CYFM's Summer Capuchin Outreach Program

The Capuchin Outreach Program is for high school students during their summer break. It takes place in the month of June and it is based out of the CYFM retreat center in Garrison, New York. This is a week of service opportunity for high school students to work and do service while increasing and learning about their faith. During the day the participants work at various jobs around the Hudson Valley area. Some of the work sites consist of manual labor (Habitat for Humanity) while others involve more interaction, these sites include but are not limited to nursing homes and hospice care centers. In the evenings the participants return to the retreat center. While there they have a chance to continue to build up the community that they are living in for the week as well as a chance to build their relationship with God.  Every night there is a theological reflection on the days work. During this time members from different work sites get together and discuss their day with a guided reflection as well as some questions. At the end of the week there is a talent show where all the participants can do skits and show off their talents (or their lack of talents). This program is consistently one of the most popular at CYFM and has had a waiting list in the past. The dates are from June 24th - June 29th, 2012.

“As I bowed my head to receive my Tau cross and to be commissioned for service that Sunday evening, I knew that the upcoming week was going to be awesome.  I took my seat in the chapel and looked around at the other teens that, like me, had chosen to give up a week of our summer in order to serve our community and to grow in faith.  In fact, my whole week at COP turned out to be amazing.  We were able to serve in many different ways- by helping the homeless at Newburgh Ministries, visiting those living with end-stage cancer at Rosary Hill, bringing joy to the seniors a Cortland Manor, helping out at the Mustard Seed with the children of migrant workers, and teaching and playing at the three different bible schools or working with Habitat For Humanity.  Each of us learned how to use our faith to bring Christ to the people we served.” -Teresa Nadareski .

COP Application

COP Companion In Service Form (CIS)

COP CIS Q & A

COP Sample Letter