2011-2012 Breaking in Baltimore Alternative Break Program

APPLY NOW for Breaking in Baltimore: Food Justice and Poverty and East Baltimore Communities. Click here for application

The Center for Social Concern is sponsoring their 3rd annual Alternative Break Program, Breaking in Baltimore. The goal of the program is to expose Hopkins students to pressing social issues impacting Baltimore residents through a combination of volunteer opportunities, panel discussions, site visits, documentary viewings and group discussions. Far below is a detailed description of each trip. Social activities are also offered on some evenings.

The trips for this year are focused on HIV,AIDS, and STDs (January 21-27 2012) , food justice and poverty (March 19-23 2012), and East Baltimore Communities (March 19-23 2012).

The trips are Baltimore-based, but some trips feature one day in Washington, DC. During the week, students are with a group of 10-12 other students, including two student coordinators,for the duration of the week and live together at a church or youth hostel. Transportation is provided, and most meals are covered by the program. Pre-trip activities are also arranged in order for participants to get to know each other prior to the week.

Students must complete an application and be interviewed to join the program. The program fee is $45, which is due upon acceptance into the program. Students should plan to carry a small amount of money with them during the week for incidentals not covered by the program.

Please see details below for each trip

Program Descriptions

Breaking in Baltimore: HIV, AIDS, and STDs in Baltimore (January 21-27).

Students will be exposed to a wide variety of organizations, people and services in Baltimore City in response to the issues surrounding HIV, AIDS and STDs. As 2011 marks the 30th year of HIV and AIDS, it is a time to reflect on the state of the epidemic while looking ahead to the work that still needs to be done.

Goals :

Learning how historically and into the present HIV, AIDS and STDs impact residents of the Baltimore metropolitan area
Being exposed to multiple community based organizations and learning about their work while completing volunteer opportunities
Explore health inequalities
Learning more about health policy

For more information contact, Abby Neyenhouse at 410.516.4238 or aneyenh1@jhu.edu

Breaking in Baltimore: Food Justice and Poverty in Charm City (March 19-23)

This is the third year CSC is running the food justice trip. Food justice refers to the right everyone has to easy access to healthy food. Last year, participants volunteered at a meal programs in Baltimore and Washington, DC, an urban garden,and a teaching farm. Speakers included representatives from DC Central Kitchen, Feeding America, the Maryland Food Bank, the Parks and People Foundation, the Baltimore City Health Department's virtual supermarket program, and Gerry's Goods in Sandtown. This trip is coordinated in partnership with The Campus Kitchen at Johns Hopkins, a campus chapter of the national Campus Kitchens Project.

Goals: asb in dc

To learn about obstacles and solutions to food access issues in Baltimore
To explore the national food distribution system from national to neighborhood levels
To learn about policy issues impacting food justice and poverty
To explore the link between food and environment.

For more information, contact jhuasbcsc@gmail.com

Breaking in Baltimore: East Baltimore Communities (March 19-23)

This is a brand new trip for 2012. Students will stay in East Baltimore for the week, and learn about the history and current changes happening. Specific topics include community history and neighborhood transition, education, health, and the environment.

Goals:

To learn about a the history of East Baltimore
To explore socio-economic challenges the community faces and what individuals and agencies are doing to address them
To learn about the EBDI development project and its impact on the community

For more information, contact jhuasbcsc@gmail.com