Students sign up to serve on spring break

The Alternative Break Program, run by the Civic Leadership Development program in the Kelley School of Business, sends IU students on volunteer trips across the country and around the world.

Senior and marketing and management major Meghan Janotka is the president of ABP and went to New Orleans during winter break.

“We worked with The Phoenix of New Orleans to do cleanup for houses that were affected by Katrina,” she said. “We did a lot of painting, dry wall replacement and other cosmetic repairs.”

Janotka is going on another ABP trip for her spring break. She will be spending a week in Florida City, Fla., volunteering for an everglades hospital.

“We’ll be doing a lot of beach cleanup,” she said.

Students travel to domestic and international locations to volunteer over winter break, spring break or various weekends throughout the school year. Each trip consists of six to eight students.

Senior and finance major Kara Morton is the vice president of ABP and said it has been amazing to watch the program’s popularity spread, showing that students have a significant interest in conquering social issues facing the world.

ABP allows students to discover the social issues that exist in the world today and devote a week or a weekend to help fight them, according to ABP’s website.

“The immersion in a different culture enables you to see a social issue and can make you an active citizen,” Program Director Molly Barwick said.

Janotka said ABP allowed her to volunteer even with a busy schedule.

“I don’t have a lot of time during the week to consistently volunteer,” she said. “That’s why ABP is such a great way for students who don’t have time but want to get involved in community service to be able to do that.”