Summer Program Frequently Asked Questions

Epworth Project is located in Slidell, LA. Slidell is on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and 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 new building 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 may still inquire and lodging will be arranged. Our facility also includes large bathroom with shower facilities, a state-of-the-art kitchen and a spacious common area.

The Epworth Building is located on the Aldersgate United Methodist Church campus. Our Epworth Building houses most of our volunteers and it also is home to our office. Please remind your group that this is shared space. We often have meetings and other important events in our building during the day while you are working.

Aldersgate United Methodist Church is gracious enough to provide parking, space, and resources for all of our groups of volunteers. 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.

• Pre-trip information and preparation for team leaders
• Housing
• Meals throughout the week including cultural and regional favorites!
• Construction materials, tools, and equipment
• Project selection, screening, and matching to every skill level
• A guided tour of Slidell and New Orleans that will familiarize you with the region, how it has been impacted by natural disasters, and the plight of its people
• Summer Program t-shirts
• DVD copy of a photo slideshow created by our staff with photos taken throughout your week
• Customized event programming, recreational, and evening worship
• Devotional books created to go with our theme for each volunteer
• Highly trained staff to supervise construction and to help your students grow in their faith

We provide meals according to the schedule below:

Sunday –  Dinner 6:00pm

Monday – Breakfast 7:00am, Sack Lunches, Dinner 6:00pm

Tuesday – Breakfast 7:00am, Sack Lunches, Dinner 6:00pm

Wednesday – Breakfast 7:00am, Sack Lunches, DINNER ON YOUR OWN

Thursday – Breakfast 7:00am, Sack Lunches, Dinner 6:00pm

Friday – Breakfast 7:00am, Sack Lunches, Dinner 6:00pm

• 1 adult per 8 youth
• 1 vehicle for each work team (A work team generally consists of 2-3 adults and 8-10 youth. Please contact us regarding your transportation if you have any questions or concerns. We can help!)
• Bedding and a pillow for a twin-sized bed or cot (You may choose to bring sheets and blankets or a sleeping bag)
• Personal toiletry items
• Reusable water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Work clothes (Please do not bring tank tops with straps thinner than 2 1/2″, no shorts that are shorter than fingertip length, and no shirts with cut outs or cut off sleeves.)
• Work shoes (Closed toe shoes only on the worksites. No Five Fingers allowed.)
• Swim suit. (Females please wear a one piece, tankini, or if you would like to wear your two piece we ask that you wear a dark-colored t-shirt over it.)
• Clean clothes for the evening and recreation time
• One roll of toilet paper per person

Epworth Project does not require that volunteers wear long-sleeved shirts or pants. Temperatures in Louisiana are extremely hot. We encourage short-sleeved t-shirts and shorts. Shorts must be at least fingertip length. No tank tops, spaghetti straps, halter tops or tank tops.

Optional Supplies:

• Cotton & Plastic work gloves
• Disposable face masks
• safety goggles

Epworth has these items but many teams prefer to use their own personal safety supplies/equipment.

Epworth Project Summer Program is intended for youth groups of students in 6th-12th grade. Adult counselors are needed at a ratio of 1 adult to 8 students. If you have younger students or a team of adults and are interested in working with the Epworth Project, call out office at 985-781-7990. We would love to discuss how we can meet your needs!

Each week of our summer program begins on Sunday afternoon and ends on Saturday mornings. Our evening activities may
include our famous pelican scavenger hunt, outdoor night at local state park, movie night, and talent show. At the end of the week your group will experience a movie made of pictures from the whole week. Your group will receive a copy of this movie.

Generally, your schedule will go something like this:

Epworth Project prefers that every participant has at least basic health insurance in order to participate. If you are uninsured and still would like to volunteer, you must sign a release of liability waiver.

The work you do will be dependent on what kind of needs we have during your visit. Projects may include general contracting
, carpentry, cabinetry, framing, insulation, drywall hanging, drywall finishing, flooring, windows, door trim, painting, plumbing,
and roofing. Our needs vary from week to week. Please know that we do our best to take your skills into consideration when placing you on a project but at times our needs on basic projects are more pressing. The work that you do will directly benefit lives and will impact our community. You will receive a call from one of our project managers the week prior to your trip to discuss your construction project. Please note: Your work team may not know what their specific projects are until they report on their first morning.

No. We will provide all of the tools necessary to complete the projects assigned. If you’d like to bring extra tools like hammers or screw drivers please make sure to clearly note your church name on the tools.

Epworth Project
360 Robert Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70458
Please make checks payable to Epworth Project.