Cal Poly Alternative Breaks Service Program

Reuniting to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.

2012-02-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

Because of Martin Luther King Jr.’s paramount dedication to service, his birthday has been honored as a National Day of Service for the past 16 years, uniting volunteers across America behind the importance of serving one’s community. The group from our New Orleans Alternative Breaks trip was able to reunite to be a part of this Day of Service and volunteered with the San Luis Obispo Food Bank in efforts to collect food from residential neighborhoods throughout SLO County.

We had three students from the trip come out to the Morro Bay site on Saturday, January 14, to take bags to Los Osos neighborhoods. They placed these empty bags on the doorsteps of houses and left instructions that explained how residents can put food into the bags, which will then be collected the following Monday. We asked each volunteer group to take fifty bags to fulfill an hour long of volunteering, but the students went beyond what was expected of them and requested to take 600 bags, a task that would end up lasting them around five hours.

On Monday, we had twelve students who were able to help with the bag pick up. After making numerous trips to and from Los Osos to Morro Bay, we were able to process around 200 full bags of food, which contributed to the overall SLO County total of 14,000 pounds of collected food throughout the weekend. It was so refreshing to have everyone together again not just to reunite, but to reunite over similar types of volunteering that we were able to do in New Orleans. A famed call by the Food Bank is that “hunger doesn’t take a day off,” a saying that the students were able to recognize by dedicating their weekend and day off to service.

Every time everyone from the New Orleans trip gets together, we cannot plan enough events to reunite in the future. We’re hoping this is just the first of many service days we can do together to keep with the trends of the overall volunteering mission of Alternative Breaks.

Coming Full Circle

2011-12-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

Upon arrival to the Second Harvest Food Bank of NO, we were whisked into the volunteer debriefing room to learn the various missions of the Food Bank and what we were hoping to accomplish on our last service day. After a short intro lesson to the disassemble, then reassemble, line we started on our fast-paced goal to pack 20,000 pounds of food. Chaperoned by two of our now adopted family, Mr. Charles and Mr. Vince, it began in a hurry, as our token boys on the trip were unpacking food out of boxes with an amazing zeal. Cruising down the conveyor belt, they were then sorted by individuals by pushing them into separate rows. They were then weighed in boxes, labeled and stacked on crates to be taken away. We became extremely efficient as a team of about thirty people as we worked with a group from Stewart Enterprises. With music playing, we rocked out a rhythm of packaging box after box of canned foods, dried goods, beverages, snacks, desserts, household products and condiments. With a goal in mind, we were committed and motivated, and before we knew it, we had almost hit our goal.

On one of our breaks we were able to take a tour of the warehouse and able to get a more full idea of what the Food Bank provides and is capable of. One of the most exciting of these is their community kitchen they just finished. It is used for cooking classes, which educate the public about healthy, affordable options for meals. After seeing the cooking-show style kitchen, we moved on to see the production kitchen, where they worked to serve 101,525 meals to 35 various sites with their Summer Feeding program, just one example of their programs directed at ending hunger. This was an exceptional process, facility and program for our students to hear about, as it opens up ideas for future avenues of focused work and potential fields of occupation.

After all was said and done, we totaled 21,270 pounds of food packaged, beating the previous record set by the Navy of pounds in a day! Yes, the Navy. Reflecting upon the day, we took most time to discuss the people of New Orleans. At the heart of our motivation for coming down on the service trip, the people of New Orleans have proved to be welcoming, hospital, thankful, and personable. While maintaining all of these qualities, they continue to be positive and uplifting. We have seen, through many various examples, the import of family and community for these citizens. They establish an extremely personal and comfortable relationship even with just a first introduction. We have seen a passion for life and an inundated sense of celebration here. They are proud of their culture and the only place they will ever call home, which was not at all shook by Katrina.

Finishing up the day, Stewart Enterprises invited us to their head quarters to show us Six Feet Under: Impact of Katrina on Stewart Enterprises. It was a video their company had made interviewing survivors of the 80% flooding of New Orleans. With their 600 employees at the time, they worked to make sure everyone was somewhere safe and unharmed. Interviewees recounted their tales of being split up from their families, having to deal with the spilling of crude oil to ruin 27,000 houses, taking out rescue boats, and of losing everything they had worked for their entire lives for some. Most could delineate between two lives of pre- and post- Katrina. Their slogan, “Caring for people, Making a difference” was seen in their actions they took to make sure their employees still had jobs, a place to live and food after the storm, even keeping FEMA trailers in the parking lot. One of the most touching scenes in the movie was the filming of hand-made cards sent from elementary kids from bordering states with such sentiments as: “We care a lot about you!” and “Is your family alright?” A few of those that shared this experience, Laurie, Brian, Kathy and others, made a great impact on us by first working together and then taking the time to show us their stories of weathering Katrina.

This last day of service remained positive and energetic throughout the day as we relished in a closing, uplifting project. We were able to see a large-scale impact of feeding over 17,000 families in New Orleans. It was a wonderful way to wrap up an emotionally varying, hard-working, and event-packed week. Not only was the day an incredibly phenomenal experience for all, we found out the soup kitchen we volunteered with at the beginning of the week is provided their food from Second Harvest. So, we have come full circle in seeing the interconnectedness of a community and how we can reach so many lives with just a few days of commitment.

With these days of service, we are able to see just how much we can accomplish as a few individuals in a community. With this in mind, we hope to share our experiences with family and friends; as well as maintain our service as we return back to SLO, fulfilling the mission of Alternative Breaks.

December 14th: An Enlightening Experience

2011-12-14T19:38:00.000-08:00

Our third day of service was with Green Light New Orleans. This organization offers free CFL light bulbs (the swirly kind), installation and removal of old incandescent bulbs. The students were broken up into 4 groups. This day involved close contact with community members and keyed students into personal experiences with Hurricane Katrina and continuing issues of poverty.

One group had the opportunity to spend half the day building a garden for a community member named Miss Dolores and the other half installing new light bulbs. The gardening experience was incredible. The students built a garden plot out of cinder blocks and planted vegetables, such as collard greens and strawberries. Miss Dolores was described as the sweetest lady ever with the warmth of a grandma. Another benefit to planting the garden was the idea of giving Miss Dolores a gift that would continue giving and helping. Neighbors around Miss Dolores saw her garden were wanting one like it as well – hopefully this will be an enterprise to spread all throughout New Orleans to get fresh produce to the community.

A different pair of students partnered with a Green Light interns to install light bulbs. As they ventured into the community, they noticed a disparity between the lower and higher income families. One student noted how she noticed that the lower income families had few other pieces of technology outside of televisions. Video game consoles, computers, radios and other pieces of technology are common in most Californian households, but here these items were often absent. However, the families being served were incredibly grateful and would even try to donate at least a small amount to Green Light. This is contrasted to the high-income household the students saw. This household had a large home, complete with a TV in front of the toilet. Obviously, this is a very different situation than that of the families with lower incomes. However, the students noted that they did not feel as if the wealthier household was as grateful because they did not make a donation. The students had a good time getting to know the intern and interacting with the different families they helped.

The next group had a much different experience with the people they served today. The first couple of houses they went to had a limited number of light bulbs they could install due to heights and what not. They also witnessed some difficult situations – poor housing conditions, difficult landlords and signs of illiteracy revealed some of the things that community members are dealing with. Even though it was sad to see such things, the students appreciated the insight into the reality many people are living with in New Orleans. Their day was brightened upon meeting Miss Mary, who was really hospitable and nice. After the hurricane, she tried to live in a trailer in front of her house but someone else was blocking her. She has had to live in several different locations, hotels and apartments, but is looking forward into her home in the near future.

The fourth group of students had a really positive experience meeting community members and bonding together. The highlight of the day was Mama Deb. About halfway through the day, the group went to her house to install some light bulbs. She requested for only a couple of students to go into her home. The students that helped Mama Deb installed light bulbs and got to hear stories about Mama Deb’s experience with Hurricane Katrina. She ad stayed through the hurricane and didn’t leave until it had passed a week later. One of her tales recounted how she was watching her friend’s grocery store. Since the food was going to go to waste, a couple of guys were told to cook it all up. People from the neighborhood and military personnel would stop by for community dinners and to share a drink. Mama Deb also spoke about racial issues in her neighborhood. She told one story about the time she was hanging out with a white guy, and in response to some dirty looks from another black woman, Mama Deb began to hug and smooch her friend. The other woman was offended by such interactions between people from two different races and actually reported it to a couple of police officers near by. The officer, also being from different racial backgrounds, told the woman that if she closed her eyes that she wouldn’t see anything – dismissing her prejudice and forwarding an attitude of tolerance and acceptance. Though racial issues are sometimes thought to be completely resolved, Mama Deb reminded the students of its continuing presence and the benefits of those standing up against it. The students also got to talk to other people who were here during the hurricane. One man told of how he almost missed the evacuation cut off and of his return to New Orleans, which was left without electricity for more than 8 months. He told of dark nights with the sound of gunshots in the distance but no way of seeing where it was coming from. Once more, the students got a deeper and more personal understanding of what happened during Hurricane Katrina and the still-continuing consequences. It was a great experience serving people with such good attitudes after facing and while facing such difficult circumstances.

