Youth Build Hope Through Service

September 25, 2026

This summer, a group of our young women and coworkers dedicated a week to making a difference in the lives of people in need through a service trip to Clarksdale, Mississippi. Nine of our youth along with several members of our staff volunteered with the Fuller Center for Housing, which helps alleviate substandard housing through both new construction and repair work. The Mississippi Delta is home to areas that struggle economically and the work our young people did there was deeply impactful to residents. 

Before departing for the trip, our young women attended a training night with our friends from Walsh Construction, who taught them how to safely use the different tools they would need for the project. Gewanda Monroe, a program manager at our girls home, said that she started to see some enthusiasm from the youth after the training session.

“Seeing that coming out [made me] optimistic about how the trip was going to turn out,” Monroe said. “And so, we got there and they jumped right in. I was very impressed by each of them.”

Despite the August Southern heat and humidity, our young people were eager to try out different jobs on the worksite. On their first day, they met with Mr. Ben, the construction manager, who gave the group an overview and helped calm any nerves. 

The group divided into two teams. One worked on replacing boards and painting the exterior of a home. The other was tasked with refreshing the exterior of the home of an elderly woman, Ms. Shirley. They refreshed her shutters, porch, and the exterior of the house with fresh paint. Ms. Shirley even joined in some of the work and welcomed the Mercy Home team into her home to cool off in the air conditioning.

“Getting to meet the people and interact with them and see the real difference they were making was really important for [the youth],” Monroe said. “Each night, we would do reflections [and they talked about] the value they got from helping someone, building those relationships, and seeing the difference that they can make.”

In addition to reflecting together each night, they created a “shout out wall” in the residence at which they were staying, posting encouraging notes to keep everyone motivated. By the trip’s end, they delighted in looking at the wall to see how they encouraged one another throughout the week.

Toward the end of the adventure, the group spent an evening with Fuller Center staff, homeowners, and volunteers, where they heard stories of future homeowners and how they contribute “sweat equity hours” toward their homes by working in the office or cutting grass on properties. These stories further inspired the youth and gave them a firsthand look at the impact they were having during their time in Clarksdale.

In addition to their volunteer work, the group also took in local cultural and historical sites. They visited the Crossroads at the intersection of highways 61 and 49, where legend holds that Robert Johnson sold his soul in exchange for his his extraordinary blues guitar talent, the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival, and Ground Zero Blues Club (founded by actor Morgan Freeman). 

They also visited the Emmett Till Interpretative Center, a museum dedicated to narrating the story of the Emmett Till tragedy and guiding visitors toward racial healing. They toured the museum and were given a special guided tour of the restored Second District Tallahatchie County Courthouse.

Monroe wrote in her email updates that “visiting the site had a profound impact on many of us. It also served as a rallying point for the group to combat any injustice they may encounter in their lives.” They continued their discussion that evening during their reflection time and talked about ways to make the world a better place and address injustice wherever they encounter it.

At the end of the week, the girls had the opportunity to reflect on the trip as a whole and all they learned during their time in Clarksdale. In addition to gaining practical skills like painting and using tools, they also celebrated the personal growth that occurred during the week. Through this trip, our young women learned about leadership, perseverance, patience, and the benefits of stepping outside of their comfort zones.

“We did a good job,” Monroe said. “The girls blew me away, I can say that much.”

We are so proud of all our young people who participated in this service trip and represented the generosity of spirit at the core of our mission.