What is Summer of Service?
SOS is our busiest time of year where we host around 100 youth group participants a week for 7 weeks every summer. Weeklong mission trips for students who have completed 6-12th grade. We challenge youth to serve whole-heartedly in our community and to think critically about how God’s Word speaks to social and spiritual issues. Our prayer is that God uses this extended experience of service, worship, and fellowship to make an eternal impact on youth and those they serve as well as a visible impact offering hope and restoration to our community.
2024 Registration dates Available now!
See the Churches & Groups who will serve with you listed below each week!
Week 1: 6/16-6/22 CLOSED
Week 2: 6/23-6/29 (HS only)
First UMC Chamersburg Youth, Chambersburg PA
Bethel Baptist Church, Cherry Hill NJ
New England Bible Church, Andover MA
Week 3: 6/30-7/4 (5 day week)
Mountain View Chapel, Douglassville PA
Waynesburg Nazarene, Waynesburg PA
Week 4: 7/7-7/13
Community Bible Church, Marietta PA
Faith Community Church, Hopkinton MA
Wayne Presbyterian Church, Wayne PA
Week 5: 7/14-7/20
Grace Chapel, Lexington MA
Christ Community Church, West Chester PA
Immanuel Church, Lansdale PA
Delaware County Christian School, Newtown Square PA
Keystone Church, Paradise PA
Week 6: 7/21-7/27
First Presbyterian Church Beaver, Beaver PA
Narberth Presbyterian Church, Narberth PA
Four Mile Church, Beaver PA
Mariners Bethel Global Methodist Church, Ocean View DE
Week 7: 7/28-8/3
Calvary Church, Trumbull CT
LIfeway Church, Lebanon PA
Grace Presbyterian Church, Jenkintown PA
Save the date for 2025
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Week 1: June 15th-21st
Week 2: June 22nd-28th (High School Only)
Week 3: June 29th-July 3rd (5-day Week)
Week 4: July 6th-12th
Week 5: July 13th-18th
Week 6: July 19th-26th
Week 7: July 27th-August 2nd
What does the week look like?
Weeklong mission trips for students who have completed 6-12th grade. Summer of Service weeks extend from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning. Explore the city through a prayer tour after you arrive, join us in nightly worship, and serve with your group at your ministry site from Monday – Friday.
What is a Ministry Site?
Ministry sites vary each week based on capacity and need within our communities. We can specify your track to home repair, mercy ministry, kids camp, and church partnership. Each area has specific needs to help meeting the needs of the community around them.
How much does it cost?
The cost for 7-day weeks is $400 per person when booking & deposit is submitted by December 15th, 2023. For booking & deposit submitted on or after December 16th, 2023 the cost will be $425 per person.
The cost for our 5-day week is $325 per person when booking is submitted by December 15th, 2023. For booking submitted on or after December 16th, 2023 the cost will be $350 per person.
After booking, we will send you a service agreement for your trip and work with you to confirm your group’s details. A $75 per person, the deposit is due in order to hold your spot.
Make checks payable to The Philadelphia Project and mail to 8230 Ridge Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19128.
No risk group reservation policy for 2024
The Philadelphia Project has a special no-risk group reservation policy for 2024:
Cancel for any contagious disease-related reason before May 1 and the Group will receive a full refund. Cancel for any contagious disease-related reason after May 1 but up to the day prior to arrival and receive a full credit.
Credits issued in 2024 expire December 31, 2025.
Where do we sleep, shower, and eat?
Groups will stay at our long-term housing location (a former college dormitory). Everyone sleeps on bunk beds with a mattress and needs to bring bedding (pillow, sheets, sleeping bag, and/or blanket).
All meals are provided from Sunday dinner until Saturday breakfast except for your dinner on your evening out on the town.
Groups will shower at our housing location.
What about transportation?
Groups are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from Philadelphia. Groups are also responsible for transportation for members of their team, plus an extra seat per ministry team for Philadelphia Project staff.
Sight-seeing
Groups have one “Night out on the town” – an evening off during their week to relax, sightsee, and grab dinner together in Philadelphia. Groups are responsible for all expenses during this time, including dinner and transportation. The Philadelphia Project can provide directions and suggestions for groups unfamiliar with the city. If you would like to extend your stay in Philly to allow for site-seeing in Philadelphia on Saturday, please speak with the staff when you register your group so that we can help you plan accordingly.