New Orleans 2011: Southern Hospitality

2011-12-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

The past few days have been a blast for everyone, but now we're all settling into the time change as well as the culture differences between Louisiana and California.

Last night at the soup kitchen we got a first hand look at how the population of New Orleans is still being affected by the poverty brought on by the natural disaster. The students working the soup kitchen saw how even through these trying episodes, the openness and kindness from those being served is steadfast. By working together on each individual kitchen assignment, we were able to keep a very efficient pace while still being able to interact with guests and see southern hospitality from a typically unseen perspective.

Today we switched the volunteer activities for each of our two groups. The first painted a house built in the 1940s in Lakeview that was torn up by the hurricane. The owner's name was Noel and she is still working on restoring the original designs piece by piece. After Katrina hit, the water in her home was not drained for two weeks. There was severe soot and mold in every corner of the house. This lead to her decision of complete restoration to its original fashion. All the stories we have been hearing are giving us all new perspectives and teaching us how effective it is to share your story with somebody else.

The other half of our group volunteered with Hike for KaTREEna, the same organization the first group served yesterday. Today there were trees planted in newly renovated hurricane-affected areas. These areas were beautiful and the high spirits of the residents was uplifting. They were interested in where we were from, why we were serving, what we were studying, and truly thankful for all Katrina volunteers. While planting trees we listened to stories ranging from why Ms. Teresa's dog is named Courage as well as how long it took before families were able to move back. One resident even made us collared greens! We also planted trees at a local park and found it very rewarding when a father and son began to play together as we finished our project.

Tonight the second half of the group will serve at the soup kitchen then we'll make stir fry for dinner and hope to keep the good vibrations happening and meet some new friends in the hostel!

New Orleans 2011: Day 1...The Adventure Begins!

2011-12-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

It's been a great start to this incredible trip! Everyone got in last night and explored the city a little. Then today half of the group worked with Hike for Katreena an organization dedicated to replanting the thousands of trees lost in the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. They set out across the city and planted more than 30 trees in residents' yards. Along the way they met some amazing people and heard their personal accounts of Katrina. The other half of the group worked with St. Paul's Homecoming Center a nonprofit that connects volunteers to rebuilding projects. They painted an entire house, putting the finishing touches on a project that has been almost 6 years in progress. After a long day of painting the house looked beautiful. Then we drove through the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, the region most destroyed by the floodwaters. It was eye-opening to see homes still boarded up throughout the partially rebuilt neighborhoods. After a short break, half of the group went for their shift serving dinner at a soup kitchen. Then we had a delicious dinner and decided to explore the nighttime in New Orleans.

A glimpse into Cal Poly's Alternative Breaks Service Program

2011-05-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

I Love New York!

2011-04-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

As a mimic to Robin’s Final Thoughts, I cannot believe that exactly one week ago, I was leaving one of the most amazing cities in the world. New York, described in the simplest terms, was just remarkable. A city of tall buildings, lights, adventures, diversity and the most amazing food I have ever tasted. The characteristic that stands out the most though, is its’ people. No matter what the activity was, I never talked to a New Yorker that wasn’t authentically friendly and willing to help some semi-lost Californians navigate the subway. The Food Bank workers however were the cream of the crop. Every single day they come to work to with a selfless heart and contagious joy. Their spirit inspires me to do better.

I came on the trip expecting to change the lives of others, however; I left the trip changed. For the week, I was removed from my happy little SLO bubble and placed in a city out of my comfort zone. I soon realized that poverty was no longer a distant word and going hungry is an ordinary occurrence for its’ inhabits. Hunger is so easy to cure however one in five New York residents cannot attain their supply of food without the help of the Food Bank for New York City. The Food Bank is such a great organization and it was amazing to help them out for the week. Each day, I helped by doing a variety of tasks but I always left knowing that I helped to make a small positive difference to a big city.

The Alternative Breaks program is a perfect combination of volunteering and tourism. I was not only able to help New York but I had so much fun experiencing all of the sights, lights and sounds. I was able to go to Times-Square, see the Statue of Liberty, take in a Broadway play, shop until my wallet had a hole in it, dance at the Apollo, stroll through Central Park, and so so so much more. It was amazing to experience this alongside other Cal Poly students who quickly became incredible friends.

Spring break for me consisted of 18 hours of travel, 13 Cal Poly students, 7 days and one amazing life changing experience. Not only did I gain 5lbs from all the delicious food and desserts, but I gained lifetime friendships and memories. It is hard to describe my week to other people but I think that these four simple words do it best, “I love New York”. I miss the city and the people so much already but know that they haven’t yet seen the last of me yet.

Megan Holbrook
4th yr. Business Major

Final Thoughts

2011-04-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe that just one week ago, I was packing up to say good-bye to New York City after one of the most fun and eye-opening weeks of my life. I had the best time serving in New York City on the 2011 Alternative Breaks trip and am excited to engage in more service at home in San Luis Obispo.

I think that what amazed me most about this trip was the altruistic spirits of each of the students in our group; their excitement to serve others and desire to make a difference were clearly apparent in their attitudes and actions. Our service ranged from preparing and serving meals at a soup kitchen to delivering meals to the home-bound elderly to packaging food for distribution at the Food Bank for New York City, but whatever our project was for the day, the enthusiasm of our group was contagious. It was amazing to see 12 students with such a great passion to serve.

In English, we use one word to describe all kinds of love. In Greek, however, different kinds of love are described with different words. Agape is the Greek word that is used to describe the giving of ones self for the benefit of others, the manifestation of a commitment to service. When I think about agape, I think about the 2011 Alternative Breaks crew- Sami, Eric, Tiana, Giana, Jessica, Megan, Maddie, Shannon, Jake, Jenna, Cassidy, and Jesse- you are all amazing and have inspired me think outside of myself about the much bigger world. Thanks for the great week, I won’t ever forget it!

Robin

4th Yr. Animal Science

Day 3: Encore Community Services - Meals on Wheels

2011-03-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

It has been a whirlwind adventure for Cal Poly Alternative Breaks here in New York City. Four full days of service combined with sightseeing in between has brought us many fulfilling memories. And the week isn’t over yet!

Seeing as this was the last day of service during the trip, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on our experiences. We have packaged food in the food warehouse in the Bronx, prepared and served meals at the food bank in Harlem, and delivered meals to the elderly all over the city. It is definitely hard to pinpoint what would be the highlight of my trip, I enjoyed every second of it! If I had to narrow it down though, I would have to say that my highlight of this week would consist of both Tuesday and Wednesday – Serving meals at the food bank and delivering meals to the elderly.

Wednesday’s service for the elderly made an impression in my life because of what I have previously learned here at Cal Poly. I am a Nutrition major, and last quarter I took a Nutrition and Aging class that taught us about the elderly population, and how nutrition is important as adults age. With this knowledge I was very excited to be able to hand deliver meals to elderly residents of the city. I realized the importance of our services that day, and of elderly services as a whole. Many of the residents we delivered meals to lived in high rise apartments, and with any kind of disability such as arthritis it makes it difficult to get to a grocery store to buy or cook food on a regular basis. The meals we provide them allow them to maintain their independence and also provides a sense of comfort during the day.

The second day that struck a nerve for me was serving meals at the food bank. This day was unlike any other because of the direct contact we had with people from all sorts of backgrounds. And regardless of this diversity, everyone shared a common purpose: to enjoy each other’s company and enjoy a hot meal. Our purpose was to welcome them and make sure everyone got enough to eat. When we first walked into the food bank at the beginning of the day the staff leader welcomed us with words I will never forget: “You're family now.” I think this set the tone for the rest of the day, because from there was definitely an atmosphere of love and support that families give to each other. I think this is especially important for where we were working because food, love, and support is what makes the days more enjoyable amongst the everyday worries or struggles that go along with what life throws at you.

Another thing the food bank taught me was a lesson about differing view points, and how important it is to hold back any judgments we may make when meeting someone, or passing by someone for the first time. I am currently reading a book called Let the Great World Spin, and there is quote in it that I think sums up what I mean by this. It reads: “All the lives we could live, all the people we will never know, never will be, they are everywhere. That is what life is.” To me, this means that there are people all around us who lead completely different life styles than us, which makes it so necessary to be able to find a way to relate to them. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes from time to time, especially during the moments when you understand them the least is what brings people from all different backgrounds together, very much like what we saw in Harlem at the food bank.

OK, enough with the reflecting, we have a brand new day dedicated to seeing the sights of New York! Let’s bring on the adventures!

