Florida Alternative Breaks

Florida Alternative Breaks
2009-2010 Winter Break Application

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Vision Statement

Florida Alternative Breaks' vision is to create active citizens through a year-long commitment to community service, leadership and social change.

Mission Statement

In participating in social change education and projects both locally during the year and regionally during academic breaks, students gain the opportunity to immerse themselves in a particular social issue. Through FAB's unique conditions of volunteerism and reflection, we seek to heighten social awareness, advocate for and foster life-long social action while building friendships along the way.

The Role of a Participant

"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." - Charles DuBois

Florida Alternative Breaks (FAB) offers the opportunity to do service in a city outside of the Gainesville area while learning in-depth about a particular issue and creating lasting friendships with your fellow trip members. Although participation in a FAB trip is very rewarding, it also requires commitment and dedication from those involved. Participants are required to attend regular trip meetings where they will get to know their fellow trip members, become educated about their issue, and help plan their trip. Participants will also be required to participate in one pre-trip service project where they will get a taste of what their service will be like during the break. After returning, they will also participate in one post-trip service project. Two student Site Leaders will serve as their trip's guides throughout the FAB year and lead all of these events. FAB also encourages participants to attend our socials to meet other participants and to assist with our fundraisers to help lower the costs of the trips. Participants will be matched with an issue based on their ranking of issues and their answers to the essay questions. Although we attempt to match all students with one of their top issues, this is not always possible, so please be flexible!

All participants must be a University of Florida student, staff, or faculty member. Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA and be enrolled as a full-time student for the fall semester. Grade checks are completed at the time of the application. Students who fail to maintain the minimum GPA will not be allowed to participate in FAB.

Winter Issue Descriptions

*FAB will not disclose the location of trips to participants until the first meeting. This ensures that participants choose trips based on the issue they are passionate about instead of where they are going.

Health and Aging

As people age and enter the later years of life, their needs change, along with their ability to meet those needs. As a result, the elderly often move into assisted living or group homes, which can be a difficult transition to make. Though their day-to-day life may be easier in terms of having assistance on hand for tasks, residents can struggle with the loss of the independence they've had their entire adult lives, along with facing loneliness and health problems. Trip service may include doing projects with nursing home residents, beautification of site, education of residents, and preparing and serving meals.

Health and Nutrition

One of the biggest health crises facing the United States today is obesity, costing $61 billion in healthcare treatment annually. One of the root problems of this epidemic is a lack of education regarding proper nutrition and a lack of means to implement better nutrition regimens. Those circumstances lead to ignorance or lack of concern about what goes into one's body, which has effects ranging from minor (a few extra pounds) to major (severe vitamin deficiency, heart disease, etc). Trip service may include public education, preparing meals, learning about nutrition and health, creating presentations, and making educational materials.

Animal Welfare

One of the main roles an advocate serves is being a voice for those who don't have one of their own, as is the case with animals. Animals face abuses daily, from puppy mills to cruel farming practices to domestic neglect, and the list goes on. Sadly, even beyond abuse, problems exist that threaten the welfare of animals. The growth of the population of local feral cats continues, as does the practice animal dumping when students move. Trip service may include bathing, feeding, and exercising abandoned animals, caring for and cleaning animal housing and beautification and cleaning projects.

Homelessness and Poverty

As one walks in Gainesville near campus, s/he will probably encounter at least one person living on the streets. This is representative of a worldwide problem of homelessness, and indicative of the main cause of homelessness, poverty. In addition to the devastating circumstances of having nowhere to spend to night and often no way to pay for food, the homeless face a less talked about but still very relevant problem, which is how society as a whole regards and treats them. Trip service may include preparing and serving meals, manning a hotline, beautification projects, helping with job searches, and working with children.

Trip Costs

The cost of trips is all-inclusive and not dependent on the issue, going toward all food, transportation and housing for the week. The cost of trips is still to be determined, but will fall between $225-$275.

This year, FAB is kicking off an ambitious fundraising initiative to lower the cost of trips for all participants. Participants will be expected to participate in the letter-writing campaign, and encouraged to attend as many FAB-wide fundraisers as possible.

Payment Information

Site Leaders and Participants will be responsible for submitting their payments by the stated deadline. A non-refundable $100 deposit for domestic trips will be due November 4th to the CLS at Peabody Hall. The remaining balance is due November 23rd. Please make checks payable to the University of Florida. Failure to make payment by the stated deadline may result in dismissal from the program. If you would like to set up a payment plan, you must submit a request to FAB's Graduate Advisor, Nikole Duvalle, nikoled@leadershipandservice.ufl.edu or 352-392-1261 ext. 229, no later than 7 days prior to the stated deadline. All requests for extensions must be submitted in writing and include your name, FAB trip, the reason(s) you believe you need an extension, and the date that you expect to be able to make your payment. There is no guarantee that your request for an extension will be granted.

No refunds will be made, except for emergency situations such as serious illness or death in the family. All requests for refunds must be submitted to and approved by the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the CLS within 48 hours of your decision to leave FAB. All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing and include your name, FAB trip, and the reason(s) you believe you need a refund. There will be no refunds for any student dismissed from the program for reasons of misconduct or for failure to comply with University of Florida and/or FAB policies, procedures, and regulations.

Scholarship Information

FAB may award a limited number of partial scholarships to students who demonstrate financial need. Scholarship priorities are given to domestic trips. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please contact FAB's Treasurer, Rebeca Rodriguez-Crespo, at rrcrespo@ufl.edu or at 321-202-3976. Scholarship applications are due October 21st.

Summary of Important Dates (*attendance REQUIRED at all bolded events)

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

UF strives to provide effective, reasonable accommodations for students. Please contact Nikole Duvalle (nikoled@leadershipandservice.ufl.edu) to discuss any needed accommodations.