Alternative Spring Break Focuses on Food Justice, Service

Spring break at Dominican offers students opportunities to engage in service and build new world experiences—not far from campus.

This year, through University Ministry’s Alternative Break Immersion Program, nine students spent three days of spring break learning about food justice and gained insights into concepts like food insecurity, food deserts and food sovereignty in the Chicago area. The students were joined by Sr. Christin Tomy, OP, assistant director of University Ministry, and University Minister Kayla Jackson-Wolff ’16, MSW ’18.

The group performed service work at the food pantry of St. James Catholic Church in Bronzeville; visited two urban farms that are working to address neighborhood food insecurity; learned about food sovereignty efforts in Chicago's Indigenous community at the St. Kateri Center in North Center; and explored local history and nature at the Chicago History Museum and Garfield Park Conservatory, respectively.

Jackson-Wolff said she hopes the students’ experiences will remain with them as they contemplate the ways they can make an impact in their communities.

“I hope that Alternative Break Immersions continue to offer students an opportunity to reflect on self, the world around them, and how they might be called to show up in it,” she said.

Open to all, DU’s Alternative Break Immersion Program also offers unique experiences for students during fall and summer breaks, including out-of-state service trips.

Learn more about the program here.