The week of November 13 to 18 is nationally known as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week. With the help of The National Coalition for the Homeless and The National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness, the week will be filled with opportunities to spread awareness and volunteer in the community.
With Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week right around the corner, it’s important for students to understand ways that they can help people in their community. One out of eight families in New Hampshire are struggling to put food on the table and thirty percent of Manchester’s residents are below the poverty line.
The Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) will be hosting different events across campus to not only spread awareness, but also help the community. Beth Anderson, the assistant director of CCEL, said, “The ultimate goal is to spread awareness and get educated. We want students to be aware that people experience these things, and there is something we can do to help those around us”.
During the week of November 12 to 17, a variety of events will be held on and off campus for SNHU students. Each day of the week will feature a different opportunity for students to partake in Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week.
To kick the week off on Tuesday, November 13, Community Action will be hosting a poverty simulation in the small gym. This simulation gives students the opportunity to “walk a month in the shoes of someone who is facing poverty,” says Anderson. Students that join will be given a real profile of an individual from SNHU’s community and given the task of keeping up with bills while real life circumstances are put in the mix.
On Wednesday, November 14, students will have an opportunity to write letters to their representatives in support of hunger and poverty reduction bills from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 118 of the Green Center.
As a way to give back to the community, CCEL will also be hosting a birthday boxes gathering where students will be able to create boxes filled with party supplies for children whose families cannot afford a party for themselves. CCEL hopes to make 60 boxes on Thursday from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Green Center.
Lastly, to end the week students have the option on Saturday to go to the country’s first women’s shelter in Boston. There, they can prepare and serve lunches to those in need. Students can also partake in a Thanksgiving Basket Volunteer Day, where meals will be provided to families that cannot get the supplies themselves. Transportation will be provided to both events.
Throughout the duration of the week, students will also be able to donate their dining dollars to The Cupboard. There will be tables where donations will be accepted in the dining hall all week. Donations will also be accepted on snhutickets.com.
There are so many opportunities to get engaged and help the community. With action, advocacy and awareness “you can make a difference,” says Beth Anderson.
