I did a mission trip with students from my school in Louisville, KY a few years ago, and it was a wonderful experience for us all. The Tau House is dear to my heart.
I just want to start off by saying that mission trips this past two years have really helped me to strengthen my faith, and to open my eyes more to the world around me. Staying at the Tau House is really fun because each individual gets to strengthen their friendships with their group and or create new ones. I personally loved all the community service work that we did in Cincinnati, it was very life-changing the first year I went and didn't cease to amaze me the second year.
Thanks for having us this past summer. This was my first mission trip. What a great experience! The Tau House is a great place to gather after a hard day’s work. One of those days put us at the Rose Garden helping the awesome Sisters with the food and baby items. While we needed to move very quickly to keep up, and sometimes there was hard working moving product, the day flew by. It was a very fast 7 hours. I think knowing that you are helping hundreds of people throughout the course of one day makes it all worthwhile. Working with the Sisters there was calming and rewarding. It was truly amazing how food would show up on the dock just as we would run out inside. Then to make the day even better, we had the Tau House to go back to. With games for the kids to unwind, and community time for all to share their experiences and pray together. I can't imagine how this facility could be run any better. It is very clean and supplied with everything we could possibly need. The send-off activities in the morning were done extremely well and gave everyone things to contemplate. (Can't say enough good about the staff - awesome job and always had a cheery attitude!) Thanks again for your hospitality.
I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for all you do to make sure every group has a great experience while serving. My youth (and chaperones) have been talking nonstop about the week and they are chomping at the bit for me to set a date for next year already. =D
Our week with Tau House has already changed the lives and mission of the youth from Holy Family.
I'm so amazed by the change from the eek and so are their families. U had one of the guys' younger sister come up to me after Mass and asked me what I did to her brother. When he got home Saturday he hugged her, said he couldn’t wait until she could go to the Tau House and then talked to her about his week and asked about how her week of service went at home. Praise the Lord!
This organization does great work combining service with prayer and reflection.
One of my most memorable times at the Tau House was the day Our group went to the New Life Furniture Store. We delivered to a family with 2 young girls and a father. When we got to the apartment the truck hadn't arrived yet, but 2 young girls were sitting at a picnic table outside waiting for the truck with their father. My co-leader and I got out of our van and started talking to this family only to find out they were the family we were there to help. They were all so excited to be getting furniture as they had only air mattresses and one dresser for furniture in their apartment. When the truck arrived all three were more than willing to help unload the truck. We were able to give them a dresser, sofa, kitchen table and chairs, 2 single box springs and mattresses. You would have thought they just won the lottery with the joy on the girls’ faces while the dad was close to tears thinking somebody would help them. I went to bed that night realizing just how lucky some of us are to have the thing we do and knowing that there is help out there in one form or another. All you have to do is believe. God Bless You and all the work you do.
Thank you so much for setting up one of the best weeks of my life!
I want to take home with me this best version of myself.
Just a couple of weeks ago, myself and 13 other teenagers and 4 adult leaders attended a mission trip hosted by the Tau House. This week-long experience doing service in the Cincinnati area and living in community with my peers was truly an unforgettable experience. This week helped me grow closer to God and to other kids my age while helping others in the community of Cincinnati. We learned a lot, whether it be in prayer, or at various service sites, or just in conversation with one another. Some of my favorite moments on this trip included volunteering at the Freestore Foodbank Pantry and Dinner with the Sisters. I really enjoyed the Freestore Foodbank because while I was not directly serving a person or group of people, what we did at the food bank would directly impact people in the community. We learned about the process of how the food bank works, the amount of work it takes to run a food bank, the amount of food it takes to run a food bank (which is a lot!!!) and I also learned that service can be a lot of fun! During this service activity I had a chance to connect with some of the other teenagers on this trip and form lasting relationships. I also really enjoyed the dinner because I got to personally connect with one of the Sisters. I learned so much about her life as she shared stories about the service she has done in her life as a Sister and as a teacher. I cannot wait to keep serving and learning together here at home.
