The S.O.U.L.S. Alternative Break Programs offer students the opportunity to engage in meaningful service during winter and spring break.

Local Alternative Spring Break

Suffolk also sponsors a Local Alternative Spring Break, for those who are unable to participate in a week long travelling program or wish to stay closer to Boston. This year, students will be working in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem. Students will spend a weekend working with children and staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem. Today’s youth face life-threatening challenges on a daily basis. Students face issues like substance abuse, AIDS, poverty, gangs and neglect.  This weekend will be a fun and unique experience for Suffolk students.

Alternative Spring Break

The Alternative Spring Break trip kicked off its first year in 1998 with 12 students and the program has continued to grow with nearly 40 students, faculty and staff participating this Spring Break!  Applications to participate are due in November to be eligible for the March trip.  Look for fliers in the halls and dates on our website.  If you have experience with this sort of trip, student leaders are recruited in April through the S.O.U.L.S. Community Service and Service Learning Center in D209.  Applications are no longer being accepted for the Spring 2009 trip.

This years participants headed to work with Habitat for Humanities in El Paso, TX and Community Collaborations in Waveland, MS to volunteer in communities that were affected by poverty and natural disaster. The Suffolk volunteers participated in diverse reconstruction and volunteer support activities including; debris removal, tree removal, construction, sheetrock hanging, painting, building repairs, floor installation, window installation, organizing donated items, and preparing meals.

Alternative Winter Break

2009 Alternative Winter Break Application
Our Alternative Winter Break offers a unique experience to travel to El Salvador and work on projects that are important to the residents of the villages who will host the group.  This past winter break, 13 students, and 5 faculty and staff members participated in the trip and had an amazing experience learning about the Salvadoran culture first hand.  Through their hard work and fundraising, they were able to build a wall for an outdoor stage where festivals in the village are held.  Look for applications for this trip in September, and if you have experience with traveling abroad to complete service and would like to be a student leader, fill out the AWB Group Leader Application.  In conjunction with this program, twice a year we collect supplies for the communities in El Salvador.  Donations can be dropped off in S.O.U.L.S. in April and October.  Visit this website to learn more www.suffolk.edu/offices/supplydrive.html.

For more information on any of these programs, contact us at 617-305-6306 or souls@suffolk.edu.