Alternative Breaks

Alternative Breaks are immersive service experiences designed to introduce students to new communities while working to address pressing domestic and global social issues. Participating in an Alternative Break is a great way to get to know other students, make a positive impact, and have a meaningful fall or spring break! Check out this year’s programs and click on the justice issue for each program to learn more:

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Fall Break 2019 (October 17-19)

  • Hurricane Florence Disaster Relief (Wilmington, NC): Volunteer with the United Methodist Committee on Relief to support the continued work of Hurricane Florence relief in Eastern North Carolina.
  • Food Justice (Asheville, NC): Volunteer with multiple organizations that holistically work to address the issue of food insecurity.

Spring Break 2020 (March 14-21)

  • Civil Rights and Racial Justice (Selma/Birmingham/Montgomery, AL): Partner with the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, And Reconciliation to learn more about Civil Rights Movement where it happened. Visit historic sites key to the Civil Rights movement, participate in workshops, and serve with community partners to gain a deeper understanding about where we have been and the continued work of racial justice.
  • Housing Restoration in Appalachia (Jonesville, VA): Partner with Appalachian Service Project to repair and restore homes in Central Appalachia.
  • Immigrant and Refugee Rights (Atlanta, GA): Partner with the International Rescue Mission, which helps people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disasters recover and gain control of their future. Volunteers will get to learn about IRM’s various services and actively support their work through volunteering with different programs and populations.
  • Urban Poverty and Inequality (Washington, DC): Partner with the Steinbruck Center to volunteer and visit with multiple organizations who are working to address systemic issues related to poverty and homelessness in an urban setting.
  • Community Development (Los Lagos, Costa Rica): Partner with Cultural Connections and Volunteers to support multiple projects. The primary focus of this experience is to help a slum community build stoves and floors in their homes. Participants will also have the opportunity to volunteer at a local school and visit with coffee farmers who run a local coffee co-op.

Alternative Break Frequently Asked Questions 

 Staff and Faculty Learning Partner Expectations and Frequently Asked Questions

 

Elon Alternative Breaks is a proud member of Break Away, a national organization supporting alternative break programs at campuses across the country. We integrate Break Away’s 8 Components of a Quality Alternative Break into our program model.

For questions about Alternative Breaks, contact Kyle Anderson, Assistant Director of Student Community Engagement Programs at kanderson52@elon.edu.