I was able to help many people during the week that I was there. It was a great experience. I learned many things about the sisters and how Cincinnati really needed the help. I learned that there are so many people out there that need help because they’re experiencing homelessness or have other personal issues that can be solved if people are willing to take a stand. I learned that helping them was very fun and didn't take much you get the good feeling of helping someone out and being someone's hero. I hope that Tau House stays strong and continues to get good help and volunteers. It was a great experience, and I would definitely have no problem going again. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn more about Ohio and being able to learn more about my friends at church.
Going on the service trip and working with Franciscan Ministries was one of the best experiences of my life. I met so many different people and listened to their various stories which inspired me. In going to different places and seeing the different things people do every day I learned the different ways we can help those in need. Before this trip when I used to think of helping the poor I thought of giving them food. I learned that food isn't the only thing that we can do to help. By working at New Life Furniture painting tables, we got to help make an impact on someone's life. Not only did we get to do different things but we were able to interact with different people. By working hands on with the kids we were able to have fun with them and see the interesting things they would do each day. This experience really opened my eyes to the different things going on not only around the world, but in our country. The people that I helped also helped me in the process. I was able to see things in a different light and make an impact on someone's life. In the years to come I will think back to my amazing week spent at the Tau House and will continue to do service wherever I go.
I will just say my experience at the Tau house and in Cincinnati was truly amazing! I spent one week there over spring break, and I will just say it was the most influential spring break I ever had. We helped many people and hearing their stories really brought their experiences to reality. I really understand how powerful our decisions to help one another are. I realized how such a small act of kindness can mean the world to someone. Learning about poverty and the community issues in Cincinnati also really woke me up and made me also realize that we as people have a voice. Growing up in a middle-income house, poverty has always been a little foreign to me and I never realized how big of an issue it truly is. I thank Marci for being so proactive during our trip and for everything she did for us that week!
This past spring, I took a group of Catholic students from Tennessee Tech University to the Tau House for a week-long mission trip. Even in just that short week, the experiences and opportunities that Marci, Tau House, and the Tau House were able to provide us with are things that we have continued to carry with us throughout our daily lives. This trip was the fourth time that I have done a mission trip through the Tau House, and every time I leave having grown more spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. The children, teenagers, and young adults that are fortunate enough to do mission work for Tau House are blessed by the things that they are able to offer us. The fee that we pay to go on this trip is hardly enough to cover the extent of what we are provided with during our weekly stay. The life lessons, humility, gratitude, and simplicity that we experience are things that I hope to never take for granted, and I am so thankful for Tau House for giving me the opportunities to keep coming back and benefiting from everything they do for us.
The entire Tau House experience absolutely exceeded every expectation I had for our trip to Cincinnati. Living together in the house and eating dinner as a team each night brought our group so close together. We did hard work every day, and we had so much fun back at the house each night. Before Tau House, our parish had never done any mission trips, but now these trips are an essential part of our youth ministry. St. Mary of Woodstock looks forward to seeing you again next summer!
I love Tau House ! Changing lives!
I traveled with my St. Theresa Catholic Church youth group to Cincinnati Ohio on a mission trip. We stayed at the Tau House and they were so generous. They had such a great week planned for us. The entire experience opened my eyes greatly to how many people are left without things that I take for granted every day. I really enjoyed the whole experience but in particular the summer camp for disabled youth. I encountered people with disabilities before but not at such an intimate level. The little boy I worked with for the afternoon had severe social disabilities and yet he accepted and trusted me after only an hour of meeting. The childish love and trust they have is astounding. It was an experience that I will never forget, even if at times it was hard to be face-to-face with so much poverty and disability.
Working at a different site each day allowed me the opportunity to discern where my gifts lie.
