Robert G. - Freshmen - Chicago, IL
My spring break trip to Dallas was a very fascinating and insightful experience on the lives of the less fortunate. This community service project has helped me realized that I should always appreciate the things I have in my life and the lifestyle I live because there are countless people who are worse off than me. Knowing this, my goal over this break was to be able to provide some type of happiness to the people I’m serving. Over the week, I was able to brighten not only the clients I was serving but the clinic and food bank employees as well. Just their display of gratitude to me and the rest of my friends gave us all a sense of accomplishment and contribution, which made the experience worth our wild. This trip also helped me realize that the employees from the food bank and clinics struggle to serve their clients as well because of low funding and under staffing. This project proved to be a very valuable experience, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to be a part of Alternative Spring Break and serve the less fortunate.
Dakwan S. - Freshmen - Decatur, IL
During the ASB trip I have experienced a lot of things and have had the opportunity to grow a lot as a man. I have been able to get to know the members of my organization a lot better and made memories that I believe will last a lifetime. This trip was very eye opening for me, as it taught me that there is more to volunteering and community service than the ideas that I previously had. I was able to connect with people and learn things that about their situations that I would never have thought of before. I feel like I was able to make a difference in peoples lives and it is a really great feeling. The lack of help that the place we helped had was shocking and it felt great to be able to help. I am very glad that we went on ASB and I feel like I have made memories that will last a lifetime.
Jay R. - Freshmen - St. Louis, MO
"I am a person." The previous words really capsulize this Dallas trip for me in a whole. Going to work for the poor was a task I have done before at my high school. The work I did was more of an outsider looking into situations and trying to find growth. However, here in Dallas things were a little different. Working for the Dallas Resource Center I found our task was to help people who were HIV positive. Also, a lot of the clients were gay, bisexual, and/or straight. I never had a problem with people that preference was such. I felt an emotional connection to the struggles and hardships these people go through. It's true that not everyone has listeners and advocators to their cause. I immediately began to think of my peers. Plenty of the people I know wouldn't even indulge in the acts my group did to help the people we helped today. However, at the end of the day these people are still people. I was once afraid to stand up and be a supporter for causes like this, but I think this trip has helped me break down that mental crutch. When I come back to my own social environment I want to be a supporter for the people that we helped out and help my own circle understand that no matter what we are all people first before anything. Lastly, everyone should be more knowledgeable on the harms of HIV and the LGBTQ community, so that false stereotypes can plunder like many of us hope racial ones can as well.
#MABDallas
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