New York City
Mission Trips

Each morning, there is time set aside for devotions and quiet time. Each morning, there is time set aside for devotions and quiet time. This is a valuable time and we strongly encourage everyone to spend it with God journaling their thoughts and experiences as the days unfold. EM will provide a physical or printable devotional journal.

Our staff will lead a time of debriefing and a short devotional in the evening (what we call "Evening Gathering") and it is always a great addition to have musical worship. Our programming does not include musical worship as we can't guarantee that our our staff will have this ability. Please let us know if you have anyone who sings or plays guitar on your trip so that we can help to coordinate the musical aspect of worship when able. If teams aren't able to help in the area of music, it may not be a part of the trip.

Each day, there will be a varying schedule of work and outreach.

AVERAGE DAILY SCHEDULE
Day 1
3:00-6:00 pm Groups Arrive
5:00 - Leader's Meeting
6:00 - Dinner
7:00 - Orientation Meeting
8:30 - Team Time (a time for your group alone)
11:30 - Lights Out

Day 2-5
7:15 - Breakfast
7:45 - Devotions and Quiet Time
8:15 - Group Prayer
8:30 - Teams leave for Sites
12:00 - Lunch
4:30 - Finish Work for the day
5:00 - Leaders meeting
6:00 - Dinner
7:00 - Evening gathering (as a whole group)
8:30 - Team time

Day 6
7:00 - Breakfast
7:30 - Cleanup/ Packing
9:00 - Pictures and Good-Byes

*We try to give teams one evening free to be able to explore the city.

Curious about EM's ability to accommodate specific food restrictions? View EM's Food Policy

Your teams transportation to, from and while in New York City is not covered. Your team will be using The Metro throughout your week in NYC and the cost will need to be covered by your team. Prices vary but tend to be around $40 per person. You will want to research the cost of a one-week Metro card and budget accordingly.

Please note: we do not have parking available, so we encourage teams to bring as few vehicles as possible. Alternative arrivals such as taking the Metro, flights or a charter bus dropping teams off are the best scenarios.

EM's Health & Safety Plan:

Staff certification: All Summer Staff are certified in First Aid and CPR.

Medical kits: Medical kits that include first-aid supplies for general accidents and ailments are provided for each site. We ask that teams supply their own medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and Imodium as they deem necessary.

Emergency response plan: Based on the severity of each emergency, EM has a plan for appropriate response.

If a team member becomes seriously ill, they will be taken to a local doctor to receive appropriate medical attention and medications. If they are a minor, their Team Leader along with our staff will accompany them to the clinic. If needed, their parents will be contacted. Their recovery will be carefully monitored by our staff.

If there is an accident that requires a doctor, but is not life-threatening and does not have the potential to cause permanent damage, Experience Mission staff will locate the Team Leader, contact parents or guardians (providing the injured is a minor), and provide safe, quick transportation to a local clinic.

In the event that an accident occurs which is life-threatening or has the potential for permanent damage, emergency 911 services will be contacted immediately. The family will be contacted to assist in guidance for an appropriate response.

All medical care is the sole responsibility of the team member. Experience Mission requires every team member to be covered by domestic medical insurance and recommends that team members traveling abroad carry additional international travel insurance to cover any medical needs their domestic medical insurance may not cover.

Check out EM's current Covid Guidance

Wondering what all goes on during our New York City mission trips? You're not alone! Here's a list of frequently asked questions about this trip.

What age group can you accommodate in New York City?
This trip is open for high school and older. Please note that older high school students may have the best experience as there are more volunteer opportunities available for students age 16+. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate junior high students. Check out our list of available trips for jr. high students.

What seasons do you offer New York City mission trips?
Mission trips to New York are available during the summer. Check out this list of all available spring break trips if you are looking for trips outside the summer months.

What will volunteers do on a mission trip to New York City?
Teams in NYC split their time between local ministries with a focus on building relationships. You can expect to work with children's outreach, food ministry, homeless ministries, and minor home repair projects. In addition to this, your team will spend time learning about the history and context for ministry in New York.

What paperwork is required for this mission trip?
Each team member will need to fill out a team member registration form and liability waiver, and all adults are required to pass a background check. Additionally, some of our partners require extra waivers for volunteer opportunities. These will be available once you register.

Where will my team stay?
Teams will stay in vacant classrooms at a local church. Plan on bringing air mattresses for added comfort. Showers and meals will be available at this location.

Are meals provided during New York City mission trips?
Yes! Meals will be provided by Experience Mission staff for the duration of your trip. Our mission trip food policy outlines the details of what we can accommodate for dietary restrictions and more.

How does transportation work during New York City mission trips?
For this location, we require teams to utilize public transportation. Each individual team member should purchase a week-long unlimited MetroCard for around $40. This is a fun chance to not only conveniently navigate the city, but also to get a glimpse into everyday life in New York.

When should I arrive?
Check-in is between 3 and 5 PM on the first day of your selected trip. Our staff will be awaiting your arrival. You can expect dinner and an orientation meeting to get you ready for the week that evening as well.

What should I pack for this trip?
A packing list will be available to you once you register for the trip.

Does EM offer any other urban mission trips?
Yes! We also currently offer mission trips to Chicago, IL.

Have more questions about Experience Mission trips? Check out our general FAQs, or call our support team at 888-475-6414.

Experience Mission has specific policies regarding registration and withdrawal. Please refer to the document below for specifics.

View Registration & Payment Policy

INDIVIDUALS

All volunteers on a week-long EM mission trip must be part of a team of at least six (6) people, with at least one team member age 21 or older to serve as the Team Leader. Not part of a group? All young adults ages 18-30 are eligible to apply for EM’s IMMERSION program.