Alternative Break Trips
TeamVOLS has held Alternative Break community service trips for UT students for over fifteen years. During these trips, students give up their time to serve others in a new community. Each year, there are two Alternative Fall Break trips and two Alternative Spring Break trips. Each trip lasts for five days, and the trip destinations are not revealed until after the team members are chosen! Team members are chosen through an application and interview process, and the team members will meet during the weeks leading up to the trip in order to get to know one another in advance. Teams also participate in fundraising activities such as Spaghetti Lunches.
In past years, Alternative Break teams have participated in a wide variety of community service activities. We have worked with organizations including the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Boys & Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity, and Ronald McDonald House. We have also worked with state parks, local charities, nursing homes, animal shelters, and food banks. Trip Leaders are responsible for creating the agenda of service opportunities for the trips. Trip Leaders are members of the TeamVOLS Leadership Board. They are selected via the Leadership Board application and interview process, and they must have previously attended an Alternative Break trip.
Destinations for 2006-2007 included Augusta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Uniontown, PA; and New Orleans, LA. Destinations for 2007-2008 included Charleston, WV; Baton Rouge, LA; and two yet to be announced cities!
Applications for Alternative Fall Break are available on the first day of classes each August. Applications for Alternative Spring Break are available on the Monday following Fall Break each October.