Madeline Kelly

3^rd Year Nutrition Major

Day 2: New York City Food Bank - Harlem

2011-03-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing to think how much the group got out of today’s service event and it’s only the second day! We spent the day working at a soup kitchen in Harlem serving breakfast and dinner to the community. The staff was so warm and welcoming from the moment we got there and made us immediately feel like we were family. While working with the staff brought us moments of laughter it was heartbreaking to see the number of individuals who came through the doors. Reality set in as we realized how many individuals relied on the soup kitchen. The crowd of people lined outside the door for breakfast immediately rushed in creating a chaotic line. While this was happening I noticed one young girl within the crowd that stuck out to me the most. She looked to be in her early 20’s. I tried putting myself in her shoes and pondered what it would be like to rely on the soup kitchen for a meal. I don’t know her story and I don’t know her given situation, but I hope serving her that breakfast brought some comfort and relief to her day.

Everyone seemed to be affected by the day as we shared with one another our stories during reflection. We just couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have to worry about our next meal or where we would get it. I personally felt this day opened up my eyes even more. Working in the warehouse was great, but serving the food to each individual made the experience so much more personal. I saw the elderly, young adults, and children walk through those doors hoping to get at least one meal. I can’t imagine what they’ve been through or what they’ve gone through. It was hard to see the truth and reality on the problem with hunger within the community but I’m glad I got to see it firsthand. I hope that our service today or even just the simples smiles we had on our faces helped those individuals in some part of their day. After today I’m much more appreciative of programs like the food bank and the soup kitchens that help those in need of a meal. I wonder what the next couple of days will bring for us as a group, but I sure can’t wait to find out.

Jessica

4^th Yr. Political Science

Day 1 - The Bronx Food Warehouse

2011-03-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Monday, March 21, 2011

Today was the first day of our volunteering adventure! Yesterday was a long day of travel so curling up in our bunk beds at the end of the night was a great feeling. Unfortunately, we had an early departure this morning in order to make it to our shift on time; in California time, it was around 3:30am when the alarms went off. By 7:30am, New York time, we were on our way to the subway in route to the Bronx. Our experience began the minute we stepped foot in the subway when we joined the working New Yorkers in their morning commute to work.

It was amazing to see the children who took the subway with the large mass of commuters. I can't imagine being that young and riding alone. As a college student in a group, I was still slightly nervous. I guess that shows what being immersed in a society does to you. Once we survived the trek through the rain, we met our mentor, Kenny. We watched a video about The Food Bank For New York City. This put faces to the mass of people we are helping by volunteering. The first part of the morning, from 9-11:30am, we worked in teams and labeled cans of dog food. We broke for lunch and returned to label cans of asparagus. Kenny was so impressed with how quickly we finished labeling the cans; he expected us to take another 1-2hrs! He gave us one more small task and we were out early.

After plenty of pictures, we left the food bank and walked through the Bronx to the subway. It was amazing to walk the streets and see the side of town most tourists do not see. Being the minority in the city is certainly a culture shock; we are definitely not in SLO anymore!

We made our way back to the hostel and reflected on our experience as a group. It is always interesting to hear other people's experiences compared to your perception of the day. We got ready and had our first group dinner at a small Indian restaurant where we did family style meal sharing. Delicious!! We finally made our way to TIME SQUARE!! It was surreal: bright lights, hundreds of people, and you can't forget... Elmo. The group split up and explored NYC in our small groups.

So far, this experience has been unbelievable! Friendships have started to bloom, a new city with amazing sites to be seen, but most importantly we are changing lives. Today, we packaged over 5,683 lbs. of food. That is enough to feel 4,371 people in New York- what an indescribable feeling.

One moment from the day that has stuck with me was Kenny telling us it almost brought him to tears that we chose to spend our Spring Break volunteering. When you can see the difference you are making, simply by giving your time, it makes the entire experience worth it. And, it is only day 1.

Enjoy following our adventure!

Shannon Kelly
3rd Yr. Kinesiology

Hello From New York!

2011-03-21T21:28:00.001-07:00

While Sunday was a travel day for most, a few of us brave ones took red-eyes Saturday night and arrived extremely early this morning. Generally sleepless, we still managed to venture out and explore the city, mostly on foot. All of the usual tourist traps from Times Square to Central Park to the New York Public Library and everything in between were covered, and now we are back at the hostel, exhausted but in good spirits, and waiting for the rest of the group to show up.

Tomorrow begins our first day of volunteer work, and I'm so excited to get involved! I've been looking forward to getting back out into the community for a long time, and what better place to do it than the heart of New York City.

Signing off!

Eric Davis
5th Yr. Liberal Arts and Engineering

The McGraw Rotunda at The New York City Public Library

New York, New York!

2011-03-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

Cal Poly’s Alternative Breaks program is heading for the BIG APPLE on Sunday! 13 students and 1 staff member will travel to New York City to work alongside the New York City Food Bank. The trip’s focus is to work with issues of hunger and homelessness in the city!

Before we depart I recently ran across something I think truly embodies Alternative Breaks -

"Kaizen" is the Japanese philosophy that states great change is often the result of many small steps.

The impact of Alternative Breaks, both on agencies and students, is the result of many small steps. The work students collectively contribute to local agencies may be hard to measure, besides in quantifiable means, but never doubt that these students are making an impact on the sites they volunteer at, just as the sites are forever marked in the hearts of the volunteers!

Follow us this week as we share our experiences in The City That Never Sleeps!

Ready for your life to be changed? Start here – Alternative Breaks

New Orleans 2010: A Week in the Big Easy

2010-12-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hello from beautiful (and cold!) New Orleans!

We're here as part of Alternative Breaks 2010. There are ten women on this trip and we are loving it so far. We've seen some incredible things, like a Saints victory (WHO DAT), reindeer, and many different po’boys. The women of the trip are Athena, Alyson, Christina, Hannah, Jenna, Kara, Kelli, Lisa, Michele, and Michelle.

Sunday December 12th

We all arrived at different times throughout the day but once we were all together we checked into our hostel. It's this amazing place where we got lucky enough to have our own room. There's a three legged cat, people from all over the world, coffee all the time, and best of all, gumbo! After looking around a bit we wanted to see downtown so we wandered down to the waterfront and ate at a restaurant called Huck Finns. They served some crazy things there. No one wanted the fried pickles (sad!) but we did end up with some hush puppies (stuffed with crawfish) and fried alligator (Alyson says it tastes like chewy chicken). With our bellies full we decided to head back to the hostel and get some sleep for the construction we were going to do the next day (after we navigated the insane one way streets that is...)

Monday December 13th

We woke up bright and early (4:30am pacific time)to be at our first day’s work. We went to Operation Helping Hands which is part of Catholic Charities. There we met up with some AmeriCorps peeps and split up into two groups. The first group (Michele, Michelle, Jenna, Kelli, Hannah) went off to a house that during Hurricane Katrina had been under six feet of water. There we installed insulation and painted the sideboards of the house flamingo pink. The other group (Christina, Alyson, Kara, Athena, Lisa) painted, caulked, and chiseled to their hearts content. After a hard day’s work we ate dinner with the other volunteers prepared by Miss Cathy. After venturing back to the hotel we cleaned up and caught the trolley to downtown and explored Bourbon St. After walking up and down the street we headed back to the hostel to get some sleep since we still had to work in the morning.

Tuesday December 14th

Again, we woke up bright and early to go and work for Habitat for Humanity. Our site was in the Eighth ward next to a couple houses that hadn’t been occupied since Hurricane Katrina hit. The house we worked at had been under five feet of water. There we watched a whole roof go up, installed straps to support the roof, painted, and hung planks in the kitchen to support the cabinets and installed the windows. After another exhausting day of work we headed out for a tour of the ninth ward. There we saw even more devastation. We drove by the levee that flooded the lower ninth ward, we saw houses that were completely torn apart and never reclaimed, and we stopped by the Musician’s Neighborhood created by Habitat for Humanity. The devastation was heartbreaking to see. It’s difficult to see a once vibrant community that has been so devastated and forgotten. All of us walked away feeling like we had been sobered and had our eyes opened.
After the tour we headed our hostel and cooked a taco bar which was so yummy. After hanging out with our hostel mates some more we headed to world famous Café du Monde and enjoyed some delicious beignets drenched in powder sugar. With that done we headed back for some rest and to get ready for our day at Green Light New Orleans. Talk to you soon!

Wednesday December 15th
Today we volunteered with a really unique organization called Green Light New Orleans. Our new Australian friend Josh (whom we met at the hostel) even came along. Green Light installs energy-efficient CFL bulbs in houses for free all across the city. They have become so popular that there is a two-three year waiting list! They also have an Americorps member there and they work out of a converted house by the trolley station. When we got there Lisa and Josh were trained in how to offer these new smart meters that allow people to read their electricity meters and see how much electricity they are using at that moment and figure out how to monitor it and conserve it. The rest of us gathered up lightbulbs and split into two groups. The first group (Michelle, Michele, Alyson, Lisa) went to two houses before lunch and got to meet two homeowners who were very excited to see volunteers. The second house had 20 foot ceilings! The second group (Christina, Kara, Josh, Kelli, Athena,) went and scored some awesome cornbread and saw a house being remodeled (by the residents Doris, Boris, and Morris). Green Light New Orleans told us that we helped residents save $8,050 in energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint by 78,225 pounds of CO2 After volunteering we all went out to Frenchman Street were we listened to some classic jazz with our crew of Australian friends from the hostel.

