Center for Community Service & JusticeLoyola University Maryland

4501 North Charles Street • HU 142Baltimore, MD 21210

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This is the first direct encounter that I have had with social justice issues and it is certainly difficult to put into words just how much I gained from this rewarding experience. I was forced to break from my routine and throw myself into a new and somewhat uncomfortable situation. I think we often overlook the importance of gaining direct exposure to the problems in our world. It’s one thing to learn about issues like racism and poverty in the classroom, but it’s another thing to actually open yourself up and to have these first-hand experiences that allow you to learn new things and challenge your interpretation of the world you live in.

Throughout the week, all of the SBO participants certainly had different and unique experiences. Students were encouraged to live in simplicity – away from technological distractions – and were guided by various types of formal reflection as means to fully appreciate their experiences as the trip progressed. Before the trip, groups met together several times to discuss social justice issues affecting their particular sites. In addition to learning more about the history and culture of the different locations beforehand, groups also advocate for specific issues from their sites after the trip. During my trip, I was fortunate enough to make personal connections with people from the community and to build lasting relationships with my group members. I realized that, more often than not, the situations that make you feel uncomfortable and nervous usually end up being the most rewarding. For example, I stepped out of my comfort zone as I ventured into people’s homes in New Orleans and heard their sad tales about how they were affected by Hurricane Katrina. My thinking changed as I noticed a clear distinction between helping and serving others. I felt a genuine desire to be there with these people, to get to know the community, and to familiarize myself with my site’s rich culture. This journey helped me accept the fact that we cannot go to these places and expect to make a significant and visible change in just one week. However, this gratifying experience did allow me to “lose myself in the service of others” and to recognize that, during these types of endeavors, we often gain more than we give. MEGHAN KEARNEY ‘14

Spring Break Outreach

Post-Trip NewsletterWelcome Home!

• Appalachia • New Orleans• Arlington • New York City• Baltimore • Washington DC• Immokalee • West Virginia-

What’s inside?

2013

For more information, contact Christina Harrison or Alyssa Salaga

Appalachia480 miles

Loyola University Maryland was not alone on this trip to Appalachia as the wonderful students of Loyola University Chicago, Walsh University, and St. Anselm also accompanied us at Glenmary Farm in Vanceburg, Kentucky. This weeklong immersion trip, led by three AmeriCorps volunteers, tackled the theme of rural poverty. The people of Kentucky are extraordinarily friendly; at a prayer service we attended, one woman in particular greeted all 43 of us individually.

Vanceburg is an area of extreme poverty; nearly 40% of the population is below the poverty line. The town’s main street is filled mostly with empty windows and former business signs. Although the town may be poor in wealth, its people are rich in culture and enthusiasm. The people of Vanceburg wish to remain where some have lived for over 50 years, but unfortunately businesses are unable to succeed here.

My most memorable experience was serving at the pantry run by Glenmary. It was once a high school, but due to the lack of students and funding it was shut down only a few years ago. Glenmary now uses it as a pantry that feeds 300-400 families each month. Upon entry to the pantry, I noticed an overwhelming amount of food, donated mostly by Wal-Marts and the like. A group of us headed upstairs to see the remains of the school: dusty old books, dented lockers, paint chipping off the walls and ceiling, and even skeletons of birds that have taken refuge there.

It seems the only way to get ahead of yourself in Vanceburg is by getting an education, but if schools like this keep getting shut down then the people of Vanceburg will start to lose hope. Rural poverty is a topic that is overlooked, even unheard of for some, but if everyone had the opportunity to see places like Vanceburg, they would understand the gravity of this issue. DAN BELLACERO ‘15

Did you know...22.4% of the

population of Lewis County has less than a ninth grade education.

