Georgia: Medici Project Juvenile Justice Systems

Serving to empower youth experiencing incarceration in Dalton, Georgia and support local community-based organizations

Community Partner: Medici Project

Trip Dates: January 3-10, 2026

Location: Dalton, Georgia

Number of Participants: 10

Price: $500

Included in participant fee:

All logistical and travel expenses: Roundtrip transportation (flights to and from Atlanta, Georgia), rental vehicles for local transportation (damage/insurance coverage included), and overnight lodging at a local church for the duration of the trip.
Medici Project program fees for facilitating week of service/alternative break experience.
Buck-I-SERV supplies/swag: Individual items (t-shirts, water bottles, fanny packs, and pens for each group member) and group items (first aid kit, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, deck of playing cards, and thank you card for community partner).
Buck-I-SERV Events and Training: Winter Kick-Off and Welcome Back events with catering and pre-trip education and training.
Meals and group activities: The group will be provided a budget to use for group meals and group activities. Participants should plan to bring money for out of pocket expenses.

Travel and housing:

Participants will fly roundtrip to and from Atlanta, Georgia.
Upon arrival in Atlanta, the group will pick up rental vehicles at the airport to use for local transportation throughout the week.
Participants will stay at a local church in Dalton, Georgia. Participants will need to bring their own bedding to sleep on the floor in the common area. Participants will likely share housing with the Medici Project Human Trafficking group.
- Please note that service housing provides a unique opportunity to build community and embrace simplicity, often staying in welcoming spaces like religious buildings or community centers. While accommodations may be rustic—such as sleeping on cots or air mattresses, making use of community kitchens and showers, and limited hot water for showers—they foster meaningful connections and a deeper focus on service and reflection.
A full packing list will be provided to participants and discussed during pre-trip meetings leading up to departure.

What to expect:

The Medici Project creates programs and opportunities for students, helping them cultivate a heart of service, make sense of individual purpose, and turn what they love into what they do.
During this trip, students will spend their mornings serving with local community-based organizations focused on a variety of community-identified needs including housing and food insecurity. Past partners have included Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Open Hand, MedShare, Gilliam's Community Garden and local food pantries.
In the afternoon, students will be on-site at The Department of Juvenile Justice in Dalton, GA, spending time with and building relationships with youth experiencing incarceration. Participants will be trained on and facilitate leadership development curriculum as part of their service at Dekalb County Juvenile Justice Center.