Trip Focus: Understanding Homelessness
Location: Boston, MA

This weekend long alternative break will be focused on homelessness and the effects this issue has on the community of Boston. In the past, participants have volunteered at agencies such as homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other organizations focused on serving the homeless population. Through direct and indirect service, participants will be able to serve and learn about this population and how to advocate for those affected by homelessness. Participants will be staying at a church in downtown Boston. The group will meet for four times prior to the trip weekend and will meet once or twice after.

Trip Size: 12 student participants, 1 student trip director and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $80.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Caitlin Bisaillon
uconn.co.boston@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Coastal Environment Conservation & Protection
Location: Groton, CT

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 09/22 AT NOON!

During this weekend long alternative break participants from Storrs and Avery Point will come together for a joint experience. The group will stay at the Hostel on the Avery Point Campus through Project Oceanology and will work on coastal environment issues. The group will meet for four times prior to the trip weekend and will meet once or twice after.  Please note: this trip will include traveling on small and large boats. Participants will be provided life jackets.

Trip Size: Approximately 11 Storrs student participants, 11 Avery Point student participants, 2 student trip directors and 2 staff
Participant Cost: $80.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible for Storrs students) (ASG may fund 50% if eligible for AP students)

Storrs Trip Director: Rohit Sinha
Avery Point Trip Director: Jonathan Markovics
uconn.co.groton@gmail.com

Trip Focus: HIV/AIDS Awareness & Advocacy
Location: New York City, NY

During this weekend long alternative break, participants will be staying at a church in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and will be working with agencies that focus on supporting people affected by HIV/AIDS. In the past we have assisted with reducing harm for risky behaviors that can lead to HIV, and created safe sex kits for outreach workers. The group will meet for four times prior to the trip weekend and will meet once or twice after.

Trip Size: 12 student participants, 1 student trip director and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $80.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Eric Beltrami
uconn.co.newyork@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Community Development
Location: Los Jazmines, Costa Rica

Trip Dates: January 1st (TBD)–14th, 2018

During this two week long alternative break, participants will be staying in the local school and working with a community organization and community members in Los Jazmines located near Upala in the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica. The trip will be continuing their partnership with Reto Juvenil Internacional (RJI). The trip focus has historically consisted of a build project followed by educational workshops. The specific projects and workshops are determined on a yearly basis as a result of a community needs assessment run through RJI. UConn students in the past have built a healthcare center, storage and new bathrooms for the school, and an annex to the healthcare center.  UConn students have also painted murals for the school.

UConn student participants must be in good University standing to participate in this experience and agree to a specific policy guide for this international experience.

Valid passports and various vaccinations are required.
Costa Rica requires passports to be valid at least 6 months post departure from the country.

Trip Size: 12 student participants, 1 student trip director, and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $1,480.00 (USG funding not available)

Trip Director: Sam Wazorko
uconn.co.costarica@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Urban Poverty & Civil Rights
Location: Birmingham, AL

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 09/29 AT NOON!

Trip Dates: January 6th – 14th, 2018

This week-long trip will focus on urban poverty in the city of Birmingham, Alabama. We will be serving the local community in various areas of need while exploring the roots of urban poverty, and how it affects community members of many different backgrounds. This will in turn help students explore their identities and roles as community members here at UConn.

Trip Size: 45 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 student assistant trip director, 3 student team leaders, and 4 staff
Participant Cost: $330.00 (USG funding not available); Team Leader Cost: $165.00 (USG funding not available)

Trip Director: Saadiya Dalal
Assistant Trip Director: Jonathon Hastings
uconn.co.birmingham@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Rural Poverty
Location: Appalachia (Cosby, TN)

Participants of this Alternative Break Trip will spend an immersive week in Tennessee working with Sunset Gap. Potential projects include working in their thrift shop, home repairs, and food distribution.  Participants will also get the opportunity to connect with their team, meet community members and learn about rural poverty in the area during the eight pre-trip meetings.

Trip Size: 45 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 student assistant trip director, 3 team leaders, and 4 staff
Participant Cost: $500.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible); Team Leader Cost: $250.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Imani-Marie Jean Gilles
Assistant Trip Director: Turner Carnes
uconn.co.appalachia@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Human Trafficking & Human Rights
Location: Atlanta, GA

Participants of this Alternative Break Trip will spend a week in Atlanta, Georgia learning about the issues of human trafficking and human rights.  Participants will most likely not be in direct contact with clients as short-term volunteers are not a strong solution for assisting the needs of people affected by human trafficking. Participants will support organizations focused on this issue and will learn how to become stronger advocates. Potential community partners could include working with various nonprofits such as by serving meals, or meeting with local advocates and political officials.

Trip Size: 12 participants, 1 student trip director, and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $220.00  (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Jessica Leach
uconn.co.atlanta@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Rural Poverty & Influence of Industrial Coal Mining on Community & the Environment
Location: Mullens, WV

During this week-long alternative break, participants will be staying at the Mullens Opportunity Center and working with the Friends of Milam Creek to support the specific community of Mullens, West Virginia. Service and education will be focused on understanding how to “alleviate the root causes of poverty in West Virginia’s southern coalfields”, exploring the history of the coal mining industry in the community and its impacts today.  Service may include home repair and community projects.

Trip Size: 18 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 student assistant trip director , and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $220.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Nicole Dutka
uconn.co.westvirginia@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Urban Development, Education, & Civic Engagement
Location: Mystery

We keep this trip location a mystery in order to shift the focus toward the purpose of the trip and not the destination.  During this alternative break, students will be learning about urban development, education, and civic engagement environmental through eight pre-trip educational meetings.  Service will explore the connections of these three topics.  This trip will partner with UConn Stamford.