Trip info Theme: Rural poverty Host Site: Glenmary Farm Leader: Kathryn Curley Staff Participant: Paul Cohen

participants:Nicole AdolphoBrian AnderleAllie Barbey

Dan BellaceroRachel ChristianKathryn CurleyAriel Genovese

Sam MaverMeghan McCullagh

Mona PobleteJulianna Tournas

Arlington53 miles

Upon going to the L’Arche community in Virginia for spring break, I knew I would have a truly unique experience, but I was not prepared for the impact it would have on me. I thought that since I’ve had previous experience with people who have developmental disabilities, I understood what would happen throughout the week and how I would be affected by the people around me. That notion quickly subsided the first night of our trip during L’Arche’s Solidarity Night. Solidarity Night is one of the biggest fundraisers for L’Arche in which the community puts on a talent show. The night went well until one of the members came up and sang a song that she had dedicated to her brother. She did not know most of the words to the song, but her emotions came through effortlessly. These emotions were so deep and raw that I became very emotional. I understood that just because she could not articulate her feelings in words did not mean she did not feel them or could not express them.

It’s shallow to think that someone cannot express real emotions because they cannot articulate them, but it is something I had never thought about. I learned from experience how people with disabilities may not be able to say or do things in the manner we consider to be acceptable or comprehensible, but they are capable; they feel deeply and express passionately, love openly and accept freely, work diligently and play whole-heartedly. The wonderful community of members and assistants I met at L’Arche are inspirational figures who live their lives through cura personalis, helping each other to grow and reach their full potential. I am forever grateful to have been given the opportunity to live within the L’Arche community and see true Jesuit values at work. ELENA DIPIPI ‘16

Did you know...L’Arche Greater

Washington DC has provided safe housing and opportunities for

people with intellectual disabilities to become integrated with their neighborhoods since

1983.

trip info Theme: Building community Host Site: L’Arche Leader: Casey Murphy Staff Participant: Linda Reynolds

participants:Annie Bolan

Courtney BurnettMeghan Castelleno

Elena DiPipi Whitney Foard

Caitlin HinesCasey Murphy

Kaitlin O’RourkeJenna Socci

Johanna Sullivan

Baltimore5 miles

Through the metal detector. A pat-down. Past yards of barbed wire, and two sky-high fences. Cameras watching us, waiting to let us through loud metal gates that opened and closed at the will of a distant operator. And into a yellowed room, with painted cinderblock walls and rough plastic chairs. Nothing about Patuxent State Institution seeks beauty, or even humanity.

But we found it. In the Alternatives to Violence Project, we found people like us. Who laugh and sing, smile and cry, and enjoy the very breath that we do. Society tries to demonize the men inside those cold walls, but we know them as people like us. And when we left the confines of the prison, we found that humanity everywhere we went, throughout the city of Baltimore: in the freshly painted rooms of Howard’s Mentoring Academy, where Terrence told us about reuniting with his daughter after being imprisoned 17 years; in the thoughts of a York Road pastor working in the midst of present-day de facto segregation; in the gnarled hands of carpenters and workers at a warehouse that gives everything and everyone—from door hinges to ex-offenders—second chances; in the story of a mother who compared her neighborhood—one of the poorest in the country—to a war zone, connecting her conflict-ridden surroundings with a place like Darfur.

If we could, we’d like to introduce you to Darryl, to Pierre, to Toni, to Dante and to Jerry. But we also know that you’ll find them—and countless others—right in our own city of Baltimore with their stories just waiting to be heard. We met men and women who are ostracized daily by society—by media, by politicians, by business owners, by passersby on the street. But turning them into monsters only makes us into monsters as well. Prison is a terrible place to be. We’re called to provide hope in the darkness and offer forgiveness when these men and women return to society. TOMMY O’DONNELL ‘15

Did you know...The United States has

less than 5% of the world’s population

- but it has almost a quarter of the world’s

prisoners.