In March, a group from the TTU Catholic Ministry went to Cincinnati, OH to volunteer with Tau House. I was only expecting to do some volunteer work, help others and you know have fun. But God had something else in plan for our group and for me, I was not the only one helping; but this trip helped me! It helped me grow in my faith, helped me to see more than just helping a little bit and forgetting about it. Being in the Tau House taught me how to live with others in harmony, serve others with a smile on my face all the time and learn from others. My favorite part of the whole week at the Tau House was when we got to hear a testimony from somebody who was trying to overcome homelessness; I have never cried so much and it taught me how important is to treat everybody equally and with love because you never know what they have been though or what they are going through. I will never forget my experience at the Tau House and all the love, happiness and humility I saw and learned there.
I served with Tau House during my spring break. We had so much fun and made a difference for the community of Cincinnati as well as our selves!
Tau House is AMAZING. They truly make an impact not only on those that they are serving but in those that are giving the service. I hope they continue their work for MANY years to come!
I spent a week as one of 6 adult leader leaders and 15 teens at the Tau house during the summer. This was my second mission trip to Cincinnati with the West Bend WI Quad Parish organization. A common theme I both saw and experienced on both trips was the youth (and leaders) giving of themselves, both during the daily experiences coordinated by Marcy and the other leaders as well as the communal living experience in the Tau house that has made this trip a favorite of the Quad Parish Youth Outreach group. This giving was manifested in many ways and made me proud to be an adult leader with these groups of teens. Working outside in near 100° temperatures while tuck-pointing a house being rehabbed was but one example. The kids had never done this before, which involves chiseling out old mortar from a stone foundation and repacking the space with fresh mortar. Hot messy work. Never once did I get a single complaint, push back, eye roll or any other disagreeable teen behaviors about a task I asked them to do. The same was true for assigned duties at the Tau house which were part of communal living. Jobs were freely volunteered for and completed timely and thoroughly - something many families could learn from. The daily "launch" activities, the God moments that we all experienced throughout the trip made this a life altering experience for both youth and adults alike. When I got home, I described my time at the Tau House/Community Service as physically demanding and spiritually rewarding. I would love to return for a third time.
I am very blessed to have experienced the Tau House this past July. I came on board this trip through Nardin Academy when a teacher could not make the trip and I filled in. I was moved, grateful and changed from my experience. It was so rewarding to be able to help others in need. Our time spent giving was of our talents, energy, and ability to help in any way possible. The girls felt so good about the trip and talked about their experience all the way back to Buffalo. They mentioned continuing their service for others, appreciating what they have and how they made a difference. They are proud and all our thanks to the Tau House and their wonderful staff.
Coming to the Tau House this summer has helped to bond the twelve students I brought who know each other, but after a week of work, play, living in close quarters, they unite as a group of caring young adults. They find ways to enjoy simple living without their phones or computers, but ways to play games and share in simple fun. My group this summer talked about all of the kids they were able to spend time with at the sites we visited, they talked about what life must be like in the children's homes, and especially how much they enjoyed teaching the children at the day programs downtown. The previously homeless young lady who came to Tau House one evening shared her powerful story with us which was very heart warming, the teens realized that the difference between them and her is very slim. On our return the students had many ideas to help the non-profits that we served in Cincinnati.
The sense of community that formed as we worked and lived together ... was simply amazing.
I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for all you do to make sure every group has a great experience while serving. My youth (and chaperones) have been talking nonstop about the week and they are chomping at the bit for me to set a date for next year already. =D
Our week with Tau House has already changed the lives and mission of the youth from Holy Family.
I'm so amazed by the change from the eek and so are their families. U had one of the guys' younger sister come up to me after Mass and asked me what I did to her brother. When he got home Saturday he hugged her, said he couldn’t wait until she could go to the Tau House and then talked to her about his week and asked about how her week of service went at home. Praise the Lord!
As I guided a woman around the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, who was shopping for a family of 10, she talked to me about the difficulties of taking in her sister’s kids on top of her already large family. So often I find myself intimidated by such conversations, but the community at St. Vincent provided the context for us to get to know one another. I walked away with immense respect for her charity and courage. Our work at St. Vincent was one part of the experience at tau House that included other service sites such as Matthew 25 and New Life Furniture. During the week we cooked and ate meals together and prayed together. Sometimes I have a hard time praying alone, but being with others for an hour of silence at the church helped me stay focused. This Mission Trip helped me grow in my faith.
