Students generally work within a rural community, helping to teach English, improve community infrastructure, work on community outreach programs, or participate in work camps. Service learning is a hands-on experience where interaction with the chosen community and its people is the focus. Different programs cost varying amounts. The answer is that the program usually takes care of the volunteers' housing and food for the duration of the program. Often, especially in rural, developing areas, the local people cannot afford to house the volunteers themselves, so volunteers may be staying in hotels, which can be more costly for the program.
Many organizations offer opportunities to volunteer abroad.
The Internet is an excellent resource to find such programs. Some of the more popular organizations are discussed later, but know that this list is not exhaustive. While you pay for the service experience, there are ways to obtain funding. The Honors College offers Schreyer Ambassador Grants for students studying abroad, and students participating in service learning are eligible for these grants. The Ambassador Grant will help you pay for your round trip air fare to your service site.