Thursday December 16th
Today was an exhausting yet exhilarating day. We volunteered with second Harvest Food Bank where we packed 1,000 boxes full of food to hand out to families for Christmas. We packed the boxes full of canned goods, fruit, potatoes, bread, vegetables, and pasta. It took a full six hours to pack all of the boxes. It was tough but we powered through and finished all 1,000 boxes. We talked with some locals while we were working and had a group from Capital One join for a few hours to help out. We went to an awesome lunch at Nacho Mama’s and had some excellent taco salads and nachos. Continuing with delicious food we went to dinner at a great Creole café called Neyows where we had some fried chicken, mac and cheese, and bread pudding. Full of good food we’re now headed to Frenchman Street again to listen to a great trumpet player. Talk to you again soon!

New Orleans 2009

2010-04-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

New York 2010 Spring Break Slide Show

2010-04-07T17:20:00.001-07:00

New York 2010 Spring Break

2010-04-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Serving at the Food Bank in Harlem was amazing.! We were truly needed and appreciated by the full-time employees who we grew to know and love. The work was diverse and demanding and the people who we served, grateful. The days faded into night as we restlessly navigated our way, via subway, searching for experience within the myriad of cultures that makeup New York City. Together we created new experiences, life long memories, and friendships.

"I thought that my participation completely changed my perspective of poverty in the US, because I was able to see first hand those who are homeless or struggle to get a meal each night. I saw men, women, black, white, young and old all coming into the food bank. The experience has opened my eyes and has allowed me to appreciate what I have."

The pre-trip team building experience at Chumash Challenge really allowed us get to know each other and break the awkward silences that are inevitable when joining a new group. The pre-trip educational workshop helped us understand the disparities we saw between rich and poor in New York City. The evening reflections aided in our digestion of what we were experiencing and also gave us time to share our views with the group. The reorientation was a great feast where we reconnected and brainstormed what we can do locally to address the issues of poverty in America, an issue we have a much better understanding and compassion for today.

New Orleans December 2009

2010-01-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

sunday december 13

For many of us southern bound students, the day started with a 4:30 am alarm. After possibly the most indirect flight schedules possible, all eight participants finally arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana. We piled into the suburban and made our way to our lodgings for the week, the McKendrick-Breaux Bed and Breakfast on Magazine street. Here we were welcomed by our host and owner, Brett.

monday december 14

Orientation for the week began in lovely inner courtyard of the bed and breakfast on the covered porch, despite the rain.

Our first service placement was at the McDonough Charter 42 elementary and middle school in the Treme district of New Orleans, the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States. The eight volunteers from Cal Poly split up to different classrooms in pairs of two. We helped in Kindergarten, second grade, and fifth grade classes.

We were able to help in a variety of ways in the classroom, from actually teaching simple lessons, to working one on one with students on reading and math, to helping with science activities, and just talking and socializing with the students.

In one fifth grade classroom, during reading time, a school administrative person came in to inform the teacher that after lunch the students would be taking a standardized test. This meant that some of us were not needed after lunch in that classroom, and therefore went to a different class. But, this seemingly insignificant detail also showed us, to some exert the disorganization of the system. The students and teacher had no warning or notice that they would be taking a test that day. Many of the students seemed distraught and very opposed to the idea. As we continued to work with the students we gained further insight to the state testing policies, and the controversial LEAP test, a standardized test which must be passed in order to pass the fourth grade, and is required for high school graduation.

This day at the school was a mind opening experience. It was a stark juxtaposition to our own elementary school days and what many of us have recently seen and observed through working and volunteering in elementary schools in California. The treatment of students, the way teachers are respected/disrespected, the ability for our college group to come in to their school relatively unannounced with no questions asked of our legitimacy or purpose was all very surprising to us.

After working at the school we drove to the Lower Ninth Ward, a highly televised neighborhood of the city that is a few feet bellow sea level and was devastated by hurricane Katrina almost four and a half years ago. Part of this area boarders the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal. The levees containing the canal were broken in multiple places in the Lower Ninth Ward. We parked our huge suburban on the edge of the neighborhood and walked down the streets, witnessing the construction taking place on many of the empty lots as part of Brad Pitt's redevelopment housing project, the Make it Right Foundation. But, we also saw many lots where just the concrete stoop or slab remained, and some lots were completely empty, with no trace of the house it used to lodge.

tuesday december 15

Today was another day at the McDonough school. Our thought was that we were going to go back to work with the classes and teachers we had worked with on Monday. For the most part, we were able to. But, due to some classes taking standardized tests, a few of us helped in other classrooms.

When we arrived, before our group broke up and headed to individual rooms, we had the pleasure of experiencing a performance in the auditorium. A nearby high school performance jazz band, choir, and dance team put on a holiday performance for the McDonough students. We were very grateful to get the opportunity to experience this type of New Orleans culture and music.

For dinner we tried to serve food at the Mission, a homeless shelter and soup kitchen close to our bed and breakfast. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately for them), they had enough volunteers for the evening. So, we decided to venture into the streets of the French Quarter. The night was early for the crowd on Bourbon Street, but the group got a chance to see the famous street. Then, on our way to the Mississippi River we stopped at the renown Cafe Du Monde where coffee and beignets revived us and warmed us up from the unusual cool and damp weather.

wednesday december 16

New Orleans East, to the Gentilie neighborhood was our morning destination for the day. The specific area we went to was blocks from Lake Ponchitrain, the lake which flooded during hurricane Katrina and an area of the city which had some of the highest flood water levels. We went to a house that has been vacant since the hurricane. The reconstruction of the house was almost complete, but unfortunately, like many of the homes in New Orleans, it had been worked on by a fraudulent contractor, who did a shoddy job and took the owners money without properly finishing his job. Much of the finish work that had been done in the house, like the trim, moldings, and drywall installation needed to be repaired or replaced. So, this said, our job for the morning was to prepare the house for a new, more competent contractor who was going to come in on Thursday. We cleaned the house of debris, removed all of the damaged wood and tile from the home, and composed an inventory of all the usable materials and tools available on the site.

In the afternoon our group took the St. Charles street car to the Dragon Cafe. The Dragon Cafe is located underneath St. Georges Episcopal Church, and serves diner to low income people, homeless, and anyone in need or want of food on Wednesday and Thursday nights. This was a really great experience which allowed us not only to serve food, but also gave us the opportunity to interact with local community members and hear their stories of the city and community.

thrusday december 17

We had an early start today, driving across the Mississippi to Harvey, Louisiana, with the intention of meeting a Habitat for Humanity group at 7:45 am. Once we got to the work site we waited almost an hour to determine that it was to rainy to do the work that needed to be done at the site - primarily exterior painting ad pouring concrete. Luckily, however, another Habitat site needed us in the Upper Ninth Ward on Piety street back in New Orleans. Here we joined another crew which included a few other Cal Poly students and we worked on various aspects of the house. The jobs we did included exterior caulking, installing soffits, nailing fascia pieces, and sizing and fitting doors.

For eight Californian's we had a memorable lunch. Today, being in a new neighborhood, we got a local restaurant suggestion. We went to this local place a few blocks form the site of our house. You don’t often find restaurants with bullet proof windows and ten different varsities of fried poboys in San Luis Obispo.

Out Habitat leader, Dan, was extremely skilled at giving us all jobs to keep us very busy throughout the day. But, but about 3pm, those of us who were working outside were thoroughly soaked by the rain and ready to call it a day. So, we then went back to the Bed and Breakfast to change and warm up before going back to the Dragon Cafe to mingle and serve food.

friday december 18

For our last work day we went back to the Piety street house in the Upper Ninth Ward. Today the conditions were less miserable - no rain and even some sun came out for our last day. After finishing all of the door sizing and trimming, fascia, caulking, and soffits that we could, we started to paint the exterior house with the final finish color, a deep red. Prior to these two days of construction work, our experience with construction had been limited. In addition to learning new skills, we gained an appreciation for the hard work that construction specialists face daily as well as the amount of time and labor that goes into seemingly simple building components.

After a hard, wet, dirty week of work, we were ready to explore the jazz and culture the city had to offer. This said, due to the busy week, most of us were sound asleep before midnight.

saturday december 19

Today, our first full free day, we were able to really be tourists for the first time in the city. We checked out a local artisan market outside the French Quarter, went to the French Market, wandered around Jackson Square, and also got to see a break dancing/ acrobatic street performance in the quarter.