Trip Size: 45 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 student assistant trip director, 3 team leaders and 4 staff.
Participant Cost: $500.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible for Storrs participants) (Stamford Student Activities may fund 50% if eligible for Stamford participants); Team Leader Cost: $250.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Caroline Calandro
Assistant Trip Director: Xavier Arriaga
uconn.co.mystery@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Environmental Conservation
Location: National Parks – Arches and Canyonlands, Utah

This week long alternative break trip will strive to make participants more aware of environmental conservation and activist efforts within the National Park Service system. In Arches and Canyonlands, we will work alongside park rangers to perform turf management and invasive species removal tasks. These projects focus on preventing further degradation of the grasslands and restoring the area to its original state. This trip will include hiking and some intensive physical activity, as well as an educational component. Participants will learn about how to take an active role in preserving our surroundings on a local, national, and global scale.

Trip Size: 18 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 student assistant trip director, and 1 staff.
Participant Cost: $840.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible for Storrs participants)

Trip Director: Megan Boyer
Assistant Trip Director: Michael Costello
uconn.co.nationalpark@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Gender and Sexual Identity- History, Advocacy, Allyship & Pride
Location: New York, NY & Storrs, CT

During this week long alternative break, participants will work with agencies that address the historical and current struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS communities through active community service and hands-on education. Participants will live and learn together in New York while engaging in meaningful service and critical reflection to deepen their understanding of these diverse and intersectional communities. At the end of the week, participants will volunteer and present at the True Colors Conference to apply their knowledge and passion for creating a more equitable world for all.

Trip Size: 12 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 staff
Participant Cost: $220.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Chris Stumper
uconn.co.nystorrs@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Cultural Preservation & Rural Poverty with the Cherokee Nation
Location: Tahlequah, OK

During this week-long alternative break trip students will be living and working within the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. This is a great opportunity to be immersed in Native American culture and assist the Cherokee community through meaningful service. In the past, we have met with local leaders to discuss current issues facing the Cherokee Nation, restored a community center, built wheelchair ramps for people with disabilities, repaired houses for the elderly and participated in cultural activities. To learn more about the Cherokee Nation, visit this website.

Trip Size: 12 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 staff
Participant Cost: $840.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Frank Longo
uconn.co.oklahoma@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Healthcare Access & Education
Location: Philadelphia, PA

During this week-long alternative break, students will be hosted in a church facility in Philadelphia and will work in the city on a variety of healthcare issues. Participants in past years have worked with all age groups from children to the elderly in order to provide the care or comfort that these individuals need. Groups have prepared and delivered meals to those with healthcare needs, interacted with children in hospitals, and helped educate the uninsured about the Affordable Care Act. Participants will engage in both direct and indirect service opportunities through this trip.

Trip Size: 18 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 student assistant trip director and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $220.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Aziz Sandhu
Assistant Trip Director: Jacob Naparstek
uconn.co.philly@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Homelessness, Urban Poverty & Political Action
Location: Washington D.C.

This week-long trip to Washington D.C., focused on homelessness, urban poverty and political action, will include direct service and emphasize education and advocacy. In past years, we have worked with organizations focusing on issues such as food security, affordable housing, legal services, and education. Possible community partners include Martha’s Table, Kid Power Inc., the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and the Capitol Area Food Bank.  Additionally, participants may have the opportunity to meet with a political leader to better understand advocacy and political action.

Trip Size: 12 participants, 1 student trip director, 1 staff
Participant Cost: $220.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Ajeet Sandhu
uconn.co.dc@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Homelessness
Location: Boston, MA

This weekend long alternative break will be focused on homelessness and the effects this issue has on the community of Boston. In the past, participants have volunteered at agencies such as homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other organizations focused on serving the homeless population. Through direct and indirect service, participants will be able to serve and learn about this population and how to advocate for those affected by homelessness. Participants will be staying at a church in downtown Boston. The group will meet for four times prior to the trip weekend and will meet once or twice after.

Trip Size: 12 students, 1 student trip director, 1 staff
Participant Cost: $80.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Caitlin Bisaillon
uconn.co.boston@gmail.com

Trip Focus: Food Insecurity in Urban Envrionments
Location: New Haven, CT

During this weekend trip, participants will be staying in New Haven, CT and volunteering at local non-profits focusing on food justice and food insecurity.  Participants will become aware of New Haven and other Connecticut area food deserts and work with agencies combating this issue.  Typical service involves working on community gardens or with soup kitchens.  The group will meet for four times prior to the weekend and will meet once or twice after the trip.

Trip Size: 12 students, 1 student trip director, and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $80.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Rohit Sinha
uconn.co.newhaven@gmail.com

Trip Focus: HIV/AIDS Awareness & Advocacy
Location: New York City, NY

During this weekend long alternative break, participants will be staying at a church in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and will be working with agencies that focus on supporting people affected by HIV/AIDS. In the past we have assisted with reducing harm for risky behaviors that can lead to HIV, and created safe sex kits for outreach workers. The group will meet for four times prior to the trip weekend and will meet once or twice after.

Trip Size: 12 students, 1 student trip director, and 1 staff
Participant Cost: $80.00 (USG to fund 50% if eligible)

Trip Director: Eric Beltrami
uconn.co.newyork@gmail.com