We're now 100% funded and it's all thanks to the generosity of every donor, and every person who shared our cause! We're so excited to embark on our trip to LA and make a difference in a new community! We couldn't have done it without all of your support! 

My name is Laura Zelis and I am a junior at the University of Arizona and I’m looking forward to the HASB to Los Angeles! I am majoring in music (cello) and am minoring in pre-med, as I want to attend medical school after graduation. I am from Wheaton, Illinois and love going to a school where its mostly warm, sunny, and full of scenic hiking trails. Outside of school, I love performing on my cello, taking care of my gecko, volunteering, being in nature, and enjoying the amazing food in Tucson. I’m really excited for all of the aspects of HASB, but I am most interested in learning about how Los Angeles is working to improve their homelessness crisis.  Tucson has a huge homeless population – my goal is to learn about how to improve this problem while in LA and bring back effective ideas to Tucson. I would love to learn more about how I can make a positive impact on the homelessness crisis in Tucson, whether its through my pre-med club or independent volunteer work. As far as my future goes, I really hope I get to do a decent amount of traveling through assisting in global medical operations/programs. 

Hi everyone! My name is Harris Scharf and I am a freshman studying Political Science and Molecular Cellular Biology. I am excited to represent the University of Arizona’s Honors College in Los Angles this spring break. Our focus on the nation's most pressing issues of food insecurity, homelessness, immigration, and gang rehabilitation hits close to home and I am looking forward to learning more about ending these crises.

When I am not studying for e­xams at the library, I can be found riding with the University of Arizona Cycling team, spending time with friends, or listening to the latest hit songs in my room. Those who know me would describe me as hard-working, passionate, dedicated and supportive. I love meeting new people and learning more about other cultures.

I am looking forward to learning more about the causes and solutions for involvement in gangs and an ever-growing homeless population. My ultimate goal is to be able to apply what I learn in my home communities in Tucson and Scottsdale, Arizona.

Wooahhhhhh, we're halfway theeerreeee, woahhhh... we've almost raised half of our funds for our trip and we're so excited to hit that 50% funding mark! Thank you to everyone who has been so kind to donate to our cause already - this trip really wouldn't be possible without your support. Continue the support for our trip and help us raise 50% of our funds by the end of the week! 

Thank you so much to everyone who has been donating and sharing our cause! We are so excited to embark on our trip to Los Angeles and it wouldn't be possible without your generosity! We've almost funded half the trip, help us reach this halfway benchmark this week! 

Hi, everyone! My name is Brianna Hoegler. I am a freshman geosciences major here at the University of Arizona; eventually, I hope to obtain a PhD in geology and become a full professor at a research university. When I’m not struggling through calculus, I enjoy reading, writing, hanging out with my friends, and petting the various dogs I meet on campus.

I’m from Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, and I grew up learning a lot about the local environment, which includes the NJ Pine Barrens and the Barnegat Bay. Coming from a small town, I had a really strong connection to the place where I grew up, from the forest to the local history to the local issues. That’s one of the reasons why I am so thrilled to be going on the HASB trip to Los Angeles, where we will be tackling problems related to homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity.

I grew up about half an hour away from Atlantic City, where poverty and homelessness are rampant following economic troubles for the casinos and the Great Recession. For the past few summer, I have had the chance to volunteer there over the summer, helping in soup kitchens, food pantries, and warehouses. However, I never really felt that what I was doing was having a lasting impact. Sure, I was helping to make someone’s day better, and I was able to hear people’s stories and learn about their lives, but I knew that the relief we were providing was temporary. That is why I am so excited to learn about how local organizations in LA are working to help the homeless, what issues the organizations are facing, and how we can help to make a lasting impact.

Hi everyone! My name is Brianna Dilodilo, a freshman at The University of Arizona studying Neuroscience and Cognitive Science.

Service has been a deep passion of mine all throughout my life. I have been privileged enough to live a fulfilling life with an abundance of opportunity, so I feel a moral obligation to give back to those who have not been awarded that same lifestyle. HASB gifts me the once in a lifetime chance to pursue my passion on an unprecedented level. My goal for this experience is to better understand my privilege so that I can become a better listener and advocate to my campus/community. Through HASB I hope to learn how to integrate service into my everyday routine. I want service to become a habit, rather than an activity I participate in on the weekends/my spare time.

My greatest ambition for the future is to develop a mental illness awareness non-profit. More burdensome than the actual condition is the stigma that mental illness carries. Through the non-profit that I want to build, I hope to ignite healthy conversations regarding mental illness so that we can practice more empathy and kindness towards those living with these conditions.