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CHARLOTTE — A joyful group of students from the University of Georgia spent its spring break in Charlotte this week, doing volunteer work for Catholic Social Services.

The students are part of a student-run organization called IMPACT, formerly known as "Alternative Spring Break."

Alternative Spring Break began at UGA in 1994 with a group of students interested in spending the week of spring break engaged in community service as opposed to the more traditional past-times of college spring break. Since the beginning of the program, more than 1,800 UGA students have participated in these Alternative Spring Break trips and traveled across the U.S. to participate in meaningful service projects that benefit the communities in which they work, according to the group's website.

This is the second time the group has come to Charlotte, but the first time they spent their entire week-long spring break working here.

The students helped stock and organize donations in the CSS food pantry at the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center, helped set up an apartment for an incoming refugee family in Charlotte, attended English as a Second Language classes and other educational efforts for refugees being helped by Catholic Social Services, and more.

Catholic Social Services leaders said they were impressed with the go-getting attitude of the spring breakers, their willingness to help out in any way, and their enthusiasm and service-oriented spirit.

For more about IMPACT, visit cls.uga.edu/students/programs/impact.

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor