College of Charleston students will assist with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in and around Atlantic City from January 2-7, 2013, as part of an Alternative Break experience. Students will be working with Community Collaborations, and could do anything from work with FEMA helping people who have been displaced to working with nonprofits who need some relief, or volunteering in a soup kitchen or animal shelter.

About 20 students and staff members will help victims from Hurricane Sandy, which devastated portions of the Caribbean, the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, and Eastern Canada. Although a category one storm off the coast of the Northeastern United States, it became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record.

Sandy is estimated to have caused $50 billion in damages. More than 150 people were killed along the path of the storm in seven countries.

Maggie Szeman, assistant director of the Center for Civic Engagement, said that many students return from trips with a dedication to impacting positive sustainable change.

“The impact from Alternative Breaks is not only on the communities the students serve, but also on the students themselves,” Szeman says. “Many return from their service experience with a completely altered outlook on civic engagement and community. There is something uniquely galvanizing about dedicating time to uplifting and supporting others through service.”

The Center for Civic Engagement sponsors Alternative Break opportunities year round, where students spend college breaks traveling to national and international destinations to explore and participate in community service. Watch a video about Alternative Break experiences.

For more information, visit the website or contact Maggie Szeman at 843.953.5854 or szemanm@cofc.edu.