Mardi Gras Dinner to Support Hinesburg Youth Volunteer Service in Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, Feb. 17
By Jamie Cudney, co-chair of HYP
The Hinesburg Youth Project invites the community to a Mardi Gras celebration and pancake dinner to support local youth preparing for a week of volunteer service in Washington, D.C., this summer.
Mardi Gras Dinner will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Osborne Hall at the United Church of Hinesburg. Guests can enjoy a festive evening featuring hot pancakes, music, crafts, and community connection. Gluten-free pancakes will also be available. The event is open to everyone. Suggested donation $10 per person, $20 per family.
The celebration supports the Hinesburg Youth Project (HYP), a program that helps young people engage in social issues through education and service. HYP will finish the year with a service trip where youth put compassion into action. Since its founding in 2015, HYP participants have traveled to locations including Boston, Maine, and Puerto Rico to learn about and address issues such as food insecurity, poverty, and disaster relief.
The 2026 trip will take the youth to Washington, D.C., July 26-Aug.1, where they will partner with the Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP), a Quaker organization that coordinates youth volunteer experiences nationwide. During their week in the capital, HYP will serve in soup kitchens, work in urban gardens, distribute food to those in need, and reflect daily on their experiences. Each young person will contribute approximately 20 hours of volunteer time during the trip. When the youth are not volunteering, participants will also have the chance to explore the nation’s capital and its many cultural and historical landmarks.
HYP service trips are both an opportunity to serve and to learn. Through hands-on work and reflection, our youth gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing communities and the power of service.
The Hinesburg Youth Project is a non-denominational, interfaith, and inclusive program open to students in grades six through 12. It continues to thrive thanks to the support of our community. The Hinesburg Youth Project extends a special thank you to Lantman’s Market for its ongoing partnership and generosity in supporting youth programs in Hinesburg and beyond.
“Be quick to love and to do good to your neighbor.”
For more information about the Hinesburg Youth Project or to get involved, visit ucofh.org or email unitedchurch@gmavt.net