FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FINANCIAL

What is the cost of the trip?

The 2020 base trip price is $1,625 per team member which includes airfare up to $700/person.
*Additional costs include luggage fees, meals during travel days, short-term mission insurance/vaccines, and airfare if over $700.

When is the money due?

Deadlines:
         $100 per team member deposit due immediately
         $800 per team member (plus any airline overage) due 72 days before the trip departure
         $725 per team member due 16 days before the trip departure

What is the refund policy?

$100 deposit at time of commitment is non-refundable (a church can transfer this to the balance of their trip.)
Once ticketing on a group reservation has occurred, the funds and the ticket are completely transferable to another person up until 96 hours before the trip.
If tickets were purchased individually, or a replacement can’t be found, the airline ticket belongs to the name on the ticket per airline restrictions. Any monies paid over the cost of airfare will be held for up to 18 months to apply toward a future trip.

How much of the trip cost is tax deductible?

The base cost of the trip, $1,625, is tax deductible. We recommend you check with your tax accountant.

How much spending money should I bring?

We recommend that team members bring $100-200 in small denominations. You can buy soda at the Harmony House, souvenirs on craft night and at the coast, and $5 services on Friday including massages, haircuts/braids, and nail polishing. In addition, each team is given an opportunity to change someone’s story by donating money to help a local family with a specific need. We accept cash, check, and credit card on craft night.

Do I need to exchange my money?

No, there is no need to exchange your currency as American money is widely accepted throughout the island.

PREPARING FOR THE TRIP

What documents will I need to travel?

U.S. citizens need only a valid U.S. Passport. Non-U.S. citizens need a valid Passport from your country of birth and a Jamaican Visa (if necessary from your country of birth).
Won By One To Jamaica also requires that each team member completes and notarizes a participation form which is distributed through the group leader.
Finally, each participant must have a short-term mission insurance policy and attach proof of that policy to the above-mentioned participation form. We recommend www.missionaryhealth.net/wonbyonetojamaica for a low-cost, comprehensive policy.

Do I need certain immunizations before I travel?

WBOTJ requires that trip participants have up-to-date tetanus immunization. Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended.

Do team members need to be in good shape?

We encourage team members to do whatever they can to get into good cardiovascular condition before the trip as most volunteers find the walking and lifting to be more than what they’re used to in the States. In addition, the heat can be exhausting.

What is the minimum age allowed for participation?

If it is a high-school-only trip, the student must be 13 by day of travel.
For a multi-generational trip, any child under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent. Even on a multi-generational trip, no child under the age of 10 will be permitted. We suggest, as a guideline when deciding if your child is ready, that you be able to positively and completely agree with this statement: “My child is mature enough to go on a full-day work site without me, and I am prepared for them to do so.”

LIVING CONDITIONS

Where do teams stay?

Teams stay at the ministry house, called the Harmony House, in Harmons, Jamaica which is located in south central Jamaica. It is 3.5 hours from the airport and 45 minutes from Mandeville. The Harmony House has electricity, filtered running water, showers, toilets, and dorm rooms.
The teams spend the last night on the North Coast in Montego Bay at Doctors Cave Beach Hotel. The hotel is right across the street from a beautiful beach which can be accessed for a small fee.

Is it safe?

Safety is of the utmost importance to Won By One To Jamaica. Team members will always work and travel in groups. Rules of appropriate behavior are communicated to both Americans and Jamaicans. The Harmony House is a secure facility. Doctors Cave Beach Hotel was selected with safety in mind.

How are the teams transported in Jamaica?

WBOTJ owns and operates two 28-passenger coaster buses which serve as transportation for the teams. A dump truck and a pick-up truck with trailer are also used to help move luggage and building materials.

What happens in Montego Bay?

The team departs from the Harmony House Saturday morning and heads to the North Coast to check in at the hotel. The afternoon is open for free time activities which may include going to the beach, shopping, or swimming at the pool. Lunch is on your own this day. The team will come back for dinner by the pool and a time of final reflection with their group. A light, continental breakfast is offered by the hotel Sunday morning and then the team travels approximately two miles to the airport to fly home.