RW
Raychel Whyte
  • health sciences
  • Wichita Falls

Raychel Whyte of Bristow spent Thanksgiving Break serving others

2013 Dec 4

Raychel Whyte of Bristow spent Thanksgiving break serving others as part of JMU's Alternative Thanksgiving Break.

The Alternative Thanksgiving breaks planned by student leaders were in Florida and Washington, D.C. during JMU's Nov. 22-30 break. Instead of returning home to their families and celebrating over turkey and mashed potatoes, the students worked with the homeless and spent time with patients living with HIV/AIDS.

Whyte, a Health Sciences major, participated in the Food & Friends trip. Food & Friends is an agency located in Washington, D.C., which originally started in a church basement providing meals ¬– confidentially ¬– to members of the community with HIV/Aids. The agency further grew to serve those suffering from cancer, other life threatening illnesses or those with disabilities. This Thanksgiving JMU students helped Food & Friends deliver 3,500 complete holiday dinners to sick adults and children around the region.

JMU'S award-winning Alternative Break Program provides learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom where they focus on social issues by interacting with a local nonprofit, living simply and reflecting on the critical issues faced by the people they serve. Trips occur at Thanksgiving, in January, over spring break, in May and on various weekends throughout the year.

For information about JMU's Alternative Break Program, including an interactive map showcasing past service trips and Community Service-Learning, check http://www.jmu.edu/service/.