Broadening our Reach through Volunteers

Work Groups - Mission Trip Volunteer Work

CUPS' projects depend upon volunteer groups who each spend five days working in a Mexican community. Volunteer groups stay in Mexico, generally arriving in the Rio Grande valley area of northern Mexico on  Sunday afternoon and departing Friday.   CUPS staff work closely with volunteers in the planning stages for their trip and during their work week in Mexico.

CUPS' volunteers come from churches in large cities and small towns, and are of all ages.  The average group size is around twenty. Helping to build a needed facility is important, but an equally important benefit is the communication, learning and sharing among all volunteers and community members. The resulting friendships and memories witness to the power of Christ's love. The hand with the hammer or shovel, with the glass of water on a hot day, with the paint brush, all make projects happen as they "do justice" and "love kindness" and "walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

HOW TO ORGANIZE A NEW (OR RETURNING) WORK GROUP   

CUPS work crews are generally formed by churches or other civic organizations, and sometimes by combinations of organizations when required to get a reasonable crew size (12-30 people).  Newcomers to CUPS can get a good idea of what WorkGroups do by browsing this web site.  To form a WorkGroup requires an organization to find a WorkGroup Leader, find volunteers, pay a WorkGroup fee, provide registration information, and arrange transportation to/from the work site.  CUPS staff will assist with all of these activities.  Currently, the total WorkGroup fee is $4,500 (paid as described below).  Additionally, WorkGroups pay for their own transportation and living expenses in Mexico.

Any organization that wants to form a work crew should take the  following steps:

1. Locate someone to act as the WorkGroup Leader.

2. The WorkGroup Leader should then contact CUPS Mission Director, Louise Flippin, either by email (Email Mission Director) or by phone (956-686-7456) to reserve a work week.  A tentative reservation may be made with this first contact, but a  reservation fee of $200 is required to hold this date.  This fee is submitted to the CUPS Business Office (P.O. Box 6933, Kingwood, TX 77325).

3. Once a work week is reserved, the WorkGroup Leader then familiarizes him or herself with the CUPS Handbook, which provides the details of forming work crews, submitting rosters, paying work group fees, and other details. As the crew leader signs up members of the crew, he/she provides them with the appropriate documentation  and forms,  which are available on this web site.

4. The CUPS staff will set up the newly scheduled WorkGroup in the CUPS Online Registration system.  WorkGroup leaders and their WorkGroup volunteers then take part in the online registration process, which provides CUPS with necessary information on crew composition and crew members personal information.  Please follow the Online Registration link referenced on the home page.

5. Ninety (90) days before the appointed work week, WorkGroup Leaders are responsible for paying an additional $1,000 deposit.  This is done by submitting the online 90 Day WorkGroup Form, and by sending a check for $1,000 to the CUPS Business Office (P.O. Box 6933, Kingwood, TX 77325).

6. The remainder of the WorkGroup fee ($3,300) is due sixty (60) days before the appointed work week.  This is done by submitting the online 60 Day WorkGroup Form, and by sending a check for $3,300 to the CUPS Business Office (P.O. Box 6933, Kingwood, TX 77325).

7. Finally, the WorkGroup Leader must submit details of travel plans, and other details such as hotel room reservations, thirty (30) days in advance of his work week.  This is done by submitting the online 30 Day WorkGroup Form.

The crew leader is also responsible for arranging the crew's transportation to/from Mexico, ground transportation during the week within Mexico, and food for lunches.  Many crews stay at La Quinta Condel motel in Valle Hermoso, and the CUPS Mission  Director assists crews with making motel reservations.  Some work crews arrange for CUPS' personnel to meet their crew upon arrival north of the border (McAllen or Harlingen), and assist them with the border crossing, and if necessary, the transportation of  baggage, food supplies, etc. into Mexico.  Crews use various options for travel in Mexico, including personal vehicles, rental vans, etc.  Since there are pros/cons to travel options within Mexico, crew leaders should discuss these options with the Mission Director.  Many more details on crews are given in the CUPS Handbook and Forms page.  If you are interested in organizing a work crew, by all means contact the Mission Director via phone (956-686-7456) or email.

Other Opportunities for Volunteer Work

There are other ways that volunteers can help CUPS, often from their own homes.  CUPS tries to reduce overhead costs by enlisting volunteers to help with office duties such as newsletters, bulk mailings, accounting functions, web site maintenance, and numerous others.  Many of these things can be done from your home if you have appropriate computer, telephone, fax, or other type of communication equipment.  To better understand these opportunities for service, contact CUPS at cupshou@cupsmission.org.  From time to time, these types of opportunities for service are posted on the internet site VolunteerMatch, and you are encouraged to visit this link.