(1987 – 2007)

Noteworthy transitional personnel

  • Peggy Barrett, became CFPNI President.
  • Rev. Jimmy Arbuthnot, in Northern Ireland.
  • Lilah Graham, in Northern Ireland.

U.S. Program

  • 6-week homestay program with American families. In 2002, the stay was reduced to 4 weeks.
  • Included children aged 15 to 18.
  • One Catholic and one Protestant child shared a room.

Northern Ireland Program

  • NI Coordinators promoted the program and selected teenagers based on personal references and written essays.
  • The teens and their families agreed to participate in pre- and post-cross-cultural activities. 
  • Children were paired by NI Coordinators by geographic proximity so that friendships developed in the U.S. could continue in NI.
  • CFPNI hosted annual reunions for all the teens and their families where the teens actively participated in the evening’s entertainment.
  • In 2007, the Board of Directors determined that the purpose of the program had been achieved and closed the organization.

Impact Statistics

  • Over 2,000 alumni from all six counties of Northern Ireland participated.