Two weeks ago, Stevens organized the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. The week consisted of two events — a sandwich-making event on Monday, November 17, and a Hunger and Homelessness Resource Fair on Thursday, November 20.
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is a nationwide initiative with the goal of raising awareness about food insecurity, housing instability, and directing community members towards the resources available that exist to combat these concerns. The initiative was started by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness in 1975, and occurs every year the week before Thanksgiving.
The first event took place on Saturday, November 13, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Trinity Lutheran Church. Stevens students volunteered to cook and serve dinner to those in Hoboken experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
The second event took place on Wednesday, November 17, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the second floor of the UCC. Students made sandwiches for the Hoboken Shelter, a local organization that provides help to Hoboken’s homeless population in a variety of ways, from serving them hot meals every day to helping them find new homes.
Finally, the third event, the Hunger and Homelessness Resource Fair, took place on Saturday, November 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the UCC lobby. The purpose of this event was to connect Stevens students with local Hoboken organizations centered around combating food insecurity, homelessness, and housing instability. Students attending the event could walk around, talk to representatives of the organizations present, learn about food insecurity statistics, and complete a mini-service activity.
