Chaplain's Office Spring Break 2010 Service Trip
Michael A. Hunt, Religious Life Intern and Residence Life Coordinator, and nine Grinnell students, Samuel Bowhay ’11, Ryan Creps ’12, Katherine Ingersoll ’13, Ashley Jeannin ’12, Alison Liu ‘13, Wadzanai Motsi ’12, Biva Rajbhandari ’12, Julia Tse ’13, Luis Vallejo ‘13, traveled to Atlanta, Georgia during their first week of spring break to examine the issue of homelessness and its prevalence in metropolitan areas and its overall effects within the country. They went with a willingness to build relationships with locals while improving communities and lives in Atlanta.
While in Atlanta they had the opportunity to meet and network with Grinnell alumni that have moved to the Atlanta area. There was a reception on Thursday night for the students and alumni at the President Jimmy Carter Center. Although the group was small, the opportunity for conversation between alumni and students was great and all were able to make connections with fellow Grinnellians. Over hors d'oeuvres, the students shared about their experiences in Atlanta, the impact the experience has had on their lives as they return to Grinnell, and the volunteering that they had been participating in. Students volunteered for local service groups. This including cleaning up neighborhoods, painting houses, removing debris from streets and buildings, going into downtown Atlanta to provide meals for and have conversations with those experiencing homelessness, and discussions with various individuals who do homeless advocacy work. They also spent time with people who have made it their life's work to advocate for the homeless.
