Alternative Break makes an impact in the community

Alternative breaks are back in person at UB, and for Puja Shah, it was the best part of winter break.

“I would recommend that every student interested in community service, regardless of their major, participate in an alternative break,” says Shah, a junior accounting major.

After going virtual last year due to COVID-19, the volunteer service program resumed in person in January, as a 12-member team of UB students engaged in service across Buffalo during their last week of winter break.

The theme: refugee resettlement.

From sorting through donations to curating welcome kits for families, the students spent the week immersed in the refugee community, assisting agencies like Journey’s End Refugee Services, Stitch Buffalo and Jewish Family Services, which help refugees from around the world make a new home in Buffalo.

Rufus Nguyen-McDowell, a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, took part to honor his family’s legacy. His father’s family escaped the fall of Saigon, which is why the struggle of refugees hits close to home for him.

“We helped by lending many hands, getting big projects done quickly,” Nguyen-McDowell says. “With Stitch Buffalo, we did lots of support work, sorting sewing tools, stuffing pillowcases and cutting out hundreds of the felt hearts used for Stitch Buffalo’s signature “Buffalove” pin.”

Harley Le, a junior pharmaceutical sciences major, called the experience “inspiring.” Sorting items and preparing welcome kits helped Le understand the dignity of the resettlement process. The time spent at Stitch Buffalo, where female refugees share their feelings and create artistic handmade products, also helped Le realize the importance of mental wellness during the resettlement process.

“As an international student, the Alternative Break program has helped me feel a sense of belonging in the UB and Buffalo community,” says Vrushaali Nagaraj, a freshman computer science major. “I was able to explore various parts of Buffalo and learn about how refugee resettlement organizations help refugee families start anew in Buffalo.

Countering the traditional college spring break, the alternative break program has a strong history at UB.

The program boasts as many as five service trips a year, starting annually in August with “Ready…Set…Buffalo!” designed to help in-coming UB students learn about the local community, says Rachel DiDomizio, assistant director for community and civic engagement.

“It’s really a deep dive into Buffalo and learning about the overarching history of the community and the social justice issues that are most prominent in our community,” DiDomizio says.

A second service trip is scheduled during winter break and three more are held during spring break. Each have different themes that can change over the years along with national trends and student interests. Traditionally, the trips are outside of Buffalo.

UB’s alternative breaks have ranged from hurricane relief in Long Island to wetland restoration in Louisiana, from building homes in Virginia to alleviating poverty in Cleveland.

Last year, UB’s alternative breaks continued through the pandemic but were forced to move online. The program focused more on service training with the help of social justice organizations.

This year, UB’s alternative break returned in person on Jan. 24, but remained close to home during the pandemic. DiDomizio and Hannah Giarrizzo, lead coordinator, spent the fall readying the students for their experience over winter break.

“Students don’t just do the service work,” DiDomizio explains. “After every activity we take time to reflect and we talk about what they took away from the experience, what surprised them, what they learned, things they observed and what themes or skills they might be able to apply in their classrooms and future jobs.

“The reflection part is very intentional,” she says.

Shah enjoyed making connections with UB staff and appreciated the personal growth that the trip provided. But the experience also was just plain fun, Shah says.

“I have so many favorite moments from that week, and all of them revolve around how much fun we had together — from car rides to service sites, where we passed around control over the music, to eating our meals together and just venting about the upcoming semester,” Shah says.

Besides, Shah, Nguyen-McDowell, Le and Nagaraj, participants included Devyani Budhnarain, Alaina Bailey, Collin Gaylord, Shivani Nayak, Qamar Saitovski, Vaishaili Gupta, Sarah Leveque and Bao Ly.

“I am definitely looking forward to continuing my involvement with these organizations and Student Engagement in the future,” Shah says.

The program continues in Buffalo during spring break, March 21-25. One will focus on civic engagement, another on environmental justice and the third on poverty alleviation in Buffalo.

Students interested in applying for the program next year can reach out to Student Engagement.