Current Experiences
Alternative Break’s community partners focus on a range of social justice issues that impact local, national, and international communities. Some partners have been working with Alternative Breaks volunteers for years, while others are just beginning their relationships with our program. Below, you will find more specific information about each of our community partners organized by the primary social issue they address.
Alternative Winter Break Experiences
Wednesday, January 10 - Saturday, January 20, 2024
Experience description
Blue Spring, Florida, is a state park sanctuary for wildlife. The park prides itself on environmental sustainability to protect its inhabitants. Participants will be working as volunteers for the State Park in various capacities that could include building a trail, assisting with re-planting, invasive species removal, and/or other projects. These projects will help delve deep into the importance and role of state parks in environmental conservation. If wildlife and the environment are something you’re passionate about, this trip is for you!
Who our partner is
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Blue Spring, FL
Cost
$300 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
There are scholarships available as well. Please send an email to alternativebreaks@umd.edu for more information regarding financial assistance.
Leaders
TBD
Alternative Spring Break Experiences
Saturday, March 16 - Saturday, March 23
Experience description
Participants will develop an understanding of what radical community care looks like by volunteering at The Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling. They'll have the opportunity to prepare and serve food for the community, get to know various community members, learn about reentry for previously incarcerated individuals, and participate in a workshop focused on harm reduction & narcan distribution.
Who our partner is
Since 1982, the Soup Kitchen has provided warm meals and companionship as a non-profit inter-faith ministry incorporated with the State of West Virginia. Their mission is to feed the hungry. We serve a delicious hot lunch (meat, starch, vegetables, bread, beverage, and dessert). We also offer a meal to go for the evening.
You can learn more about the Soup Kitchen here.
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Wheeling, WV
Cost
$200.00 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
Leaders
TBD
Experience description
Participants will get trained in providing critical home repairs and modifications to low-income homeowners in Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro, VA. Potential projects include: wheelchair ramps, skirting mobile homes, repairing leaky roofs, replacing toilets - it all depends on what's needed by the community! No prior experience needed.
Who our partner is
Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta (RHGA) is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit that provides low-income homeowners, living in Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro (SAW) Virginia. The mission of RHGA is to accomplish, at no cost to a homeowner, critical home repairs and modifications for low-income elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged homeowners. We are a volunteer-driven organization with an active board and many dedicated volunteers who complete repairs for our clients.
You can learn more about Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta here.
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Staunton, VA
Cost
$200.00 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
Leaders
TBD
Experience description
On this experience, we will have the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Bay and explore the importance of this natural wonder, along with tackling the issues that put the Chesapeake Bay at risk. Through collaboration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, we will engage in hands-on field programs to actively combat the negative effects of agricultural, industrial, and human influence on the area. Participants will also be able to learn about the policies and restoration efforts in progress and will gain perspective on how the biodiversity of the Bay has impacts on our everyday lives.
Who our partner is
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Annapolis, Maryland
Cost
$200.00 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
Experience description
Participants will act as counselors for the week or part of the week, working 1:1 with an individual with autism. This means helping them to navigate the camp schedule, encouraging their participation and helping them manage all needs otherwise (communication systems, behavior management, personal care needs, etc). Campers in each program may be of all ages, young kids through older adults.
Support is provided for all volunteers and staff as they get to know their camper and help them have fun at camp. Volunteers are never alone but are expected to jump in and give their camper a great experience.
Who our partner is
Camp Royall is a hub of year-round activity that offers a caring, accepting atmosphere and celebrates each individual. The 133-acre camp near Pittsboro is the nation’s largest and oldest autism camp, serving thousands of people each year.
Camp Royall provides typical camp activities, including swimming, arts and crafts, hiking, hayrides, and boating. All activities take place in a structured environment to meet the needs of individuals with autism. Our staff is professionally trained to guide campers through all activities.
You can learn more about Camp Royall here.
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Moncure, NC
Cost
$200.00 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
Leaders
TBD
Experience description
Our experience in Bland, Virginia will examine rural poverty in the United States. Despite facing economic hardships, Bland, VA has a vibrant culture and strong-willed community members. Our service with community partners will depend on what the town identifies as their needs while we are there, which in the past has involved serving meals, sorting donations, and helping local residents with home projects.
Who our partners are
Wytheville Training School, Bluefield Union, HOPE, Local Government
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Bland, VA
Cost
$200.00 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
Leaders
TBA
Experience description
Atlanta, though famous for its sports teams, musical heritage, and Southern hospitality, is setting an example for cities nationwide on how to address food insecurity as the complex issue it is. Because one in four Georgia residents is food insecure, the Big Peach is abundant in community-led initiatives that make affordable, healthy food available on a local scale and that provide life, housing, and job stabilization services to the diverse population experiencing food insecurity. By serving alongside these organizations, we will begin to develop a more nuanced understanding of food insecurity as intertwined with issues of urban sprawl, suburban poverty, unemployment, and racial inequities. We will delve into the root of the problems surrounding the food swamp that is much of Georgia’s capital city, and grapple with how it exists in our hometown and across the U.S. as well.
Who our partners are
Metro Atlanta Urban Farm and Atlanta Community Food Bank
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Location
Atlanta, GA
Cost
$200.00 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities.)
Leaders
TBA
Experience description
Los Andes, Guatemala, is a nature reserve located on the southern slopes of the Atitlan Volcano in Guatemala. The reserve is an area in which environmental conservation, agricultural production, and human development are carried out sustainably for the well-being of present and future generations. Participants will be asked to observe keenly and openly how the reserve meets the needs of the local coffee and tea farmers and citizens cost-effectively, with minimal negative environmental repercussions.
Who our partner is
Transportation
Transportation will be provided by Alternative Breaks, from UMD campus to the housing site, and to and from service sites.
Cost
$1900 (Inclusive of lodging, food, transportation, and any additional educational activities. Exact cost coming soon!)
There are scholarships available as well. Please send an email to alternativebreaks@umd.edu for more information regarding financial assistance.
Experience Leaders
Karina & Jonas