Rachel Bergstresser of Charlottesville participates in Alternative Spring Break trip

2016 Mar 15

Charlottesville, VA resident Rachel Bergstresser spent spring break serving others through James Madison University's Alternative Spring Break Program. Bergstresser, a Undeclared major, scheduled to graduate in 2018, traveled to Kansas City, MO to volunteer with Sheffield Place.

The student-led ASB trips took place from March 5-12. Each trip focused on a social issue, such as homelessness, resettlement, environmentalism or community wellness, in a specific region. Almost 250 students embarked on 25 spring break trips around the country and world. The students spent the week living simply, focused on service in their destination community but also on teamwork and reflection within their group.

This is a break that focuses on providing assistance to women who have gone through many trials in life. The main mission of Sheffield Place is, "To empower homeless mothers and their children to heal from their trauma and help them become self-sufficient." Students learned more about what Sheffield Place has done for these women and how we can become active citizens for this cause as well. So far Sheffield Place has assisted 750 families in making the difficult journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency! On this break students did many different things, such as helping Sheffield with anything they need repaired, cleaned, or built. A lot of their time was spent with the residents at Sheffield Place, particularly with the children. They strived to foster their love of learning. The goal on this break was to learn more about this cause, serve alongside Sheffield Place in any way they could, and to have a good time!

For information about JMU's award winning Alternative Break Program, visit www.jmu.edu/abp.