ETSU students spent spring break serving the community
ETSU students at the Second Harvest Food Bank
East Tennessee State University students completed four disaster relief-focused service experiences last week as a part of the Alternative Spring Break Program.
While working with multiple community service partners, ETSU's Alternative Break Program trains and immerses students in a purposeful service experience designed to connect fellow Buccaneer students and community members while enhancing personal growth, awareness and lifelong learning.
In total, 38 students and four faculty/staff partners attended two regional experiences, one in Washington and one in Nashville.
The two local trips focused on disaster recovery with a jam-packed week of service and education split between the Holston Habitat for Humanity, Second Harvest Food Bank, Johnson County Long-Term Recovery Group, American Red Cross, Carter County Long-Term Recovery Group, Washington County Emergency Management Agency, Washington County Long-Term Recovery and United Way of East Tennessee Highlands.
“We rebuilt homes, listened to hour-by-hour accounts from emergency responders including nonprofits, 911, and medical professionals, and prepared dozens of packs of canned goods,” said student Matthew Gardenhour. “Our group often discussed the unique trust and humility it takes to share your story and needs, especially in a culture that values strength and community.”
Another group traveled to Nashville to serve with the Tennessee Environmental Council and the Nashville Food Project, while the last group volunteered in Washington, D.C., with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Martha’s Table and the Wyaconda Warehouse.
“We hope that through this year's Alternative Breaks, students gained a new understanding of the complex nature of disaster and recovery work and have identified ways in which they as student leaders can engage in the work, give back in our own region and be more prepared for future disasters or emergencies,” said Nathan Farnor, community engagement specialist in the Office of Community Engagement.
These Alternative Break trips took place around the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene in the region, highlighting the fact that recovery efforts are still very much ongoing. ETSU continues to engage in hurricane recovery by partnering with local organizations.
“This Alternative Break was an eye-opening experience for me to see just how much our neighbors were impacted by this disaster, but it was also inspiring to see the resilience of our community and how many people stepped up to help rebuild and recover,” said student Makayla Leake.
Learn more about Alternative Breaks and other Leadership and Civic Engagement initiatives at www.etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/civicengagement/breaks.
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
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