KU students travel to Colorado and Illinois for Spring Alternative Breaks

LAWRENCE — In March, University of Kansas students spent spring break traveling and volunteering with Alternative Breaks. Established in 1995, KU Alternative Breaks is a student organization that “provides immersive volunteer experiences that educate students and foster a lifelong commitment to service.”    

Five students traveled to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to serve with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity and Food to Power. Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs safe and affordable housing, strengthening neighborhoods and communities. AB volunteers supported this mission by supporting various project in the ReStore, Habitat’s donation center and home improvement store. Food to Power assists the Greater Colorado Springs area by distributing healthy surplus food from supermarkets, providing produce grown in Food to Power’s urban garden, and providing composting services to local neighborhoods and businesses. Student volunteers mixed and moved compost, assisted in maintaining composting equipment and collected fresh vegetables. 

Alternative Breaks’ spring visit to Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity and Food to Power has continued the relationship built during the 2026 winter trip, where 18 trip participants also aided in the construction of new affordable housing units and helped perform various tasks at Food to Power’s urban farm. 

Seven students traveled to Belleville, Illinois, to serve with HeartLands Conservatory. The organization’s mission is to conserve natural and cultural resources to help meet the surrounding communities’ needs of economic, environmental and food sustainability. Break participants assisted in the removal of invasive plant species, farm animal care and the planting of new trees. 

“AB has deeply strengthened my relationship with service,” said Sophia Baldwin, a spring alternative break participant. “Getting to engage with members of the Colorado Springs community showed me how meaningful our work really was, and I formed strong connections that I never expected. It is a life-changing experience that I would recommend to anyone.” 

Alternative Breaks is a student-led program funded by Student Senate and is also often supported by university programs such as Hawk Link, the Center for Educational Opportunity Programs and others. To earn course credit for the break experience, AB participants have the option to enroll in UNIV 42, a special projects course taught by the Center for Service Learning.    

Learn more about KU Alternative Breaks by visiting the AB website.