Come Serve in Tennessee Glenmary Volunteers on Toppa Joppa

Who is Glenmary? Glenmary Home Missioners is a society of priests and brothers serving the spiritual and material needs of those living in rural, impoverished communities. Glenmary created a group volunteer program in the 1970s to give vocations prospects, students and adults the opportunity to experience the home missions. The program began in Vanceburg, Ky., and moved to Joppa Mountain, Tenn., in 2014.

Where are we? Located 40 minutes from Knoxville, Tenn., the Glenmary Volunteer Site is at 1943 Joppa Mountain Road, Rutledge, TN 37861. Atop Joppa Mountain, volunteers are surrounded by God’s creation. Awaken to a breathtaking view of the Appalachian Mountains or take a quick trip to Norris Lake, Holston River or the Cherokee Reservoir. Glenmary offers volunteers the opportunity to peacefully reflect as well as to serve the community.

What will I do as a Mountain Manager? Toppa Joppa offers volunteers a unique, faith-based service opportunity in Grainger and Union counties, Tenn. A mix of construction, social justice, environmentalism and Catholic outreach, this position helps volunteers develop their leadership skills and deepen their faith. Volunteers coordinate and direct groups of adults and students who visit the mountain. They help those most in need, showing them the power of God’s love, mercy and grace.

What are my duties? During the day, our Mountain Managers organize the volunteer groups’ social, service and spiritual activities. They also act as a bridge between those in need in Union and Grainger counties and those who serve at Toppa Joppa. Some of the service projects include:

Construction for low income residents Mountain Managers aid the Glenmary Volunteer Director in repairing and renovating homes for local families. You do not need any previous construction experience to be a Mountain Manager.

Kingswood Home for Children Kingswood Home for Children is a private, residential home for children ages 5 to 18, providing them a safe, Christian home. Children who have been abandoned, abused, neglected or displaced come to Kingswood to find shelter and safety and to begin moving forward in their lives.

Camp Fiesta In the summer, Mountain Managers operate an educational day camp. Camp Fiesta serves mostly Latino tomato workers’ families living in Central Point, a mobile home community. Many of the residents are parishioners at Glenmary’s mission churches, allowing Mountain Managers to get to know the families throughout the year.

Elder Care Volunteers visit a local nursing home. This is a ministry of presence. Volunteers show God’s love through their presence. The opportunity allows the volunteers and nursing home residents to bond, provides residents comfort and company and allows both parties to grow in their faith.

Food Pantry Volunteers assist local food banks by collecting food, moving boxes and stocking the shelves. Volunteers also deliver food to local families. We currently help three food pantries.

What do we do at night? Mountain Managers schedule cultural-enrichment activities for the groups, allowing them to experience local culture and see the ministry of the Glenmary Home Missioners. Groups visit local restaurants featuring bluegrass/ country music. They attend Mass at Glenmary missions and Wednesday night services at local churches. Mountain Managers also find other unique activities to give volunteers the flavor of Grainger and Union counties.

What happens during off weeks? We try to schedule at least a one-week free period between two groups. The calendar gets crowded during busy times – the summer and Spring Break. During off weeks, Mountain Managers are encouraged to personally volunteer in the community, including bringing local residents firewood and helping at volunteer sites. They also rest and recharge for the next group.

Where will I stay? Mountain Managers stay in environmentally- friendly Tiny Houses on the program site. These one bedroom, one bath houses reflect Glenmary’s commitment to simplicity and care of creation. They also provide Mountain Managers privacy at night.

How long do Mountain Managers serve? Typically, Mountain Managers serve 3 to 24 months. It takes a while to get to know the communities and people we serve, so we recommend staying at least 6 months.

Building community During the first few weeks at Toppa Joppa, the community of Mountain Managers will discuss how to: Build community at Toppa Joppa Accomplish Glenmary’s greater mission Better serve Union and Grainger counties.

Developing our spirituality Each session is different. The program staff will jointly discuss how to best share and live their faith during their time together. Glenmary is dedicated to providing resources for the spiritual growth of its staff and community.

Benefits to becoming a Mountain Manager Room and board Health and dental insurance $300 a month stipend Loan help, if needed Use of program vehicles An opportunity to impact many lives through faith-based service

Contact Information For more information, contact: Volunteer Director Joe Grosek at jgrosek@glenmary.org or 606-202-3658. Visit www.glenmary.org Find Glenmary Home Missioners and Glenmary Volunteers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.