We're so happy to be live!

Check out Alex's reflection on how iPads will positively impact the class.

Testimonial by Alex V. AKA  "Straps"

Thank you for your support. Let's keep the momentum going!

Dear Friends~

Thanks for checking out our site. Look around and meet some of the most remarkable young people you’re likely to meet. Most college students in southern California spend their Spring Breaks at the beach or in the mountains, enjoying some well-deserved time away from their studies. The remarkable young people you’ll meet here are a bit different. They spent their Spring Break in New Orleans, swinging a hammer in a righteous cause as they helped with the ongoing rebuilding efforts in New Orleans.

The city has made remarkable strides in its recovery efforts, but the rebuilding efforts are not proceeding at the same pace for everyone in the city. There are many places in New Orleans that still feel the effects of Katrina. Away from the French Quarter and the more affluent parts of the city, houses still remain empty. Vacant lots sit where homes once stood. Twenty percent of New Orleans’ pre-Katrina population still is unable to return to the city. There is still a lot of work to be done, and the people of New Orleans are some of the most resilient people in the world. In the absence of a coherent plan to rebuild the city, they are taking matters into their own hands. Neighborhoods like the 8th Ward and New Orleans East are putting themselves back together, street by street, house by house, family by family.

Your help—your willingness to make a financial contribution and your willingness to share this link with everyone in your social and professional networks—will ensure that CSULB students will be able to document their civic engagement as they work shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of New Orleans.

Progress!

Dr. Tim Caron

Alternative Spring Break Program Director

Dr. Tony Sinay, chair of the Health Care Administration department here at California State University Long Beach has announced that his department will cover the cost of one iPad!

Thanks, Tony, for your support of the Alternative Spring Break Program.

Deshe: CSULB's Alternative Spring Break iPad Project

 Lets keep pushing for success and keep progress flowing with just a little Lagniappe "Something extra" we can and will succeed! 

There are only two days left in our crowd funding campaign, and I’d like to introduce you to Devon Williamson, a student from the 2014 Alternative Spring Break class. Devon is a remarkable student, majoring in social work, and she has a tremendous commitment to social justice issues. After her experiences in New Orleans, Devon is now working closer to home, helping people here in Long Beach secure affordable housing. Please take a moment and let her explain how the iPads will make help us to raise awareness about the ongoing rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. Then, once you have been inspired, please make a contribution at beachfunder.csulb.edu.

Devon Williamson 

Thank you for your generous support! We raised $7,000 in just over 30 days. Thank you for your financial contributions, and thank you for helping to spread the word about this life-changing program for CSULB students. Just after the campaign closed, a benefactor came forward and contributed the $3,000 we needed to hit our target. This means that we’ll be able to have 15 teams of CSULB students who will be documenting the work we do in New Orleans during our Spring Break service trip. Be sure to check back in a few weeks for an update on the website that will house the work that the students will create.