Don’t get me wrong, a spring break on the beach with a group of people I know does sound fun but what if I tried something else? That's exactly what I did when I applied to lead my first Bear Break trip this year. Pre-Trip Going in I knew nothing about the program but was excited to dive in and learn all there was to it. Starting out meeting one on one with Alex in … [Read more...] about The Trip of a Lifetime
It was with a heavy heart that we made the decision to cancel Bear Breaks Immersion Trips for Spring Break 2020. COVID-19 put a wrench in our plans, but the health and safety of our student participants, as well as our community partners across the country, is always a top priority. Training and Education in 2019-2020 The following trips were planned and ready for Spring … [Read more...] about Bear Breaks’ Pursuit of Active Citizenship Continues in 2020-21
Housing Opportunities for Women Today we helped out around the office of Housing Opportunities for Women. This organization recently received donations of clothing from several organizations that we helped sort. These clothes went to women in need who utilize their program. I was surprised by how many people donated to Housing Opportunities for Women. I wish that in … [Read more...] about Serving with HOW
Feel the Power of Being Able to Help Others Today, we got up very early and went to one of the food distribution places. We sorted out food into bags and handed them to people in need. Each of their smiles was just like a rose, fire, and light which refreshed me, warmed me and lit me up. Their smile reminded me of a short story I had read before. A family lived a really … [Read more...] about Chicago: Feel the Power
Getting Our Feet Wet Today was a great start in our focus on homelessness and hunger. We spent the day at La Casa Norte, which has many programs of outreach throughout Chicago. I have never been to Chicago before, and this city is so beautiful and unique in its own way. I know a few of us among the group recognized homelessness and hunger as a problem but never actually got … [Read more...] about Chicago Immersion: La Casa Norte