Also, the day was very exciting as it was dominated with references to the big game. The New Orleans Saints vs. the Dallas Cowboys. Before the game the Saints had a 13-0 record and as we traveled across the city throughout the day, we saw Saints shirts and much talk of the game. So, to try to take part in the local scene, we went to the French Quarter at seven to watch the game. Unfortunately, however, the first half of the game was not particularly captivating and some of us headed back to the Bed and Breakfast after the first half. They ended up with the first lost of the season :(.

But, other than the Saints defeat and a few logistical issues, the trip was a success! We all were able to go beyond our comfort zone and learn about and experience a new part of our diverse country.

2009-03-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

The 2009 New Orleans service trip was unforgettable. 15 Cal Poly students spent their spring break tutoring K-8th grade and painting the water damaged McDonogh Charter School in the Treme Neighborhood, the oldest African American community in the United States.

This area was under 5 feet of water after Hurricane Katrina. The Cal Poly participants interviewed faculty in the school to assess the needs for future volunteers. The largest need in this community is for English tutors. A large percentage of the students are at a very low reading level and their funding depends on leap test scores!

New Orleans is rich and culture and charm. The food is amazing and the architecture unique. Volunteering is a humbling experience that not only serves the community but opens your eyes to the larger picture.

2009-03-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Service Trip 2009

2009-03-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

A noteworthy last day

2008-06-30T23:08:00.001-07:00

Our last day we volunteered at St. Bernard Community Center which was a great place that needed our assistance. The center is located in St. Bernard Parish which was hit harder by Katrina than New Orleans Parish, and the devastation is still apparent. The center has many different services we assisted with including a food distribution program, a clothing distribution site, hot meals on certain evenings, health care and food stamp counseling, and a common area where people can come check out books, go on the Internet, and just relax.
While at the Center we got to assist the staff in checking out the locals that came to pick up food, organize and put away 5-6 boxes of donated clothes in their little store, help some community members shop for clothes to take home, and some general maintenance they needed done around the center.

The staff was all very friendly and appreciative of us and shared their Katrina stories willingly. I feel we got a lot accomplished over the course of the day and we all felt the Center was definitely a worthy cause. The clients were all polite and thankful for the services so it was a pleasure to work there.

That evening Sidney treated us to a Southern delicacy, Craw fish and spicy potatoes. We all loaded into the 15 passenger van and headed to the store to pick up our lil fishy friends (with a few orders of Mexican food for the non-seafood enthusiasts) and then headed to City Park for a picnic with our spread. City Park completely under water after the storm, there is a sculpture garden, botanical gardens, museum, amusement park, and the oldest carousel in the country. It is really beautiful and a great place to have a picnic. The Craw fish is a 40 acre park that is the 5th largest in the U.S. and was were delicious and so spicy and flavorful at the same time...although quite a bit of work to get into. We decided that was half the fun of it.

After dinner we took a walk along Lake Pontchartrain to check out the levees and reflect on the trip. We are all sad to leave this place that has affected us deeply. It has been an amazing trip and I know upon returning home the memories and experiences will only grow more meaningful as we have a chance to process all we were able to accomplish. I want to thank Sidney for being such a gracious host, as well as Frank our driver & tour guide extraordinaire (pictured with us above). Another BIG thank you to Amber Tierney staff leader for being an amazing asset to the team, and the Student Life & Leadership staff that are so supportive of this new program. I also want to express my appreciation to everyone in our group, which turned out to be an amazing collection of people. Each and every student gave their all and was a pleasure to work with. I enjoyed getting to know everyone and all the distinct personalities we had that made the group whole, we worked as a team and I will truly miss them all...Team Cali will be a fond memory for me forever.

Rio Mar is my new idea of Heaven

2008-06-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

Today the group had a free day to go explore and enjoy what the city of New Orleans has to offer. We started off taking the trolley down to the French Quarter which was super fun and convenient...hooray for public transportation! We walked around for a bit until it was time to meet Sidney and her partner Nick at his amazing seafood restaurant Rio Mar, ranked #3 restaurant in New Orleans.

We arrived at 12:30 hungry and excited, the restaurant is closed on Sunday afternoons so we literally had the place to ourselves. It was a true VIP moment when they arrived to unlock the doors and we all stepped inside our own private lunch party. We had no idea what we were in for, Nick asked us to take a seat and we eagerly waited for the meal to begin. What followed can only be described as un-describe able. Nick became the one man show in the kitchen wowing us with culinary delights that just kept coming, it was Southern hospitality at its finest.

There was a parade of food including ceviche, skirt steak, tapas, fried oysters, mussels, gnocchi, yucca fries, and so much more. Each dish was better then the last and the table was humming with enjoyment. For dessert it was mango cheesecake, flan, dulce de leche ice cream ad tres leches coconut cake...YUMMMMY! We all decided it was the best meal of our lives, and we could not figure out when we had died and ended up in Heaven...Thank you Nick & Sidney!!!!

After the meal we reluctantly left Rio Mar and headed back into the muggy streets of the FQ. We strolled around and saw the sights, taking in the beautiful architecture and history NOLA had to offer. The day was pretty much perfect...

Lacombe Crab Festival!

2008-06-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

A true southern festival, the Lacombe Crab Fest was unlike any festival I have been too and soo much fun. We all loaded into the van with Sidney at 9:30 in the morning and started the hour long trek to Lacombe, which included a 25 mile bridge crossing over Lake Pontchartrain. This lake happens to be 1/2 the size of Rhode Island to put things into perspective, the second largest salt-water lake in the U.S. (after the Great Salt Lake in Utah) and the bridge is the longest in the world which was pretty impressive.

We had no idea what this festival would be like, and we were surprised to find carnival games, rides, a carousel, live bands on stage, and more southern specialties and seafood then we could have expected. There was everything seafood including craw fish, crab, shrimp, crab cakes, alligator on a stick, fried pickles, gumbo, jambalaya, etc etc. It was a feast! Sidney covered our entry cost and gave us a few tickets to enjoy the food, it was super nice. We were definitely the only Californians there, and we stuck out a bit...to say the least. It was a real southern cultural experience.
We all strolled about, enjoying the beautiful moss covered oak trees, and ate all the seafood we could handle. Amber and I made friends with a couple of older Cajun gentlemen that we ended up chatting with most of the festival. We sat with them while we enjoyed the live music and good company.

ARNO, Dragon Cafe & Tipitina's Friday Funk

2008-06-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today the group spent the morning/afternoon at Animal Rescue New Orleans. Playing with the puppies, cleaning up cages, and doing other tasks that the organization needed. Everyone with a dog back home especially enjoyed this activity since we are all starting to miss our puppies while we are away.
After that the group headed back to St. George's to cook another meal for the community and enjoy the company of the staff. Once again, a great time was had for all.

That evening we watched act 2 of When the Levees Broke, and then ventured down the street to Tipitina's, a famous NOLA music joint. There was a free 18+ show so the entire group got to go out and enjoy the scene. It was a lot of fun, and we got to experience a real local hang out. Good times had all around!

what a day...

2008-06-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

Today the group volunteered at the Louisiana Children's Museum as well as Dragon Cafe at St. George's Episcopal Church. It was an intense day, but rewarding.

The museum was really cool, it is 3 stories high, and filled with many different activities for the kids from science/educational sections to a toddler section, and even a Mr. Rodger's neighborhood. The group spread and and covered different posts; there was a face painting booth (VERY popular), a finger puppet station, craw fish creating table, a mini grocery store, and so much more.
We all settled in and had no clue what we were in for...about 5 different summer school field trips amounting to about 300 screaming kids running amok. it was intense to say the least! We handled the surges as best we can and enjoyed the eager faces of the many children, and the somewhat stressed out faces of the school chaperones. It was quite an afternoon.
Everyone handled the chaos really well, and had a lot of fun in the mean time. At one point there must have been 25 kids in line for face painting and 30 kids surrounding the craw fish station, so intense. At one point I even got to partake in story time, Rachel G. and I read the Cajun version of Little Red Riding Hood which was quite a task. Trying to figure out the accents and Cajun terms was comical, many of the kids were quite amused. We even got a few volunteers to come up to the stage and help me act out the story which was pretty funny, one young boy took on the role of the croc (AKA the wolf) and he was keeping the audience and Rachel and I laughing the whole way through. It was a whirlwind afternoon!

After the museum we headed to the church to help cook and serve a hot meal to numerous homeless and low-income residents as well as volunteers in the area. The staff and volunteers at Dragon Cafe were AMAZING, we felt so welcome and at home and had a blast. We cooked mac & cheese, tomatoes & okra (a southern staple!), and garlic bread and the dinner also included salad and dessert. They do this meal on Thursdays and Fridays every week and they definitely had their process mastered. There was a high school youth group from South Carolina there as well, and we had a lot of fun getting to know them throughout the evening. They were extremely energetic and helpful and one girl was quite the entertainer and spent her free moments dancing and putting on a show for us. Her energy after a long day of volunteering was admirable.