This summer I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Tau House. This trip was incredible! I was able to help all sorts of people all over Cincinnati. On the first day I got to volunteer at the St Vincent dePaul free store. I met so many people with all different stories and backgrounds. I saw how happy it made people to get even the smallest thing. This made me think about all the times I was ungrateful for all I had. I will remember this experience forever. In just that one week I grew in faith, love, and service. I hope to go on this trip again.
After seeing the different needs in Cincinnati, I'm ready to return and help the ministries back home.
I had such a great time at the Tau House this year. I had so many great experiences. Just knowing that I might have impacted a person's life in a positive way really means a lot to me. Thanks for everything, and can't wait to come back next year.
My experience inspired me about how we are all called to do the hard work, the "humble work"... to reach out and touch the poor and to help lift them up. We came both last year and this year. Both years left an incredible mark on my heart.
Throughout my three years on the Tau House Mission Trip, I have learned valuable skills in making friends, which will become extremely useful when I go off to college. Each year has meant the strengthening of old friendships and blossoming of new ones. I used to be very quiet around new people, but living in community at the Tau House has made me more comfortable in being myself and starting conversations. At the end of each of my weeks with Tau House, I've been sad to say goodbye to everyone but happy to have such an amazing experience to look back on for the rest of my life.
I have had the pleasure of having the opportunity to volunteer with Tau House twice and both times have been an incredibly inspiring experience!
Being apart of the Tau House gave me a small experience of what Heaven will be like. Being in a community that is motivated to serve and accepted by everyone is what God calls us to do. Build the kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
After I returned from my week at Tau House and with the various programs chosen for us to work, I found myself wanting to share as often as possible with family and friends all of the positive aspects of my experience that week. I was so impressed with the dedication of the volunteers and staff at each of our work sites. They welcomed us kindly and really seemed to want our help. I was especially impressed with the staff and volunteers working with the children at two of the sites we visited. Their kindness and patience was admirable and they seemed well prepared to include us in their programming. Our youth group adolescents really seemed to enjoy the entire week as they interacted with the program participants at sites we were assigned to especially with the children. The staff at Tau House were very well organized in providing us with accommodations, meals and clear directions for the adults driving to the sites. Evening activities were also well thought out, interesting (the presentation by the young woman who had been homeless), and fun (the painting party, dinner with the nuns and the evening at the fountain park with entertaining music). The week was one of the highlights of my summer and very meaningful for all of us. I came home with a new desire and commitment to do even more in my community by volunteering to help others in need. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to participate in this fantastic program.
After this week, I kinda want to get to know God better.
I felt compelled to write to you to tell what a remarkable experience Megan had on her service trip. I don’t think she took a breath on the way home talking non-stop about all that she did, the wonderful and diverse experiences and the many different people she encountered. And all the members on the trip, adults and students alike… This experience was life-changing for her. Not just all the work, but she had SO much fun! Literally, had a blast. I cannot thank you and the other facilitators for all you did to make this experience such an amazing one for Megan. I truly believe that this trip will have a long-lasting impact on her. Many thanks to you for all you do! Sincerely, Kathleen (Megan’s mom)
Went on a mission trip and loved it! Such a wonderful and unique experience. Felt I was able to make at least a small difference, and I loved where I stayed. Thanks to the people who run this, you changed my life. Great organization!
Through this program thanks for the opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus and have a heart for service shining God's Love.
The best Spring break ever!
I love all they do for the visitors and the Cincinnati area!
Visiting the Tau House and spending my whole entire spring break there was one of the most impactful, insightful weeks I've had throughout the entire year. Our group was very dynamic and diverse; it made the whole experience better. I still think about all the individuals we came in contact with and all the areas we served. I want and hope to come back and have another outstanding time at the Tau House. The "hand washing" activity we did at the beginning of the week set the tone for how the rest of the week would be. It was absolutely powerful and spiritual because I didn’t think about anything else that week except being there in Cincinnati serving the community.
