What is SOOP?
Share life’s experience through service opportunities with our partners! SOOP provides short-term service opportunities for families and adults of all ages, and is designed to join the experiences and skills of adults with missional faith communities all across North America.
Through Mennonite Central Committee, SOOP arranges short-term placements ranging from a couple weeks to a couple of months.
There are about 70 SOOP sites through-out Canada and the U.S. SOOP staff and participants, along with local coordinators, discern the location, time and length of assignment that best fit current needs.
Types of service could include:
- Gleaning fruits and vegetables, processing and distributing to people in need
- Maintenance, cooking, or office work at numerous camps across Canada and the U.S.
- Serving in a soup kitchen, or packing products at a foodbank
- Working with community home repair projects
- Working on a farm
- Tutoring in after school programs
At each SOOP location, there is a local coordinator who administers the program. They will be your contact person at the location and will give you direction while you are on site.
While on assignment, participants engage with and learn from different people and communities. By sharing God’s love and compassion through hands-on work, SOOP volunteers walk alongside local partners as they seek to meet the needs of those they serve.
Who can apply for SOOP?
- Canadian citizens
- Primary residence within Canada or the U.S.
- 25 + years, plus families with children
- Willing to follow SOOP’s statement of faith
- Committed to a personal Christian faith
Some assignments will require a successful completion of a criminal background check.
To learn more about the placement locations and lodging options download the SOOP Placements catalogue. (PDF)