“Home away from home” is not phrase most people would use to describe a sterile commercial kitchen that produces thousands of meals each day for the homeless and the hungry.
But 10 Penn State Abington students who traveled to Washington, D.C., last week for Alternative Spring Break (ASB) affectionately recall the long hours they spent there. They cut fruit and vegetables into thousands of slices and cooked bathtub-sized pots of beans to nourish the bodies and spirits of the less fortunate.
But the result, according to members of the group, was “memorable … eye-opening … inspirational … emotional … beneficial … teamwork … blessed … family.” These are the memories that 10 Abington students will carry with them forever thanks to ASB.According to Tracy Reed, coordinator of Student Life Programs at Abington who accompanied the group, the students contribute financially toward the cost of the service learning experience in addition to trading a week of vacation for aching hands and backs, and a basic bed in a nearby hostel.