehicles.  Unluckily, we no longer have a fleet of vans for our volunteers.

What kind of work will we be doing?

The work you and your group will do depends upon a variety of factors.

  • Your group’s experience and skills;
  • Our homeowner clients’ triaged needs (who needs help the most);
  • The funding status of our open projects;
  • Legal restrictions and requirements (permitting, inspections, etc.);
  • The amount of work done by other groups prior to your arrival;
  • And many other considerations.

Projects may include carpentry, cabinetry, framing, insulation, drywall hanging, drywall finishing, flooring, muck’n’gut, cleanup, demolitionCCC-mud, basic plumbing repairs, window installation, hanging door trim, painting, spot roofing repair, and/or many other areas of work. Our needs vary from week to week. Please know that we do our best to take your skills and experience into consideration when placing you on a project. The work that you do will directly benefit lives and will impact our community.  We (and therefore YOU) are here to help people, not just to fix houses.
Please note: Your work team may not know what their specific projects are until they report to work on their first morning.

Do I need to bring my own tools?

Many groups – especially those with highly-skilled workers – prefer to bring their own tools.  But the short answer is …”No.  You do NOT NEED to bring your own tools.”

We will provide all of the tBusiness-Analysis-Toolsools, equipment, and materials necessary to complete the projects assigned. If you’d like to bring tools, please label them so that they do not get mixed in with ours.  We lose dozens of expensive tools every year …not because they are left behind, but because they are erroneously claimed by our volunteers!.

What is the typical schedule during the work week?

Weekly Schedule

Our mission teams typically arrive Saturday or Sunday and leave on Friday or Saturday. Groups work Monday through Friday from about 8 A.M. until 4 P.M. We have orientation every Monday morning at 8 A.M. to answer questions and share more about our organization. Often groups decide to take a half day during the week (usually Wednesday) to explore the New Orleans area. We encourage groups to do this! Everything else in the schedule is up to you. We are flexible and will plan our work schedule around when you can work.

How many people are on a work team and how are these teams organized?

volunteers 1Each work team should have at least one skilled worker, if possible, and at least one vehicle. Typically, work teams are comprised of 8 to 12 volunteers. Please have an idea of how your group will divide up (if necessary) prior to your arrival. Work teams must be very flexible as projects and situations change. Your construction coordinator will remain in constant communication with you during your stay.

Where do I send payment and forms?

All correspondence (including paperwork, payments, and anything else in writing) should be mailed to:

Epworth Project
360 Robert Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70458

Please make checks payable to Epworth Project.