Trip info Theme: Prison reform Host Site: Catholic Charities Leader: Lindsey Rennie Staff Participant: Alyssa Salaga

participants:Alex BartscheChika Dunga

Julianna IoannouNora Kearney

Aubrie McCarthyTommy O’Donnell

Lindsey RennieMeg Rice

Maggie RomeroMelanie Sierra

DaShante Smith

Immokalee1,065 miles

The first two days we met up with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) on their march to get Publix su-permarket to sign the Fair Food Agreement that, among other improvements, will pay workers one more penny per pound of tomatoes picked. To date, many supermarkets and fast food chains have signed the agreement and have helped make the conditions for workers and their families better for the last twenty years. The march gave us the opportunity to hear from farm workers themselves and to be in solidarity as we walked 24 of their 200-mile march. Gerardo Reyes, CIW leader and organizer, spoke with many of us and gave us insight into the issues surrounding workers’ rights and the agricultural in-dustry. After this perspective-shifting introduction, we spent the rest of the week serving at children’s centers, hearing from community organizers, and humbly attempting to walk with the people of Immokalee.

Two of the nights we were invited to share dinner with a young Guatemalan couple and their family. The hospitality and warmth they gave to us, and the opportunity to learn they provided, showed us what it meant to live in solidarity. Luzvi and her family opened their home to us and gave us a real life example of what it means to serve. As with most immersion trips we feel that we have come back receiving much more than we ever could have given. But the experience we had in Immokalee will not leave our hearts and minds, and will, hopefully, instill and inspire lives of service and compassion. ANTHONY MEDINA ‘13

For this year’s Spring Break Outreach I traveled to Immokalee, Florida with 10 other Loyola students and Assistant Director of Student Engagement, Chris Nicolas. Led by our student leader, Chris Furino, we arrived in Florida and set about to learn from, serve, and accompany the people of Immokalee. We left Loyola with the intent of learning about the injustice that occurs in the lives of migrant farm workers and their families. Even though our dozen pre-trip meetings provided us with education about the issue, nothing could have adequately prepared us for the people we would encounter.

Did you

know...The farm workers of Immokalee receive about 50 cents for

every 32-lb bucket of tomatoes they pick.

Trip info Theme: Migrant farm labor Host Site: Casa Hoy Leader: Chris Furino Staff Participant: Chris Nicholas

participants:Julia BennerChris Furino

Megan HeaningConnor McCloskeyAnthony MedinaRachel MercadoOlivia PelletierRebecca Scullin

Noey StaibCatherine Sullivan

Erin Thomson

New Orleans1,140 miles

SBO New Orleans was one of the best learningexperiences that I have ever had. I learned a lot about how racism is still a problem in our country, even in such an eclectic city. Some areas in New Orleans are still segregated by race today. I was able to make personal connections to this new knowledge because I grew up in a diverse neighborhood. I find it amazing that people in these towns continue to go out of their way to keep these areas segregated. For instance, a primarily Caucasian town in St. Bernard’s Parish tried to pass a law that would only let landlords rent to rel-atives, thus ensuring that people of other races would not live there.

From this experience, I definitely recognized how Katrina managed to heighten problems that already existed in the city of New Orleans. Our site group discussed the roles of various systemic forces that are linked to the roots of racism in our nation, such as the media, financial institutions, and the government. In addition to discussing different aspects of structural racism, we also learned about how racism is still a nationwide problem. It was truly rewarding to meet people in the community and hear their stories, both tragic and uplifting, about their experiences in such a unique city.

Although many years have passed since Hurricane Katrina, there is still a lot to be done in New Orleans. I don’t think that people are aware that New Orleans still hasn’t recovered from the effects of Katrina. Although many neighborhoods have been literally washed away and a lot of people have been negatively affected by the devastation, the spirit of the New Orleans is still raging. From the people to the music to the food, New Orleans just oozes of culture and excitement. The city is so rich with history and the people there would certainly be more than happy to tell you all about it. MORGAN SINGLETARY ‘14

Did you know...Hurricane Katrina

flooded 80% of the city of New Orleans-primarily

the areas of lowest elevation inhabited by people living on low

incomes and people of color.