After dinner was prepped we braced ourselves for the mass of people that wait outside for the doors to open. At 4:30 we let the first wave in, there were about 50-75 people, and they rushed to the serving table. It was pretty crazy. The staff says the feed about 120-150 people a night, and provide seconds to whoever is left at the end. It was pretty cool to interact with all the locals, and we got to sit and eat with them and hear their stories which was a great experience.

Once we were done volunteering for the day, the group was pretty tired so we settled in to watch Act 1 of When the Levees Break by Spike Lee, which put a lot about Katrina and New Orleans into perspective. The movie is pretty intense, and I think impacted everyone pretty deeply. We all felt we knew why we were there, we felt our purpose and that was a good feeling. All in all, the day was great.

Project Green Light...Go team Cali!

2008-06-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

Today we volunteered with Project Greenlight. We replaced old incandescent light bulbs with CFL's in people's homes, because they save energy, carbon output, and money for the homeowner. It was really fun and enjoyable because we got the chance to meet the people of New Orleans. These locals lived in the most intricate and beautiful historical homes. We learned about their lives and about the culture of the city by just simply coming over for fifteen minutes or so to change light bulbs while having a chat and even some homemade iced tea :)
-Lindsay
Our second trip to NOLA.....New agency, new group of volunteers, new volunteer opportunities - same fabulous New Orleans. It's great to return to one of my places on the earth. The need here for relief remains as does the kind spirit and unique culture of NOLA! Happy to launch into another week of service with such a great group of students!
-Amber Tierney

Back in the Big Easy with some of my favorite volunteers! Despite the slow progress that has been made since the storm, the town's spirit is still lively and everyone is full of southern hospitality. Today's Green light mission was a success and we all agree it needs to be implemented in every state.

We have arrived!

2008-06-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

After a long day of travel we arrived in New Orleans, with our host Sidney ready to pick us up from MSY Airport. We went straight to our new home for the week, and it is quite a pad. We are in a cute area near Magazine Street, in a 2 story condo all to ourselves! There is a large downstairs with a family room, kitchen, and a large bedroom with bunk beds. Then, you go upstairs to a loft that sleeps a few more, and the best part...a good size deck outfitted with a table and chairs for hangin out. Sidney had a late dinner of chicken and salad waiting for us, and we ravaged the food like the weary travelers we were. The condo is very cozy and we all settled in immediately with a game of scattegories before bed. The group has quickly bonded and it feels as if we are old friends, possibly the Chumash Challenge team building we did in May paid off. We are all VERY excited to explore and start our work projects, the first being Green Light New Orleans, with a BBQ dinner planned for the evening. Already shaping up to be a great trip!

New Orleans Service Trip #2: A week with Relief Spark

2008-06-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Cal Poly Alternative Breaks Program will be returning to New Orleans June 24th-July 1st for a second service trip. We are taking 10 Cal Poly students, and we will be staying in the beautiful house pictured above with the non-profit group Relief Spark. I have posted our schedule for the trip below, each project title has a link to the organization website if you would like to read more about the type of relief work we will be doing.
I hope to post along the trip, so stay tuned...

Wednesday June 25th:
Project Green Light New Orleans
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Our team will be traveling to homeowners around the area to exchange light bulbs for energy efficient light bulbs. Keep in mind that every homeowner we visit has signed up for this service.
Green Light does not discriminate on any level and this program is an environmental service to the city and a cost-savings to the homeowner.

Evening Activity – Jazz Preservation Hall for live music

Thursday June 26th:
Louisiana Children's Museum
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Today our team will be traveling downtown to the Louisiana Children’s Museum to assist the museum staff with children in various artsy and education activities. Some of our volunteers may have the opportunity to face paint, while others may be working with and guiding children through Mister Rogers Neighborhood, the upstairs art room, the grocery store or working with various summer camps.
Dragon Cafe: St. George’s Episcopal Church
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Dragon Café is a volunteer operated church kitchen that serves the area’s homeless population as well as volunteers from various organizations. Our team will be prepping food and assisting with cooking, as well as serving. We will join other volunteers and church staff at dinner and have a chance to chat with the locals!

Evening Activity: Mid City Rock n Bowl (bowling & live music)

Friday June 27th:
Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Our team will be working with ARNO in Harahan, LA. The opportunities to assist include: walking dogs, cleaning cages (dogs and cats), administrating meds and any special project the shelter has.
Dragon Cafe: St. George’s Episcopal Church
See details above

Saturday June 28th:
Lacombe Crab Festival
FESTIVAL DETAILS
Bayou Lacombe Crab Festival - P.O. Box 1573, Hwy. 190, Lacombe, LA 70445. Family-type festival with an excellent selection of seafood, entertainment, arts & crafts, rides and contests for kids. Held annually, under the shade of several hundred-year-old oak trees. (504) 822-5528. (It’s a good family festival unless you are a crab!)

Sunday June 29th: French Quarter Excursion
The group will have a chance to check out the French Quarter for the day

Monday, June 30th:
St. Bernard Community Center
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Today Our team will be working with The Community Center of St. Bernard in Arabi, LA. The executive director, Iray Bataroff is a dear friend of Relief Spark and there is no doubt we will all be kept very busy! Duties such as organizing distribution, to office work, to special painting projects and the opportunity to mingle with residents from the Lower 9th Ward as well as St. Bernard Parish.

In Jamaica they don't say goodbye, they say "lata mon"

2008-03-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

Ah Sunday, our last day in Jamaica, where to even begin...
This day was absolutely incredible. It was our day to relax and take it all in, and wow was there a lot to experience. We began the day at YS Falls, a beautiful nature preserve with waterfall and natural pools, it was beautiful. You can hike to the top, swing from a rope swing, or just relax in an inner tube. Chris even got to zipline over the falls, which was quite an adventurous opportunity. We spent our morning there, in awe of how beautiful it all was.

After the falls, we headed to the Riverside Dock restaurant for lunch. Unfortunately it started pouring, and our trip down the river was in great danger of being canceled. We had planned on traveling up the Black River a ways to see if we could spot some crocs, but the weather was not very accommodating. At Stephanie's suggestion we decided to wait out the storm, and thank goodness we did! We finally boarded the lil dingy and headed upstream, spotting a few shy crocs along the way.
After the river tour, we headed out to sea with Captain Dennis. Our trip was almost over but we had one last stop, The Pelican Bar, and I have to say it was quite possibly the coolest place I have ever been. It is hard to describe how special this place is, but lets just say it was a magical spot. We were greeted warmly by the 3 man staff, I'm sure they don't get a whole lotta traffic way out in the middle of the ocean!
Picture a bar a mile offshore in the Caribbean ocean, made of palm leaves and crude wood branches. You pull up in your boat and dock by the stairs, then venture inside the small hut for a refreshment. Because the bar is located on a sandbar, if you get hot you can walk right down the stairs into the water with your beverage and enjoy the view.We were fortunate enough to be in this amazing locale for sundown, and the sunset that day was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life. Even the locals agreed there had not been a sunset like that one in a long time. As we realized the trip was quickly coming to an end, just as the sun was quickly disappearing into the ocean, we all got a bit nostalgic. Stephanie had told us at the beginning of our week in Jamaica that our goodbyes were going to be teary eyed, and now we could see that she was right. it has been an incredible journey, and none of us were quite ready for it to end. But, as the sun must set, we had to say goodbye, and to make it less sad we said what the Jamaicans say, "lata, mon" until next time...

A day for the children

2008-03-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

After a much needed free day on Friday, Saturday was a day committed to the local children of Treasure Beach. We decided to do a mock day camp, with activities, crafts, games, face painting, dress up, and refreshments. We had children of all ages, from lil Cassandra who is 3 yrs. to some older kids in their early teens. They trickled in slowly, but by mid day we had a good group and started having some fun.Some of us made Johnny cakes, a traditional Jamaican snack, for the youngins, while others tried to keep up with the kids in games such as kick ball and red light green light. Our German friends, Ursula (pictured dancing with the little ballerinas on the beach) and her son Max, helped us coordinate the day as Ursula was a school teacher back in Germany with many good ideas.

The face painting was a particularly big hit, with the line never getting any shorter, once they had their faces painted they wanted artwork on their arms, too. Neven & Sami (pictured), the artists of the group, spent half the day painting whatever the kids wanted until their arms were sore.

At the end of the day we revealed the best surprise yet, a bounce house!!! Stephanie had told us that for a little bit of money we could rent this wonderful attraction, and the kids just go wild for it. We decided to go for it, and before we had a chance to argue a certain group member decided to cover the entire cost and sponsor this activity. For this, Chris, we thank you and commemorate your generosity! Although it proved to be a great challenge to keep all the kids in control and limit the numbers in the bounce house, it was definitely worth it to see so many ecstatic faces. It was a day none of us will soon forget.

