Plunge

We love having company! Whether you want to stay with us for a week or want to help us for a few hours, we always have a need for some extra hands around the house. This is a great way to get to know learn a bit about our Community and the issues which affect us.

Though, many of our plunge participants come in groups organized by schools or churches, we welcome guest volunteers who organize on their own. The University of Notre Dame, Loyola University of Chicago, the University of Chicago, Gettysburg College and the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus have all come to Su Casa in the last year. We have also had local high school students spend time with us, as well as distant ones, traveling from Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

A plunge into our Community can be a jarring change from the comfortable situations of many of our volunteers. Of course, that’s exactly the point. Groups can dictate a lot of the particulars, but every group stays in the house and receives a tour through and a talk about Su Casa. While here they follow house rules same as everyone else, eat Trader Joe’s spoils and donations from the GCFD same as everyone else, and take the same extra hot or extra cold showers same as everyone else. We also teach about immigration, poverty, and the CW Movement to inquisitive groups.

Though a plunge should not be viewed as a window into poverty, it is a first step toward understanding the plight of the poor and marginalized. We don’t produce experts in poverty overnight, or over many nights, or even consider ourselves experts on the matter. For those interested in joining us in our mission to understand the un-understandable, contact the Volunteer Coordinator.

Plunge Quotes

“We learned a ton about immigration, and we also gained a bit of knowledge about Su Casa’s history and mission as well as that of the Catholic Worker.”
‹ Dominican University Volunteer

“It is crazy to actually see that there are people my age in situations like that; I really did not think that was real… This trip was an eye opener and showed me that homelessness could happen to anyone. You can never tell what kind of situation you are going to be put in.”
‹ Perry High School Volunteer

“I think my trip to Chicago was one of the most important experiences in my life yet. Our trip helped me better understand the life of those in poverty and has inspired me to find ways to help.”
‹ Perry High School Volunteer

“It was much more laid back and less preachy than I expected.”
‹ Gettysburg College Volunteer