FAQs
WORKMANSHIP PROGRAM
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The Workmanship Program provides students an introductory trades education taught by industry professionals. Located in our 4,200 sq.ft. warehouse, we offer hands-on experience in key trades: general construction, plumbing, electrical, and masonry, as well as welding, tiling, and fine woodworking. A new course in Auto Mechanics will open in 2025.
In addition to this hands-on education, our students also receive Mentorship. They build relationships with professionals in the industry and with one another. This fosters community, accountability, and professional networking that can lead to employment and other opportunities.
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This program is offered for FREE! There is no cost to the students.
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Each course is just one semester long, roughly 3-1/2 months. Classes meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm–9:30pm. The Spring Semester runs from late January to early May. The Fall Semester begins in late August and goes through late November.
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There is no certification associated with the completion of the Workmanship Program.
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Most of our courses are for students age 18–25. Individually, we may accept students outside this age range, including 17-year-old high school seniors.
Our Woodworking course accepts students age 16 and up.
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Anyone can apply to be a student in the Workmanship Program, but there are limited spots available. We will prioritize acceptance for those committed to attending every class and those seeking a career in the trades.
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All of our courses run twice a year. The Spring Semester runs from late January to early May. The Fall Semester begins in late August and goes through late November.
Application Deadlines:
Spring Semester: December 10th
Fall Semester: July 10th
Accepted students who wish to enroll, must confirm by the following dates.
Enrollment Deadlines:
Spring Semester: December 20th
Fall Semester: July 20th
RENOVATION PROJECTS
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Saturday serve days are our biggest work day for our projects, as they are our main volunteer day. From 8:00am to 4:30pm our team of staff and volunteers allow us to serve one to three project sites on a given Saturday. The rest of the week, from Tuesday through Friday, our full-time team keeps the work on our projects moving forward.
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We serve non-governmental non-profit organizations whose mission to serve under-resourced communities is being hindered by the renovation needs of their facility.
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We offer free labor provided by our team of staff and volunteers, but the organizations we serve are expected to cover all material costs required to get the project done. Other costs that these organizations may be responsible for are permits/fees and professional services required for tasks that are outside of our capability.
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We do not take on for-profit jobs, because the need in our community keeps our team very busy. Taking on a paid job would mean time away from our service projects, so we rely on our generous supporters to fund our mission.
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Although the primary work of our mission is serving locally, we average about one mission trip per year, where we take a team of volunteers to meet a need in another location within or outside the US.
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Fill out our project request form and we’ll get back to you with the next steps.
THE GREAT FALLS CENTER
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The Great Falls Center is a historic property in the heart of Paterson. We are excited to partner with Dawn Treader Christian School to transform this 40,000 sq. ft. building into a thriving community center that will impact Paterson for generations to come.
The plan will expand our existing Workmanship Program to include culinary courses and a food hall. The Center will also offer a restaurant, rooftop dining, an auditorium and event spaces.
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The Great Falls Center is located at 39 McBride Avenue in Paterson, NJ. It is directly across the street from the historic Great Falls and the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park.
VOLUNTEERING
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Saturday serve days are our biggest work day for our projects and our main volunteer day. From 8:00am to 4:30pm, our staff and volunteers serve one to three project sites on a given Saturday. Volunteers are free to arrive and leave when they need, but as training and instruction is required before you start working, the longer you’re available, the easier it is for us to assign you tasks.
Additionally, we have some volunteer opportunities Tuesday through Friday, from 8:00am to 4:30pm, as our full-time team keeps the work on our projects moving forward.
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You do not need any construction skills to serve with us! We always welcome volunteers with experience, but we only ask that you have willing hands and a servant’s heart.
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Volunteers can expect a fun day of working together with a team, learning and applying skills, and developing relationships that impact the impact the community!
On arrival a volunteer checks in with the site lead, who gives them instruction on what they will be working on and equips them with the tools they need. At around 10am the whole team stops for a coffee and doughnut break, and at 1pm we stop for lunch break, all provided by the organization the project is serving. Around 4pm, the team begins cleaning up. We ask that, when possible, volunteers stay and assist through cleanup, as there is usually a decent amount of work involved.
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We allow individuals from 14 years old and up to serve on our project sites if they are accompanied by an adult. Individuals 14-16 years must be accompanied by an adult.
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Fill out our volunteer signup and you will be added to our weekly volunteer email/text list. Every Thursday we email/text the list a link to signup for that Saturday. By Friday night we will email you your Saturday assignment.
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Yes, we accept groups of 5 to 20 people on any day Tuesday through Saturday. All Group Serve Days must be scheduled a minimum of 2 weeks in advance through this form.
PARTNERSHIP
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Definitely! Visit our business partner page for more information.
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Definitely! Visit our church partner page for more information.
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Yes! We love opportunities to share our ministry and our vision with new groups of people. Contact us with your information and interest and we’ll get back to you.
DONATIONS
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You can donate online or by mail, as a one-time gift or a recurring contribution. Donations in the United States are tax deductible. Visit our DONATE page for more details.
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Your donation supports Servant’s Heart Ministry’s work of love, empowerment, training, and service in the community, including:
Tools and Resources: helping us stay equipped to serve
Projects: helping us complete more projects
Workmanship: allowing us to train the next generation.
Staff Support: keeping our team moving forward
Operations: contributing towards keeping us organized
Expansion: supporting our growth
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All online recurring donations can be self-managed through our online platform using the username created upon first transaction.
For help with this please contact us and we will help you make the change you need.
EMPLOYMENT
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At this time, we do not have any employment opportunities, but we invite you to volunteer with us.
