Top photo caption: Teen Volunteers at Mission: Jersey 2025 sort toiletries, snacks and other items into bags for children in need. The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is once again offering young people to participate in service efforts as part of Mission Jersey 2026. Mike Ehrmann photo
In July 2025, 95 teens from around the Diocese of Trenton participated in a series of community-based service projects where they stocked food pantries, organized blessing bags, prepared lunches and food baskets and facilitated recreational activities for adults and teens with disabilities. The work was challenging and consuming at a time when many young people were enjoying time at the beach or the pool. Yet the participants persevered with enthusiasm and joy, knowing that they were responding to the Gospel call to be of service to others.
Once again, young people from around the Diocese will have an opportunity for community service through the diocesan Department’s Youth and Young Adult Ministries’ Mission: Jersey initiative.
The 2026 event will consist of three, one-day, in person service efforts taking place in various parts of the Diocese. At each location, participants, youth ministers and volunteers will meet at a specified location for orientation, ice breakers and prayer before traveling to a worksite for the day. Information about the projects will be provided for the participants, including their responsibilities and how their work will serve the community. All projects will be arranged and supervised by adult leaders and representatives from the participating organizations. Each day will also include prayer, making new friends, games and more.
Following are the three sites scheduled for July with information on the focus of the service project.
July 15 – Participants will gather in St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and will visit three or four social service outreach organizations in the downtown Freehold area. Tasks could include, but not be limited to working in a food pantry, serving a community lunch, food distribution to those in need and making blessing bags.
July 17 — Participants will gather in Visitation Parish, Brick, from 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m., and partner with Seeds of Service and the parish’s St. Vincent de Paul conference. Tasks could include, but not be limited to working in a food pantry, clothing donations, working in a community garden, organizing household donations and making blessing bags.
July 21 – Participants will gather in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and partner with the parish’s food distribution program. Tasks could include, but not be limited to, receiving and sorting food donations, making food baskets, assisting the “intake” of guests receiving food and distributing the baskets and frozen items to guests picking up food.
For the July 15 and July 17 events, participants are asked to donate $10 to off set the supplies needed for the projects.
For the July 21 event, participants are asked to donate boxes of cereal.
For registration information, visit dioceseoftrenton.org/missionjersey or contact Dan Waddington, department director, at 609-403-7140 or dwaddi@dioceseoftrenton.org.