Break Description

Join us for an enlightening experience serving with Dismas House! Dismas House of Indiana was founded in 1986 to provide transitional housing and support services to men and women who have recently been released from incarceration. Undergraduate and graduate students also frequently live in the house. Together, all residents work to develop a supportive community, one that assists former offenders as they pursue employment and permanent housing and ensures access to services that ensure a successful transition. 

Our group will travel to South Bend, IN by JMU van. Alongside staff - and potentially individual's from the city's work-release center - we'll assist with some of the many projects around the residence. This could include renovating a bathroom, installing flooring, repairing ceilings, or cleaning and organizing the pantry, storage room, and basement. We will also help to cook the evening meal, which we'll enjoy with the residents, and we'll play games and socialize with the residents after dinner. 

We will be housed at Sacred Heart Parish Center, on the Notre Dame campus. We'll stay in dorm-style rooms with shared bathrooms. While our housing is fully accessible to those who use wheelchairs, Dismas House itself is a historical home, and only the first floor is wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you have questions about potential accommodations so that we may discuss them with our hosts. 

Registration is Closed!

JMU is a member of the University Global Coalition with the United Nations and is committed to achieving a better and more sustainable future as defined by the Sustainable Development Goals.

Focus on: Empowering Vulnerable Populations

Community: South Bend, IN

Leaders: Adam Kolafa & Abigail Townsend

Cost: $350 (need-based scholarships available)

What type of travel will this break use? Domestic Driving

What kind of break is this? Spring Break

Departure Date: 03-09-2024

Return Date: 03-16-2024

What community partner will you be working with? Dismas House of Indiana

Currently Offered?: Yes