Trip info Theme: Racial justice Host Site: The Center for Ethical Living & Social Justice Renewal Leader: Jen Navatto Staff Participant: Jasmine Hunter

participants:Shannon ChongShannon DelfiniEmily Jennings

Meghan KearneyJen NavattoKait Richter

Taylor RogersJaci Scozzari

Morgan SingletaryMadison Tombari

New York City194 miles

What began as a joke on the first day of our trip to New York truly became our motto for the week: “anything could happen” - and I mean anything. Because of the mumps outbreak back at Loyola, it was too risky for us to interact with HIV and AIDS patients – people with severely weakened immune systems – during our week of service and our plans seemed to change every day as our fearless leader Juliana scrambled to find new service opportunities in the area. While it was unfortunate that we weren’t able to do a lot of the hands-on service we originally planned, we got the chance to sit down with several different organizations and learn what they did, their different approaches to issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, and a great deal about the disease.

Everywhere we went, we met amazing and inspirational people who taught us about medication, criminalization, sequestration, and much more about HIV than we ever imagined possible. From protesting outside of Verizon Headquarters, to filing paperwork for the Brooklyn AIDS Task Force, to being on the Today Show, to sleeping on a hardwood floor—there was never a dull moment all week and every day was an eye-opening experience. The twelve of us learned from each other – when one group member unexpectedly gave her SBO shirt to a woman at the meal program, for example, we were all inspired – and we really became a family. We are already talking about continuing our service here in Baltimore, now that we’re back. Ultimately, what we learned from the week (besides how much we love each other) was that HIV and the issues surrounding it are incredibly complex, and we cannot really find resolutions until we move past the stigmas that have been attached to it since the 1980s. SAMANTHA VAN DORAN ‘14

Did you

know...Over 1 million people

in the US are living with HIV and 1 in 5

people living with HIV are unaware of their

infection.

Trip info Theme: HIV/AIDS Host Sites: Trinity Church Leader: Juliana Restivo Staff Participant: Christian Marriott

participants: Connor Ames

Madeline Connelly Nicki Doster

Alexandra FernandezTessa Jacobs

Alyssa QuenzelJuliana RestivoMary Jo Rohrer

Emily SmithSamantha Van Doran

Eric Volpe

Washington DC42 miles

This year, the Spring Break Outreach trip to Washington D.C. focused on homelessness and poverty in our nation’s capital. Upon arriving at the Steinbruck Center for Urban Studies at Luther Place Memorial Church, we were shocked to hear that our group would have to partake in the “Food Stamp Challenge,” allotting us $25 a person for a week’s food. We were able to get by on cereal, PB&J sandwiches, and some combination of carbohydrates and cheese for dinner: grilled cheese, mac and cheese, and quesadillas. The typical budget amounts to $4 a day for food, about $1 per meal, meant to be a temporary quick fix for families struggling to make ends meet. However, during our time in D.C., we learned there are an astounding number of families who depend solely on food stamps.

In an attempt to adjust to our new diet, we focused on our service. Activities ranged from serving food at local food kitchens, sorting donations at a food pantry, delivering socks and toiletries to men and women spending the night in the park, and helping a formerly homeless veteran move into his new apartment. One day, we had the opportunity to visit the Wilson Building for a State of the District on Poverty panel discussion. We realized how ironic it was that so many people were struggling with affording housing, healthcare, food, and other basic necessities in D.C., the most powerful city in the greatest country in the world.

The men and women experiencing homelessness are people too. They have families, job aspirations, and plans for the future. They may be suffering from a physical or mental disability that inhibits their power to work. They may be victims of an increasingly expensive housing industry that is not livable on a minimum wage paycheck. If the politicians of our country cannot provide substantial programs to assist the hundreds living in poverty right in front of their eyes, then it is up to us as men and women for others to advocate for those whose voices have been overlooked. As we walked block to block in our rain jackets and boots, I couldn’t help but think of all the men and women I had served over the past couple days. I pictured their outfits and everything they carried with them. How were they doing today? Can you imagine carrying all your belongings with you everywhere you went? In our comfortable, college lives, we do not think about the basic necessities such as where one would shower, do laundry, or even go to the bathroom if they had no home. If it were to rain or snow, as it did during our trip, where would you go for the day? Kellianne HicKey ‘16

Did you know...Wards 7 and 8, which

have the District’s highest poverty rates,

also have the city’s highest obesity rates

and are home to large “food deserts.”

