The University will observe National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week with a series of events designed to educate the campus community, promote community service, and shed light on the realities of poverty.
“Hunger and Homelessness Week is a way that students can be a part of the larger D.C. community and apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the realities of people who live in poverty,” says GW senior Alison McDougal, who is the student coordinator for poverty issues with the Neighbors Project. “Whether it’s through direct service or the Hunger Banquet, there is an element of this week that will touch you personally and engage you on this important issue.”
GW events over the course of the week include:
Food Drive: Help GW achieve its goal of collecting 1,500 pounds of canned food to donate to the Capital Area Food Bank. Boxes will be left in GW residence halls to enable students to contribute throughout the week, and the residence hall that collects the most food will win a prize. GW community members can also drop off cans at SLAM HUNGER or the Hunger Banquet. The food drive is sponsored by Colonial Challenge.
SLAM HUNGER, Coffee House Open Mic: GW students and faculty and homeless members of the community come together to perform music and poetry and raise awareness about hunger and homelessness. The event is Nov. 16 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the piano lounge at Strong Hall.
Hunger Banquet: An interactive simulation of poverty to be held Nov. 18 in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests are assigned the identities of people at lower, middle and upper income levels and provided meals according to those designations.
Faces of Homelessness Panel: The National Coalition for the Homeless brings together a panel of people who are or have been homeless in an effort to educate the public about homelessness and what can be done to end it. The panel will be held in 110 Monroe Hall Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. A candlelight vigil will follow in Kogan Plaza at 8 p.m.
22nd Annual Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon: Join tens of thousands of walkers taking part in the 22nd annual 5k Help the Homeless Walkathon on Nov. 21. GW community members will meet in Kogan Plaza for breakfast from 7:30 to 8 a.m. and then join other walkers on the National Mall. The GW group that brings the most participants will win a prize from Colonial Challenge.
Food Stamp Challenge: The average person living on food stamps receives $28.75 per week. Could you live on that? Take the challenge or read the experiences of students and administrators who are taking the challenge.
Film Screening: “Kicking It”: The Office of Community Service presents a film screening of “Kicking It,” a documentary focusing on the Homeless World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2006. The film will be shown Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ames Pub on the Mount Vernon Campus, and a discussion session will follow the screening.
Direct Service Opportunities: GW has opportunities to volunteer at nonprofits across the District, such as D.C. Central Kitchen, Thrive DC and Capital Area Food Bank.
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week events are planned in conjunction with the Office of Community Service and through the Human Services Course “Empowerment for Social Change” taught by Peter Konwerski, associate vice president and chief administrative officer for Student and Academic Support Services. The student teams are co-led by Ms. McDougal.