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Community Outreach

Alternative Breaks Immersion Weekends

New York City, NY, Immersion Weekend November 2-4, 2007 (FALL TRIP)

General Program Information
Issue Focus: HIV/AIDS
Cost of Trip: $65.00
Student Trip Director(s): Daniel McLennon, Trip Director (dcm03005@gmail.com)
Acceptance of Applications: August 24, 2007
Application Deadline: September 21, 2007 at 5:00pm
Notification of Participation: September 30, 2007
Trip Leaves: November 2, 2007
Trip Returns: November 4, 2007

** Price may vary with group fundraising projects.

The application deadline has passed; signup for this event is now closed.

HIV/AIDS in New York City

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system. http://www.amfar.org/cgi-bin/iowa/abouthiv/record.html?record=3

There are currently over 50,000 people living with AIDS in New York City today. For more information about AIDS in New York City and Manhattan check out this link:http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/dires/epi-surveillance-manhattan200406.pdf

More than twenty-two million people have died in the world because of AIDS and at the present time forty-two million people live with HIV/AIDS. http://bbg.org.za/aids/

Trip Preparation

In preparation for this weekend students will learn about the root causes of poverty and homelessness in America. The group will meet weekly to discuss relevant readings; “do” team building exercises and service with local community groups. These once a week meetings average about an hour and a half and are mandatory for participants of this program.

Trip Description

The group will leave from the Student Union at a designated time late on Friday afternoon. From there they will drive to New York City in Community Outreach vans. The group will stay at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish in the Parish Center. The group will prepare and eat all of their meals at the Parish Center.

The group will be participating in three different service opportunities throughout the weekend. All of the service opportunities will be working with agencies that assist individuals who are affected by HIV/AIDS.

  • Housing Works: Housing Works provides housing, health care, advocacy, job training, and vital supportive services to homeless New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. We will work at one of the donation centers (upper end) thrift stores.
  • God's Love We Deliver (GLWD): GLWD delivers fresh, nourishing meals to homebound people with AIDS throughout New York City and nearby Hudson County, New Jersey. It also provides meals for clients' dependent children. We will assist with food preparation.
  • Project Achieve: The group will participate in an advocacy project throughout the weekend with Project Achieve and will learn about research in the area of HIV/AIDS

The service sites change year-to-year for the program given the agency need and the weekend chosen. At each site the group will be given an orientation regarding the organization and the service they will be doing. At the end of each night the group will meet to reflect on the days activities and further discuss problems related to HIV/ AIDS. This is a drug and alcohol free weekend and we expect the group to stay together at all times.

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