Youth Service Days

The InterFaith Conference has sponsored the Washington, DC edition of the National Days of Interfaith Youth Service since the program's inception in 2004 along with DC Habitat for Humanity hosting our work teams each year.

The National Days of Interfaith Youth Service began as an initiative of Chicago's Interfaith Youth Core to involve young people of different faiths in hands-on community service projects and interfaith dialogue. On a spring weekend, youth and young adults in high school, college and graduate school gather for a day of service – such as environmental clean-up or construction for a needy organization or family. Midway into the day, they take a well-deserved break for a meal, and are divided into interfaith discussion groups to discuss the concept of service as it relates to their own faith tradition.

The youth are also are invited to learn from the examples of some of our traditions' leading lights – men and women who served selflessly and often without receiving accolades. In 2006, 34 cities hosted the National Days of Interfaith Youth Service, including seven international sites! Another highlight was partnering with Youth Service America so that the National Days of Interfaith Youth Service and Global & National Youth Service Day could take place on the same weekend. IFC provided facilities for a training session for the coordinators of these projects in March in conjunction with the International Conference on Faith and Service.