By The Keystone Newspaper KU students provide disaster relief to various organizations
By Katelynn Humbles
For many students, spring break is a chance to relax, travel, or catch up on rest. However, for a dedicated group of KU students, it was an opportunity to create meaningful change. This year’s Alternative Spring Break took them to Asheville, North Carolina, a community still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. For a week, they worked alongside various nonprofit organizations, assisting with food distribution, disaster relief, warehouse organization, and community restoration efforts, leaving a lasting impact on those in need.
Photo Credit: Lauren Szuter
Organized through the Community Outreach Center (COC) and the Medici Project, Alternative Spring Break provides students with a hands-on, service-learning experience that allows them to give back while developing a deeper understanding of social issues such as poverty, housing insecurity, and disaster response.
The group, accompanied by graduate assistants Alexandra Sierer and Lauren Szuter, departed for Asheville on Sunday, March 16. Over the next several days, they dedicated their time and energy to various local nonprofit organizations, working directly with Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), America Cares, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM), and Covenant Community Church.
Photo Credit: Katelynn Humbles
The first full day of volunteering took students to the Black Mountain Manufactured Home Community, where they worked alongside CORE to assist with debris cleanup, painting, sanding, and supply distribution. The organization focuses on helping communities recover from disasters and providing aid to those facing housing insecurity.
On Tuesday, March 18, students started their day at Covenant Community Church, where they helped dismantle a clothing drive for the Prom Dress Exchange, an initiative spearheaded by Marsha van Rijssen that provides free formalwear to students in need.
Later that day, they shifted their focus to food security efforts, working with America Cares to sort, pack, and load food donations for families experiencing hardship. Many students found this experience particularly meaningful, as they could see their contributions directly impacting the community.
Avery Edelman, a junior art education major, shared how fulfilling it was to witness her efforts come full circle.
“Loading ‘The Blessing Bus’ at America Cares was already meaningful, but then getting to see the very next day how the food we packed was being distributed to people in need made it even more powerful,” Edelman said. “This entire trip was eye-opening, and it really put into perspective how much privilege and opportunity I have in my everyday life.”
Photo Credit: Katelynn Humbles
Midweek, the students split into two groups. One group returned to Covenant Community Church to paint storage containers and clean out campers for The Village at Covenant, a program dedicated to providing safety and structured support for individuals working to rebuild their lives.
The second group spent the day at ABCCM’s Servant Leadership Center, helping to organize their warehouse and sort donations. ABCCM plays a crucial role in the community, offering housing, healthcare, and food assistance to low-income families, veterans, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
“Seeing so many non-profit organizations and volunteers come together to help people in need was really beautiful, and it was amazing to be a part of it,” Evelyn Reynolds, a freshman art education major, reflected on the experience of working with ABCCM. “My favorite part was packing food into trucks and knowing it was going to people who needed it. The next day, we got to see one of the trucks we helped pack delivering food to people, which was really cool.”
Photo Credit: Katelynn Humbles
On their final full day of volunteering, all students worked at ABCCM in the morning before heading to Grassroots Aid Partnership (GAP), where they assisted in unloading, organizing, and packing supplies for disaster relief. GAP specializes in rapid response to natural disasters, providing food and essential supplies to displaced communities. Seeing how quickly they mobilized aid during times of crisis left a lasting impression on many students, reinforcing the importance of proactive disaster relief efforts.
After a week of hard work, the group made a stop at Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke, Virginia, on their way home. It was a chance to relax, reflect, and celebrate the meaningful work they had accomplished throughout the trip.
Alternative Spring Break is just one of the many service-learning opportunities available to KU students. For those interested in volunteering, advocacy, or making a difference in communities in need, consider dedicating next spring break to Alternative Spring Break.