Also not to be forgotten, that night Zahlia turned 22, and we celebrated with cake and music provided by our friendly hotel hosts. We danced the night away with our new friends, both German and Jamaican.

Another day in paradise

2008-03-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Today we had planned on going to another organic farm up in the hills, owned by a Rasta named Marlon who needed some help with weeding and general beautification. We loaded into the van with Stephanie behind the wheel, and went to pick Marlon up. Unfortunately, Marlon was unprepared for us, even though Stephanie had set the date with him a month in advance. She apologized profusely to us and explained that this type of thing is not uncommon in Jamaican culture. The vibe there is so "go with the flow" often things don't pan out as they should, so you must keep an open mind and be flexible. Luckily our group didn't mind returning to the demonstration garden to wrap up the projects we had started the day before, so we headed back there to work the day away.

For lunch we got to go to the locally acclaimed restaurant Jack Sprat for pizza & seafood. It was a nice change of pace from our usual chicken, and it was at the edge of yet another beautiful beach.

Stephanie and her children Anna, Naomi, & Saphir (pictured here on the beach) joined us for a little fun in the sun, and we explored a bit of the coast while our food was being prepared. The food was fantastic, real authentic Jamaican seafood dishes, yummy pizza, and once again we enjoyed a lunch time swim in the warm Caribbean waters. We could see why the locals kept telling us about this place, it was a great reward for all our hard work in the garden.

Just another day out on the farm...

2008-03-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

We spent Wednesday doing various projects around the garden that Stephanie had expressed a desire to get accomplished. We weeded with machetes, watered, planted aloe and other crops, began to dig trenches for a water treatment system they want to set up, and simply enjoyed working outside and feeling like we were accomplishing things around the garden. The weather was nice, not stifling hot like we expected, so group morale was high.

Once the afternoon heat came on, we had our lunch break to avoid the hottest hours of the day. We headed straight to the private beach behind Viking's house to cool off, and proceeded to swim and relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.After our swim we headed to the local lunch spot (there is really only one close enough for us to walk, that's how small this town was) and it was owned by a wonderful lady named Miss Bevvie.
Miss Bevvie prepared lunch for us most of our days in Treasure Beach, and it was usually the same delicious plate every day. For ~$3 we would get a heaping plate of rice & peas (actually beans but they call them peas in Jamaica), a fried plantain (similar to a banana), and some chicken. We had to call her a few hours ahead to put in our order, we were a huge group to cook for single handedly! We came to love Miss. Bevvie, she was a warm woman who would set the tables up for us and give us free juice with our lunch, and the food was always scrumptious.

After lunch it was back to work, then dinner at Viking's house followed by a tropical rain storm that came through town. We walked back to our hotel in the rain, tired from working and quite thankful for our umbrellas...

Wattling the day away...

2008-03-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

After an early breakfast of french toast and exotic local fruits at Stephanie & Viking's house, the group was excited to get to the farm and get working! As we walked to the farm, our cute lil friend Cassandra (shown above) joined us for a stroll. This little girl was with us a good portion of our trip, and her giggles kept the group smiling throughout our stay. Stephanie then walked us around the demonstration garden to tell us about what they have planted and what needs to be accomplished, and to introduce us to our big project.

The garden was definitely in its infancy, and our project for the day was to rebuild a wattle hut that had been destroyed during hurricane Dean. The hut would serve many purposes once complete, including providing shade for volunteers & workers, showcasing educational posters and information on organic permaculture farming for the school groups that will come to the garden, and it may even be used to house volunteers who come to work on the farm in the future.

After Stephanie left we began to work on the Wattle hut, luckily we had a team of Jamaican comrades to show us how wattling is done. Basically the process involves measuring out branches to fit the length of the walls, sawing these branches down to the right size, and weaving them around a middle post (between the 2 outside posts) to secure them in place. It was a blast, and to watch the hut's walls and even windows get put into place was a gratifying experience.

By the end of the day we were wattling like champs, and we were amazed at how much we had accomplished. Although we did not finish the entire hut in 1 day, we finished most of it and by the following afternoon we had completed our big project.

2008-03-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

So after a very, very long journey we made it safely to our new home for the week, Treasure Beach. Jamaica is amazing, we have been greeted warmly from the minute we stepped through customs; our driver Satchwell was waiting outside to escort us the 2 hours out of Montego Bay to the much more low key Great Bay area. We all agreed it was nice to be going somewhere other tourists on our flight were not, we are excited to experience the real people and culture here by avoiding those areas. We all slowly boarded the van after many hours of travel, hot and tired but excited, Satchwell put on some true Jamaican reggae beats and we were on our way. Soon the grogginess of travel lifted and we started to take in our new surroundings. As we drove Satchwell explained various lyrics to songs we could not understand due to the thick accents and patiois dialect, and pointed out landmarks areas such as Black River which was the first town in Jamaica to have electricity, a car, and a telephone. Once at our hotel, The Inn at Great Bay, our hosts welcomed us and showed us to our rooms, which are all comfy and accommodating. Since we had some time to kill before orientation we headed to the beach (basically our backyard) to take a dip. The water was incredible, warm and so relaxing, and a much needed activity after being on 2 buses and 2 planes. We had friends immediately, the locals were eager to show us around and chat with the newbies. We have been here less than 24 hours and already it is shaping up to be an experience of a lifetime, we are all excited to get dirty at the farm tomorrow and start the projects we came here to do. More to come!
-Kelsey

"Easter Monday" - we arrived!
Jamaica is everything that you would imagine and hope for. Our two hour trip to Treasure Beach was a first rate tour de Jamaica: trees strangled by flowering vines, teal blue water, challenging and mesmerizing patiois, and after a fairly smooth travel schedule we arrived here in Treasure Beach at 3:23 pm (JA time). After the trip through the verdant green ravines, hillsides, and valleys - we were greeted by a proper Jamaican celebration; complete with 12 beach laid speakers, cricket games, football, red stripe, swimming, and sun. We swam for the first time today to find the beach warm yet refreshing and full of sand-dollars. Our new friends taught us the tricks to surfing the Jamaican waves.
-Amber

2008-03-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Soon the grogginess of travel lifted and we started to take in our new surroundings. As we drove Satchwell explained various lyrics to songs we could not understand due to the thick accents and patiois dialect, and pointed out landmarks areas such as Black River which was the first town in Jamaica to have electricity, a car, and a telephone. Once at our hotel, The Inn at Great Bay, our hosts welcomed us and showed us to our rooms, which are all comfy and accommodating. Since we had some time to kill before orientation we headed to the beach (basically our backyard) to take a dip. The water was incredible, warm and so relaxing, and a much needed activity after being on 2 buses and 2 planes. We had friends immediately, the locals were eager to show us around and chat with the newbies. We have been here less than 24 hours and already it is shaping up to be an experience of a lifetime, we are all excited to get dirty at the farm tomorrow and start the projects we came here to do. More to come! -Kelsey

"Easter Monday" - we arrived!

Jamaica is everything that you would imagine and hope for. Our two hour trip to Treasure Beach was a first rate tour de Jamaica: trees strangled by flowering vines, teal blue water, challenging and mesmerizing patiois, and after a fairly smooth travel schedule we arrived here in Treasure Beach at 3:23 pm (JA time). After the trip through the verdant green ravines, hillsides, and valleys - we were greeted by a proper Jamaican celebration; complete with 12 beach laid speakers, cricket games, football, red stripe, swimming, and sun. We swam for the first time today to find the beach warm yet refreshing and full of sand-dollars. Our new friends taught us the tricks to surfing the Jamaican waves. -Amber

JAMAICA here we come!

2008-03-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

As Spring Break approaches here at Cal Poly, the Alternative Breaks program is gearing up for our first ever international service trip! We are taking a group of 10, mostly the Student Community Services staff, to Jamaica to test the waters in a small fishing village called Treasure Beach. We are volunteering with the organization VIJON (Volunteer in Jamaica Opportunity Network) and will be assisting them in their organic permaculture garden. They have many hopes for the future of this garden, and we are excited to assist them in reaching these goals.

Stephanie Genus, of VIJON, expressed the many different aspirations they have for the garden:

The eventual goal of the farm is to offer guided tours to community members, school groups and interested visitors. Although the older generation of farmers didn’t use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, now it is the norm and many think the only way to produce food. We want to show successful cultivation the all natural organic way, without any use of chemicals.

The garden is still in its infancy, Cal Poly students will be dedicating their time to bringing this project to fruition. The Cal Poly volunteers will be weeding, planting, and doing whatever else is needed on the farm; this also includes reconstructing a wattle hut that was destroyed during hurricane Dean. The hut will not only offer shade for workers in the day, but have educational posters on the wall explaining various aspects of permaculture and organic farming.

Also, there is no use of permaculture in a broad sense in Jamaica, which would be so invaluable to the island if it took hold. As for serving the community with food, as of now it serves only those who work at the garden. Currently we are piloting a fund raising program in conjunction with TIFA for villa guests to pre-order food baskets for their arrival which will be supplemented from the VIJON garden when need be.

