Alternative Spring Break

United Way Alternative Spring Break (ASB) engages young people in a life-changing volunteer immersion experience.

During the week of March 13th, 18 students representing Arizona State University, El Paso Community College, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Texas at El Paso completed a home-building project for the Lower Valley Housing Corporation, which is a low-income self-help program where families are required to build 65% of their own homes. The average cost of one of the homes is $60,000, however they appraise much higher, giving low-income families significant equity.

The students, on Alternative Spring Break (ASB), worked steadily on the build - erecting walls, applying adobe, and getting to know the families who would benefit from their hard work. Project team leaders took notice of the foundations of new friendships within the diverse group representing every socio-economic class, multiple races, religions, and four different countries. Students participated in daily reflections, sharing highs and lows of each work day, and recognizing good teamwork. During the closing ceremony, each student was awarded an official ASB LIVE UNITED T-shirt. Farren Hinton, United Way ASB El Paso Team Leader, explained that shirts were distributed at week's endto promote the mantra "I don't just wear this shirt, I live it" among the group.

While in El Paso, the students also visited the El Paso Water Utilities Tech2O Center, toured the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant, and screened the film Nobelity. This field trip afforded the students an opportunity to learn more about potential global desalination plants and the importance of solving the clean water crisis. Another highlight was a Transmountain hike led by Senator Eliot Shapleigh. Along the way, he shared his excitement about the El Paso region, offered leadership advice as well as his knowledge of native desert plants.

"ASB El Paso has changed my life in ways that words can not describe. ASB and all the wonderful friendships I made will be a part of my life forever,"

Dana Becker, UW ASB El Paso Team Leader from the University of Arizona.

We would like to recognize the 2010 ASB El Paso sponsors: Cliff Bar of Arizona, CitiBank, Coca-Cola of Arizona, Fruitiki, Fuddruckers, Jelly Belly of Arizona, Poor Brothers Chips of Arizona, and Price's Creameries.

Alternative Spring Break (ASB) is a national initiative set forth by United Way Worldwide to engage college students in community service. The program began as an effort to provide immediate relief to New Orleans, LA and Gulf Port, MS after they were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. This is the first year that the ASB was hosted outside of the Gulf Coast region. El Paso shared the exclusive title of ASB Host Site with only three other cities - Akron, Ohio; St. Bernard Parrish, LA; and Salem, Oregon.

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Questions?

Contact Alex Furnari, Vice President of Community Building.