Trip Locations - 2008

Below are brief descriptions of the sites offered for Alternative Breaks 2008 Spring Break program.


  • Housing Assistance Corporation, (Cape Cod, MA)
    Students participating in this trip work with the Housing Assistance Corporation. The break is spent learning about housing for low-income and homeless individuals and families, and researching means to improve Cape Cod's affordable housing situation.
  • Boston Living Center/ Community Servings (Boston, MA)
    Community center for HIV and AIDS patients. Focuses on issues of HIV and AIDS patients. Organization that prepares and delivers meals to homebound HIV and AIDS patients, as well as plans activities for members of the HIV/AIDS community.
  • Mountain Lake Academy (Lake Placid, NY)
    Residential treatment facility for adolescent boys. Focuses on educational and recreational activities with residents.
  • S.A.F.E (Stop Abusive Family Environments) (Welch, WV)
    Shelter for battered women and children. Focuses on domestic violence issues.
  • K.W.R.U. (Kensington Welfare Rights Union) (Philadelphia, PA)
    Multiracial organization dedicated to the organizing of welfare recipients, the homeless, the working poor, and all people concerned with economic justice

New York City:

  • New Settlement - Housing development in the Bronx that seeks to empower its residents through civil and public service projects. Focuses on building a strong and informed community from within.
  • Cooperative Extension - Working with youth in the Harlem Children's Zone on environmental projects.  Affiliated with the Cornell Garden Mosaics Program, and  Department of Natural Resources.
  • The Bowery Mission - Residential facility that prepares food and feeds the homeless street community three times a day. Focuses on hunger issues and homelessness with men.
  • Know Your Rights - A workshop aimed to educate urban youth by providing them with the tools to protect them from violations of their civil rights.  This program works directly with the New York City ACLU Chapter and the Office of the National Coordinator for Racial Profiling.
  • Sylvia's Place - an emergency night shelter for self-identified Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, trans-gendered, trans-sexual and questioning youth from 16 to 23 years of age.
  • GEMS (Girls Educating and Mentoring Services) - Provides preventative and transitional services to young women, ages 12-21 yrs., who are at risk or involved in sexual exploitation and violence.