Students break with a difference, volunteering at Harvest Farm

Theresa Rose

While their friends are soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere down south, 20 students from Vanderbilt and Xavier universities will be volunteering at Harvest Farm, a rehabilitation facility for homeless men who may also be struggling with addiction.

The Alternative Spring Break project will take place March 3-10. The students will be sharing chores on the 209 acre farm with men in the New Life Program, an outreach of the Denver Rescue Mission. Harvest Farm is located at 4240 E. County Rd 66 in Wellington and work will include planting in the greenhouse, maintaining livestock, landscape projects, and the preparation and serving of meals. This immersive service project will expose students to the realities of homelessness and addiction, hearing the stories from the men themselves about how they ended up where they were and their hopes for the future.

Harvest Farm received the Break Away 2016 Community Partner of the Year award, and was nominated by Vanderbilt students. Break Away, alternativebreaks.org, is a program to provide college students with an opportunity to utilize their Spring Break productively through active citizenship by serving the community. 2018 will be the 17th year students from Vanderbilt and Xavier universities have been volunteering at Harvest Farm.

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