Nearly 75 students at Immaculate Heart Academy gathered on the weekend of February 28 through March 2, to put their Faith into action by serving their community and ministering to people in need. The main goal of Mission@theheart is to expose students to different vulnerable populations in the hope of encouraging students to use their gifts in service to others. The homebase for this flagship IHA service event was at Camp Shiloh in Hewitt, New Jersey, but students traveled to different parts of New Jersey and New York to put their mission trip into action. 

On the first night of this three-day trip, students focused on furthering their relationship with God through a prayer service and Eucharistic Adoration, followed by group meetings and bonding activities. On Saturday, our young women began the day by creating Mother’s Day cards for the mothers supported by Several Sources Shelters in Ramsey. Later in the day, students visited New Hope Pregnancy Center in Westwood to help assemble care packages for pregnant women and single moms. Ms. Emily Ash ’19, director of campus ministry, said, “each of these service opportunities were in support of mothers who have made the courageous and beautiful choice of life and love for their children.” Ms. Ash went on to say, “It didn’t matter which task our students were working on, as long as it was done with love, they were authentically serving a neighbor in need.”

Also on Saturday, students visited Camp Acorn in Mahwah to help with the social enrichment programs the camp offers for individuals with developmental disabilities. Later in the evening, they all prepared for a Midnight Run in New York City where the students provided food, clothes, and conversations with individuals experiencing homelessness. This is the third midnight run that IHA has participated in already this year.

According to Lana Langevin ’25, vice president of the Campus Ministry executive board, "I attended Mission@theheart 2025 because there is no better way to serve God than to serve those most vulnerable in the community, and getting to serve with my IHA sisters made the whole experience just that much better. From the Midnight Run to Camp Acorn, I experienced a multitude of service opportunities alongside girls from every grade, getting to know my sisters better while seeing God's light pour through each and every one of them." 

On Sunday, students assembled care packages that were distributed to patients at Hackensack University Medical Center and made cards for hospice patients at Villa Marie Claire in Saddle River. The weekend ended with a Mass and reflection time for key take-aways from this year’s Mission Trip.

Abigail Bennett ’26, one of the many students that attended Mission@theheart, summed up this weekend perfectly, “I went on Mission@theheart because serving God's people is a call that we all must answer in one way or another. Serving with my friends has been a vital part of my life at IHA and I could not be more grateful for the experience.”

We are truly Blessed for all of the students that followed God’s call to serve others on this Mission Trip and thankful to Ms. Emily Ash ’19 and our many chaperones, including IHA teachers Ms. Jessica Giglio, Ms. Katharine Ross, Mr. Gregory McDonald, Miss Claire Burke, Ms. Nicole Clermont, Mrs. Renee Thunell, Ms. Megan Olsen; IHA principal, Miss Kerry Carroll ’04; and alumna Ms. Lauren Foote ’17 and her father Mr. James Foote.

Click here for photos courtesy of Mike Hamlett Photography and Ms. Jessica Giglio.