With that said, it makes perfect sense for Cal Poly to take on this project. Our campus has a very strong Agricultural presence, and many of our volunteers are actively involved with the CP Organic Farm and know a lot about permaculture. This project also fits the strong theme of sustainability that has swept over the campus this past year, and is taking the nation by storm.

Stay tuned for updates, VIJON service trip dates are March 24th-March 31st.

1st New Orleans Trip: December 2007

2008-01-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

In December 2007 The Community CENTER sponsored our first ever Alternative Breaks service trip to New Orleans for Katrina Relief work. We took 24 students and completed over 700 hours of community service with the group Helping Hands. You can read about the trip in the posts below. The experience was amazing, and one student documented it in the film posted here. Check it out!

Final Days

2007-12-14T20:30:00.000-08:00

Today we headed to the NOLA Botanical Garden's in City Park, which is the 5th largest park in the

. Not only was it a park/gardens, but there were a few carnival rides, as well as the 2nd oldest Carousel in the

. It was really cool, and all decorated for the holiday which was fun. We weeded, planted, hauled, etc. and had a relaxing last day of work. After wards we got a private tour of the grounds and got to hear about all the plants and animals that inhabit the park.

For Friday night our Fearless Leader of the Cal Poly Community CENTER, Joy Harkins, met us in NOLA for a group dinner out. She agreed to visit and take us out at the end of the trip; and it was great to meet up with her in the end! We all went to Mulate's, a family style place with live Cajun Music every night and local faves such as frog legs and grilled gator, which we all experimented with. What a fun way to end a great trip!

VIP Treatment

2007-12-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Thursday we had the privilege of spending the day at PACE elderly day center. These folks were not your average patients, and were lively, spirited, and very welcoming. I think it may be partly due to the fact that this center was inside a gorgeous church with high vaulted ceilings and beautiful stained glass windows. The women I spoke with during lunch truly felt "blessed" and it was a pleasure to be in their company.

We began the morning spreading out and making holiday decorations and ornaments with all the participants, and chatting away while we transformed their center into a holiday wonderland. It was a blast, we even helped some of the patients write Xmas cards to their kids since some of their motor skills permitted them from doing so themselves. Then we helped the staff prep and serve lunch, and we all sat down together to eat.

After lunch we switched to game time; dominoes, cards, and bingo were all on the agenda, it was a blast! We ended the afternoon with a pass the package game, a type of musical chairs where there is a present with a bunch of layers of wrapping and every time the music stops the person holding the gift gets to unwrap a layer. Pretty comical when some men don't want to pass the package and others grab it eagerly. It was all in good spirit, and definitely got me excited for the holidays!

Thursday evening the sisters set up a special speaker for us, her name was Lisa and she was head of security for the Super Dome. She was in charge when it became the evacuation site for Katrina, and came to tell us all her story. It was crazy to hear her explain how off the media was in their portrayal of the events, and she calmly told her side which included an ultimate struggle involving her dog Missy. Apparently the whole time they tried to evacuate her, they would not take her dog, so she stuck it out until she could make it out with her pooch. A woman close to my heart! She was so sweet, and after her talk invited us all as "her family" to the staff party for the Super Dome. We had no clue what we were getting into, but when we pulled up behind Lisa into Saints parking only, and got straight into the dome through all barricades aside, we knew we were VIP.

Once we arrived at the dome we went straight inside to see where ~7,000 people spent their days during the hurricane. It was cool to put the place to the story, and it really re-enforced how crazy the scene must have been! Then she took us down on the field, where the boys proceeded to 100 yard dash and get jazzed over being on an NFL field. It was pretty cool I must admit. Then we went to the staff gathering, where we were introduced as the “California Volunteers” by the DJ, we mingled, ate, and had a great time getting to know locals.

After the dome, we headed to "Le Bon Temps Roule," where a local famous band, The Soul Rebels, performed every Thursday for free. Apparently they are pretty pricey anywhere else, but that's the amazingness of the NO music scene, it's like no other. It was a small place, with locals crammed together to enjoy this upbeat group rocking out in their home town. We watched the band, enjoyed the brass tunes, and headed home to make our curfew!

Doing our part :)

2007-12-12T20:00:00.000-08:00

Wednesday it was another day of painting/construction, working on Gale’s house and gutting the other house. We got decked out in our gear and ready to get dirty. Another great day of progress…

For dinner, we were signed up to prepare Jumbalaya for ~100 musicians and other low income folks. We cleaned up and drove straight to St. Ann's Church to cook whew, and I'll admit we make a mean Jumbalaya (with the help of Zataran’s mix). The chef we worked with, Ida, was great and welcomed us with open arms...lots of daaahhhlins and baaabys came from her jolly mouth as we prepped dinner with her guidance.

We served the dinner to the locals, while musicians played live for us in the background; it was quite relaxing and enjoyable. We had a chance to mingle and get to know some of the residents in need; it was definitely eye opening for our group.

Another wonderful couple days in NOLA…

Getting to know you...

2007-12-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

Well it has been quite an adventure since we last posted! After we helped out at the animal shelter all day Monday (ran the pups, helped the staff), we came back and went straight to Freedom Elementary School where we were greeted by 20-30 energetic and adorable children.

They taught us their songs and chants, shared their stories.
We read to them aloud, and helped make holiday decorations for their school. So much fun!
Some of them were Katrina survivors and we talked a bit about that. The energy was admirable.

Tuesday we rose bright and early and headed for the Helping Hands construction site at 8am. We were set to do demolition work and gut out a house that had extreme mold and water damage. The house was pretty nice, brick and 2 stories, but sadly it was owned by a man that was left bound to a wheelchair after Katrina.

We were determined to help out, especially after finding out he was in a home that had depleted all of his funds. We were also told he had been ripped off by the workers he originally hired for $1000/wk, which is apparently common post-Katrina.

We picked up our tools and started demolishing inside the house, it was an eerie experience to say the least, and quite exhausting. Midday the home owner's brother came by to thank us, and we got to talk with him a bit and reinforce why we were there.

Gale, the owner of the house we were painting, also came by to express her gratitude, it was amazing! Here is a picture of the group with Gale, she was an incredible lady.
We got dusty, dirty, sweaty, and loved every minute!

Later that night we were able to get out and explore the area.
We went straight to the famous Cafe du Monde
where we ordered coffee and their renowned
Beignets (amazing powdered sugar doughnut snacks).

DEEE licious...no wonder they are famous.

After that we walked along the river bank,
enjoyed the scenery, and had time to reflect about the days happenings.

Whew we made it!

2007-12-09T20:30:00.000-08:00

So we finally arrived in N.O. and what a trek it was. Our group of 25 boarded the shuttle on campus at midnight and headed to LAX, flight at 6 am, connector flight at 12pm, lots of airport snoozing in between, then on to enterprise for our vans. Needless to say we were happy to arrive in Louisiana and excited for the trip to begin!

Once we arrived, we went on a "misery tour" and got shown the lower 9th ward, some abandoned projects, and of course the French Quarter...oh ya and Brangelinas little project site (Make it Right Foundation) which was pretty interesting. It's crazy how deserted some areas are; it's like a ghost town and a 3rd world country combined in some areas, but beautiful and lots of spirit, too.

Then it was on to our house to recuperate from a long day of traveling. We are staying in the coolest old house next to a beautiful church, with three really sweet "sisters" that welcomed us with hugs and a home cooked meal. It is called the Duchesne House, and belongs to the Religious of the Sacred Heart Church. Sister Mary Pat, who had worked at Cal Poly and moved to NOLA after Katrina, was our host and she is excited to have a Cal Poly group come to do service work. The house is awesome, much more than I expected, over 100 years old and really welcoming.

As much as we were all anxious to go out and experience NOLA our first night, we all resemble zombie like creatures and decided we should probably take it easy after our hectic day of traveling. So we decided to sleep early tonight, work all day tomorrow at the animal shelter, and then maybe go out exploring. Looks like it is going to be a great trip!

About Us

2007-12-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

In the Summer of 2008 a Cal Poly communications student, Kara Callaway (pictured above), attended a Break Away conference and took a trip to New Orleans for relief work. The experience was life changing, and she approached the Cal Poly Community CENTER about starting an Alternative Breaks program on campus for her senior project.

Student Life & Leadership approved the program, and it was adopted into the SCS (Student Community Services) portfolio as one of many programs that encourages students at Poly to engage in community service. As an AmeriCorps member stationed at The Cal Poly Community CENTER, I (Kelsey Currier-pictured below left) have taken this project and ran with it, and it has been incredibly rewarding. Amber Tierney (pictured below right) has been my staff back-up, and to her I want to say a big THANK YOU!

We hope to institutionalize this program, with service trips during each academic break, open to all students on campus of every college, year and major.

Please check out our website for more information.