Releases

April 3, 2012 -- The Jesuit Volunteer Corps developed an organized a service-based spring break program in Detroit for students from Georgetown University for the week of March 3, 2012. 

“The common narrative about this city has focused on the negative, but there is so much life and hope that exists here,” said Angie Moloney, program director of the Detroit Program Office for JVC. “We introduced them to some of the wonderful people who are striving to make a real difference and gave them the opportunity to see the potential in themselves to make concrete change for good.”

Facilitated by JVC staff, students explored one way to continue living out the values of the Jesuit charism after graduation.  They met the current Jesuit Volunteers who are living and working in Detroit and learned about their experiences with full-time service.  

During the trip, U.S. Congressman Hansen Clarke, a Georgetown alumnus, met the students and served meals with them at the Capuchin Soup kitchen. (Photo)

Throughout the week, students engaged with issues of homelessness, food justice, environmental sustainability, community improvement, and immigration with The N.O.A.H. Project, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Freedom House, Belle Isle Conservancy, ACCESS, Earthworks Urban Farm, and Urban Neighborhood Initiatives. Throughout the week, the students set aside for reflection on their experiences through the lens of racial identity and its effect on inner city Detroit. 

"My greatest hope for the trip was for our participants to learn from experience rather than form a perception about Detroit based on hype and stereotypes,” said Kevin Flannery, a senior at Georgetown who helped organize the trip. “The presence of the city certainly brought us new perspectives, which will endure much longer than one week."  

This was the pilot year for JVC’s alternative spring break program. It is an effort to use JVC’s knowledge, experience, and relationships in Detroit to expand opportunities for young adults to experience faith-based direct service, advocacy, and work for social justice in a safe and exploratory way.

Students from the University of Michigan participated in this same program the week prior.

Based in four core values—social justice, simple living, community, and spirituality—Jesuit Volunteer Corps offers women and men an opportunity to work full-time for justice and peace.  Jesuit Volunteers are called to the mission of serving the poor directly, working for structural change in the United States, and accompanying people in developing countries. For decades, Jesuit Volunteer Corps has worked in collaboration with Jesuits, whose spirituality the volunteers incorporate in their work, community, and prayer life. More than 250 grassroots organizations across the world count on Jesuit Volunteers to provide essential services. During their one to two years of service, volunteers integrate Christian faith by working and living among the poor and marginalized examining the causes of social injustice. JVC offers JVs an experience that will open their minds and hearts to live always conscious of the poor and committed to the Church’s mission of promoting justice in the service of faith. Learn more at www.jesuitvolunteers.org or www.facebook.com/jesuitvolunteers. 

 

###

 

Learn more about the organizations that the students visited:

ACCESS: http://www.accesscommunity.org/  

Belle Isle Conservancy: http://www.bibsociety.org/  

Capuchin Soup Kitchen: http://cskdetroit.org/   

Earthworks Urban Farm: http://www.cskdetroit.org/EWG/ 

Freedom House: http://freedomhousedetroit.org/ 

The N.O.A.H. Project: http://noahprojectdetroit.org/ 

Urban Neighborhood Initiatives: http://www.unidetroit.org/