It is that time of the year again and as courses are getting underway and papers are beginning to pile up, however, some Grinnellians are already making plans for Fall Break. This October, Alternative Break (AltBreak) and ReNew will continue with their purpose of “promoting direct, hands-on community service” to those in need.
AltBreak and ReNew are student-run organizations that offer opportunities for Grinnellians to give back during their break from the books. There are four AltBreak trips and one ReNew crew headed out this fall to lend a helping hand to communities on a wide range of social justice missions, from working with immigrants and refugees in Minnesota to rebuilding from the tornado devastation in Joplin, MO. A number of hopeful potential volunteers were in attendance at the meeting on Monday night, looking to hear how their hands could be made helpful this fall.
“I would rather spend my time helping someone out than just sitting around my house over break,” said Eleni Irrera ’14.
There are a number of great trips to pick from this year.
Immigrants and Refugees in Minnesota, led by William Barber ’13 and Joo Young Yim ’13, intends to help students “learn more about and ameliorate the struggles that immigrants and refugees face when first settling in the U.S.” through their work with a food shelf and an education program.
Early Childhood Education in Native American Tribe, led by Aanchal Gulati ’12 and Xiaohan Wu ’12, plans to spend time “working on social and education programs for children from lower income Indian families” with the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, OK.
Community Homestead, led by Kyle Walters ’12 and Radka Slamova ’13, will be joining “a community of people with developmental disabilities living and working on an organic farm in central Wisconsin.”
Tornado Relief in Joplin, led by Dan Hirsch, Residence Life Coordinator for East Campus, is open to faculty, staff and students and will travel to Joplin, MO “to volunteer with AmeriCorps’ tornado relief efforts.”
Biloxi Flood Relief and Rebuilding, a ReNew trip led by Madeline Eiler ’12, Kramer McLuckie ’12, Cary Speck ’12 and Julia Tse ’13, is headed to Mississippi to work with a community development agency, “rebuilding houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina and other major flooding since 2005.”
So, do you want to make friends, have fun and do good this fall break? Applications are due Sunday, Sept. 18 at noon to the Center for Religion, Spirituality and Social Justice, and trip leaders hope to attract a wide variety of participants.
“We are looking for people that are hard-working, have a good attitude and are open to learning about different lifestyles in a respectful manner . . . and who also like to have a good time,” Walters said.