Service project for teens?

http://www.volunteerhouston.org/involved/youth

Habitat for Humanity is always great!  

Volunteer Houston is great too, they have summer internships I believe.  We have Volunteer San Antonio, and they are always interesting and fun! 

I don't know much about opportunities with Habitat for Humanity.  I went on a few mission trips with my church - back in the day - and they were great.  It felt good doing something for others and it was active.  Since your sons are older they may be able to get an internship with an organization like Habitat. 

After I graduated from college, I got the opportunity to go to Juarez, Mexico and we built a house for a family - in about 4 days.  I checked the website and there are internships available, but the interns must be 20 by June 1 of the year they want to go.  The trips themselves are $500 each (except for <11 than it's only $100)  Which - is fairly reasonable - but still higher than driving to a local organization.  I know we did some fundraising, which is always an option.  Could always organize a fun run?!!? :-D

Thank you all for your replies.

What I would like to find is a place where they would not come home every night for several reasons. First, transportation is an issue, they do not have a functioning car at the moment so Mom would be taxi driver. I am also interested in them 'living' where they are volunteering. This does not have to be another country, could be another state or even another city. We live in the burbs and I would like my sons to experience another culture - not necessarily another country, it could be another part of our country. They are sheltered in that although they are compassionate boys they really cannot comprehend how others live.

The college resume isn't something we had even considered so that is not our motivating factor though I can see how it is for some.

Being away from Mama would also be a big plus as would not having all the modern conveniences available to them 24/7.

My brother-in-law is a HS teacher and every spring break he takes a group of kids on an Appalachian service project. I know they really like it and opens their eyes to how some people in America live (no indoor plumbing, no cell phones). I think they do stuff like paint, clean or repair homes, maybe some literacy-type projects?

My college roommate also went there over a couple of spring breaks for service trips and he also really liked it.

This is what we are looking for but don't know anybody organizing a trip like this which is why I am here. The only trips their HS does is going to Italy which is mucho $ and just a bunch of upper/middle kids hanging out with each other, no service.

Maybe I will look up Appalachian service project.