This team will travel to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina to work with the Rutherford Housing Partnership, a 28-year-old 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with a long history of addressing urgent home repairs that affect health and safety in Rutherford County communities. Hurricane Helene, which heavily impacted Western North Carolina in Fall 2024, highlighted the ongoing need for organizations like the Rutherford Housing Partnership, which support safe and reliable housing infrastructure in the Appalachian region of our state.

While being immersed in the culture of rural Appalachia, you will gain a better understanding of how housing insecurity and economic disparity affect rural communities here in North Carolina, and the nature of a community-centered response. This team will collaborate with the Women Roofers’ Initiative, a team of women born out of happenstance in 2002, to repair damaged roofs and elevate the safety of Rutherford County homes. Lodging for this experience is a shared space that uses air mattresses, and the team will prepare their own meals. Come prepared to use a hammer, climb on a roof, and immerse yourself in the Appalachian culture!

• Anticipated Dates: October 15 – October 20, 2026
• Estimated Cost: $250 – $300
• Team Leaders: Camille Hudson (cjhudso3@ncsu.edu)
• Community Partner: Rutherford Housing Partnership

This team will travel to Washington, D.C., to engage in direct service and educational opportunities that focus on the cycle of poverty in an urban setting. Delve into the social and environmental trends that drive food and nutrition insecurity, homelessness, and the cycle of poverty in our nation’s capital through educational opportunities as well as directly engaging with organizations that face these challenges head-on.

D.C. Central Kitchen was founded in 1989 to address two distinct but connected challenges: food insecurity and unemployment. By providing culinary skills training for people who face heightened barriers to employment and, at the same time, making nutritious meals for distribution in the community, D.C. Central Kitchen exemplifies sustainable, community-driven change.

D.C. Greens is a nonprofit founded in 2009 with the goals of creating a sustainable, just, and resilient food system. Their work includes initiatives such as the Produce Rx program, which connects patients experiencing food insecurity and a diet-related chronic condition with resources to increase their access to fresh produce, and the Well at Oxford Run, a community garden space that welcomes community members to participate in programming that increases food access and wellness.

If you are interested in this experience, come ready to engage with community members, help build more sustainable food systems, and experience the public transportation system in our nation’s capital!

• Anticipated Dates: October 16 – October 20, 2026
• Estimated Cost: $450 – $550
• Team Leaders: Elena Zuidema (emzuidem@ncsu.edu) and Michael Guirgis (mmguirg2@ncsu.edu)
• Community Partners: D.C. Central Kitchen and D.C. Greens

Established in the Dominican Republic in 2005, Servicio Para la Paz (SPP) has worked towards promoting the development of more than 14 communities. SPP’s unique community empowerment model depends on the stewardship of community councils, made up of community members who advocate for the needs of each individual community and direct SPP’s engagement there. Past infrastructure projects have ranged from the construction of a classroom and river flood protection wall to planting trees.

This team will collaborate with local volunteers and community council representatives on SPP’s Project LLUVIA, which supports local communities by constructing rainwater harvesting systems for community members’ homes that connect to water storage tanks. These rainwater harvesting systems can be a resource for when intermittent tap water supplies fail or are not available.

Be immersed in the vibrant culture of the Dominican Republic while engaging with an organization that puts community empowerment first. Come prepared to engage in the construction of rainwater harvesting systems and practice your Spanish communication skills!

• Anticipated Dates: December 11 – 19, 2026
• Estimated Cost: $1,900 – $2,100
• Team Leaders: AJ Hadley (ajhadley@ncsu.edu) and Vendela Gustafsson (vsgustaf@ncsu.edu)
• Community Partner: Servicio Para la Paz (Service for Peace)

This team will travel to Braga, Portugal, an ancient city that has united with the Fuller Center for Housing to address challenges related to housing security, which remains a critical issue in the area. In partnership with the Fuller Center for Housing, you’ll work alongside local families and staff to support the construction of safe, affordable homes.

Participants will stay near the work site and take part in a variety of construction projects based on the community’s most immediate needs. In addition to hands-on work, you’ll engage with local residents, learn about Portuguese culture, and reflect on the connections between housing and social justice.

• Anticipated Dates: December 11 – 19, 2026
• Estimated Cost: $2,300 – $2,500
• Team Leaders: Rohan Parashar (rparash@ncsu.edu) and Laura Zacharauskas (lezachar@ncsu.edu)
• Community Partner: The Fuller Center for Housing