General Information
Registration: The housing cost for each participant is $25.00 per day. A registration fee/deposit of $40.00 per person is due 60 days prior to arrival date. This registration fee/deposit is non-refundable. The group leaders of the mission trips are responsible for reading and adhering to the Highlights & FAQ for Mission Participation HERE concerning reservations, fees, deadlines, minimum numbers, etc. Each mission team participate is required to read the Rules and Regulations and sign that they have read the regulations on the Mission Participant Application Form and keep on file a Medical Release Form with the group leader. Participants will not be allowed to stay if forms are not completed.
Arrival Times: Mission groups need to arrive in the afternoon before 5 p.m. After the Mission group has unpacked and had dinner, an orientation session will be held to go over the schedule and answer questions. Mission Participant Application and Medical Forms will be double-checked at this time.
Chores: The Mission group should be broken down into small teams with an adult leader to help with chores. Daily chores will consist of breakfast duty, lunch duty, dinner duty, bathroom duty, trash duty, and cooler duty. Trash bags and cleaning supplies will be provided. The host (Mission Center) facility should be cleaned after each meal and throughout the day.
A thorough cleaning following the Hands of Hope Cleaning Checklist must be done before you depart for home. The checklist will be given to the mission group at their orientation meeting when they arrive. A cleaning service is available at cost. Contact Crystal Green for more details.
Kitchen: The kitchen will be equipped with the following: pots, pans, dishes, silverware, coffeepot, cooking utensils, dish towels, hot pads, refrigerator, freezer. The kitchen will not be equipped with paper towels, napkins, foil, plastic wrap, sandwich bags, ice, and salt & pepper. A Mission group should also bring coolers for drinks and lunch provisions. Since a group is responsible for preparing its own meals, don’t forget to bring favorite cooking pan, toaster, or griddle if needed. The Mission group may also want to bring paper plates/cups, plastic utensils. Hands of Hope Mission Center recommends bringing water from home for drinking since some locals and volunteers do not care for the high chlorine taste of the local tap water.
Food: Each Mission group is responsible for providing and preparing their own food and cleanup after each meal. All food and drink needs to be kept in the food preparation areas of the facility. Drinks and snacks are not allowed in the sleeping areas. The Mission groups will need to bring lunch provisions that can be transported if their group is touring or working away from the Mission Center.
Housing: Housing is required at the Hands of Hope Ministries Mission Center in Welch, West Virginia at 145 McDowell Street. Please, because Hands of Hope is ministry by example, the Mission group participants need to always remember to display unconditional Godly love to each other and others at all times. An adult leader needs to be with Youth participants at all times. Youth group sleeping quarters must be separated by male and female and supervised by adults at all times. Adult groups may choose arrangements of sleeping quarters. Participants will be sleeping on bunk beds. You will need sleeping bags, pillows, and towels.
Work Sites: The Mission Group will need to bring water or drinks for the needs of each member for each day and please allow for plenty of water to drink during the day. Hands of Hope Ministries recommends Mission group participants do not drink the water at the sites, so plan to bring plenty of bottled water. Group participants can take lunch when they leave each morning. A typical schedule requires that work groups be ready to leave the Mission Center by 8:30 a.m. and leave the work sites at 4:00 p.m. Medical Forms need to remain with the adult team (group) leader for that particular participant.
Team Sizes: Mission Groups could possibly be broken down into small teams of 4-5 participants each day. An adult leader should supervise each team at all times. Each team should have a First Aid Kit available and be aware where the closest medical facilities are located in case of an emergency. The Medical Release Forms need to remain with the adult team leader(s) for particular participants.
If you have any questions, contact Executive Director Crystal Green at hohm_crystal@yahoo.com or call/text (304) 320-5072.