Trip info Theme: Urban poverty and Food insecurity Host Site: The Steinbruck Center for Urban Studies Leader: Tom Flanagan Staff Participant: Majiju Lehmijoki-Gardner

participants:Lauren BarnettSara FigueiredoTom Flanagan

Kellianne HickeyErin Hughes

Madeline JonzTimothy KashNahal Sadegh

Jamie SaropulousCaroline Trainor

West Virginia280 miles

The SBO trip to West Virginia focused on environmental and energy issues that exist throughout the different geological areas of the state. We were educated on coal issues centered in northern West Virginia and mountaintop removal mining issues in southern West Virginia. During the whole trip we had an open mind as we grew to understand the region and prepared ourselves to return to Loyola and educate others on the culture surrounding coal.

In the beginning of the trip we visited local non-profits. The Center for Coalfield Justice, located in Washington, PA, influenced one of the group members to think about going to law school to get a degree in environmental law and be a voice for the mountains. Friends of Deckers Creek talked about how coal mining has harmed West Virginia’s waters, which made us realize how better quality water could help recreational sports and tourism play a larger role in the state’s economy. We saw first-hand the result of acid mine drainage on small creeks and rivers, causing them to turn orange from the heavy metals leaking from the mine into the water. However, we also saw how coal provides jobs and opportunities for people. We did an afternoon of service at Chestnut Mountain Ranch, a place where young boys can live and receive a faith-centered education. Some of us helped out with household chores while others worked on construction tasks.

One of the construction tasks we did was to lift a 600lb kitchen countertop onto an island along with some of other workers. It was rewarding to have our hands on something that the family would use to help prepare and cook their meals in the future. Our group also saw a presentation by Chesapeake Energy and learned about the method of fracking that is used to retrieve natural gas, an alternative to coal mining.

This experience showed us that progress is sweeping through the state even though poverty is still great. The trip wound down with a small presentation on the history of coal in West Virginia. Overall, our whole group learned so much in the “wild and wonderful” state and we are going to apply the educational aspects of the trip to a call for action focused on educating those in the Loyola community about these environmental and energy issues. Also, because our trip had so much driving, I definitely believe that we all gained a new love for country music if we didn’t have one already! MEGHAN BYRNE ‘14

Did you

know... Mountaintop removal

mines in Appalachia have demolished an estimated 1.4 million acres of forested hills

Trip info Theme: Environment & energy issues Host Sites: Wheeling Jesuit University Leader: Emily Delany Staff Participant: Kate Figiel

participants:Meghan ByrnePaul CorrenteEmily Delany

Olivia EarenfightSarah LaBarthNicole MillerKimberly Ruiz

Thomas ScourasClarissa Shaw

Meghan Walsh

A SpECiAL THAnKS without the hard work and dedication from these talented individuals, Spring Break Outreach would not be the same.

Pre-Departure committeeKate Velcamp

Rachel Mercado

Re-entry committeeMorgan Singletary

Clair Shaw

T-Shirts committeeMadison Tombari

Dan Bellacero

advocacy Day committeeTaylor RogersMadeline Jonz

Belles and chimes committeeShannon Delfini

Elaine Cilley

newsletter committeeMeghan Kearney

Nicki Doster

To our Host Sites...Thank you for continually opening up your doors and your hearts to the Loyola Spring Break Outreach Program.

l’arche

Mission nyc

casa Hoy

The Steinbruck center for Urban Studies

SAVE THE DATE:ADVoCACY DAY is on Wednesday ApriL 17

from 10:30-2 p.m. on the QuAD

Bring your friends!

The center for ethical living and Social Justice Renewal

Glenmary Farm

catholic charities

Wheeling Jesuit University