Students to Build Homes During Alternative Spring Break

March 1, 2013                           

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.— Illinois Wesleyan students will volunteer during spring break to build homes in Laredo, Texas as part of Habitat for Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge program.

The 37 students and three staff members will be participating in IWU’s Student Volunteer and Resource Center’s annual program, Alternative Spring Break (ASB), in collaboration with IWU’s Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The program is meant to provide students with an opportunity for a non-traditional spring break.

ASB, now in its seventh year, is being led by University Chaplain Elyse Nelson Winger. As part of the Challenge, groups of five or more participants, 16 years of age and older, can visit one of Habitat’s 200 local affiliates throughout the United States and spend one week working with the local affiliate, community and partner families to help eliminate poverty housing in the area.

ASB student leader Manish Mandava talked about what he expects to gain from this experience:  “I think I will learn about the different aspects of affordable housing…I am excited to learn more about my fellow ASB participants as well. I think we’ll share an awesome experience, from which we are all bound to grow as individuals and as a team.”

Contact: Mallika Kavadi’15 (309) 556-3181, univcomm@iwu.edu