HISTORY
The Holy Cross Associates (HCA) program began in 1978 as a means for young lay men and women to collaborate in the mission and ministry of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Since then, over 750 Associates have served throughout the U.S. and in Chile. In the spring of 2002, the Holy Cross Associate program was contacted and asked to support a prospective volunteer that was going to serve in Haiti with a Holy Cross priest, Fr. Tom Streit, CSC. So began Holy Cross Associates' affiliation with the Haiti Project. In December 2002, John Pinter, director of the Associate program, was invited to visit Haiti with the idea of looking at a more ‘permanent' and direct placement of volunteers for subsequent years. This new, formal, affiliation of Associates in Haiti begins with the 2003-2004 program year.

GOALS
Holy Cross Associates is a program of lay formation which emphasizes Service to the Poor and Marginalized, Community Living, Spirituality, and Simple Lifestyle.

CURRENT SITES
In addition to the newly established site in Haiti, Associate houses are located in areas where Holy Cross religious are present, serving in either parishes, schools or universities. In the U.S., Associate houses are located in Phoenix, AZ; Coachella, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; South Bend, IN; Brockton (Boston area), MA; Portland, OR; and Wilkes-Barre, PA. In Chile, the Associates have two houses in Santiago (the nation's capital).

TYPES OF WORK
The role of the volunteers will be quite varied. Among the possible duties are the following, generally described:

Assisting with the public health awareness of the disease and its treatments in various parts of the country;

Providing orientation and hospitality to medical and other visitors to the area who reside at Residence Filarios, the facility inLéogâne which hosts visiting professionals and volunteers (and which will also be the residence for the Associates);

Assisting with scheduling and other duties for treatments and surgeries on behalf of individuals affected by the disease;

Potential micro-enterprise development, with the carrying on of a project to sell mosquito netting;

Assisting the HCA program to develop other potential involvements in Haiti, including establishing relationships with the new Holy Cross Province in Haiti, developing short-term volunteer opportunities, and finding other service apostolates in the region.

WHAT DO ASSOCIATES GO ON TO DO?
The paths taken after the Associate experience are as varied and unique as the individuals entering the program. Associates have gone on in business, education, law, government, medicine, social work, and ministry. Some have contributed to work directly with the poor; others have gone on to graduate studies. All, however, have taken with them their valuable experiences from living as an Associate.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Men and women who desire to serve and accompany the poor and marginalized; who wish to grow in faith and spirituality through prayer and reflection; who will commit to the challenge of building community and living simply; and who seek to collaborate with the Congregation of Holy Cross. Qualities that we look for are flexibility, maturity, Christian commitment, and orientation toward service, openness, and a sense of humor. The average age of most Associates is 21-26; however, it is not uncommon for someone who has been out working for a few years after college to participate in the program.

HOW MANY ASSOCIATES DO WE ACCEPT?
We intend to send 2 volunteers to Haiti in the forthcoming program year. We will also be inviting up to 50 persons into the Holy Cross Associates domestic program and we anticipate also inviting three or four individuals for placement in Chile.

LENGTH OF TIME?
Over a year (including orientation, language training, and the re-entry retreat) for the Haiti program. However, for those in the domestic program it is one year and it is a 2½ year commitment for Associates in Chile.The program begins with an orientation scheduled to begin the first Saturday in August.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Applicants interested in the Haiti program should contact the HCA Home office for further information. Applications for persons seeking placement in the U.S. are accepted on an ongoing basis. The process involves completing the application form, three letters of recommendation, a personal interview with members of the HCA staff and the organizers of the Haiti Project. HCA also reserves the right to ask applicants to complete an assessment with the University of Notre Dame Counseling Center.

WHY PARTICIPATE IN HCA?
If you seek to explore and grow in your faith; if you want to give of yourself in service to others; if you wish to live with your peers in a supportive community; if you are open to learning from the poor; if you wish to explore a simple lifestyle, if you wish to grow personally, spiritually, intellectually ... for any or all of these reasons, we invite you to consider the Holy Cross Associates program.

BENEFITS
Room and board, health insurance, small monthly stipend, deferred student loans, transportation to Haiti after orientation and home at the end of the program, work experience, and job search assistance. Associates who are placed in Haiti will also receive language school training.