Hunger and Homelessness Week Features Grate American Sleep Out on UA Quad

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Community Service Center will sponsor Hunger and Homelessness Week Feb. 20-24 to raise awareness to the issues of hunger and homelessness that face people in Tuscaloosa, the United States and around the world.

Some 40,000 children under age 5 die every day from hunger and preventable diseases — that’s 24 children a minute, equal to three 747s crashing every hour of every day all year long, according to organizers of the week.

All students are invited to participate in events that include:

• There will be a personal hygiene item collection drive Tuesday through Friday and students can bring personal hygiene items to 355 Ferguson or the donation table in Ferguson Center. The items will be donated to the local Temporary Emergency Services.
• Monday, Feb. 20 — A hunger banquet will be held from 6-8 p.m. in Ferguson Center Food Court. Each guest is randomly assigned a role. One third of the people get a role in the high-income group; these people sit at a table and enjoy a three-course meal. One third of the people get a role in the middle-income group; they sit in chairs and eat sandwiches and chips, and one third of the attendees sit on the floor and receive only rice and water. They are the low-income group, and for one meal, they suffer the fate of the millions of people throughout the world who live in poverty. The event is free and all students are invited to attend.
• Tuesday, Feb. 21 — Students will cook and serve dinner at the Salvation Army of Tuscaloosa located at 2902 Greensboro Ave from 5-7 p.m. Volunteers will learn more about the issue of homelessness that faces the Tuscaloosa. Interested volunteers can meet at the CSC in 355 Ferguson Center at 4:40 p.m. or meet at the Salvation Army at 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 22, the CSC will sponsor “Bread for the World Letter Writing Campaign” in 355 Ferguson and at a collection table on Ferguson second floor from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Students are invited to drop in and sign or write a letter in support of hunger-fighting legislation to Alabama congressman and senators. Refreshments will be provided.
• Thursday, Feb. 23, students will deliver meals to local citizens with Meals on Wheels from 11 a.m. – noon. Volunteers can meet at the CSC at 10:45 a.m. or at 601 17th St. at 11 a.m.
• The week will culminate with the Grate America Sleep Out on the UA Quad from 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 to 6 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24. The Sleep Out raises awareness about the homeless by having students sleep outside overnight. The evening will begin with the screening of a documentary on homelessness in Ferguson Center Forum followed by a speaker from West Alabama AIDS Outreach. Students will also put together personal hygiene baskets for Temporary Emergency Services from the donations collected throughout the week. The CSC will provide sleeping bags and snacks. Students can meet on the Quad at 8:30 p.m.
• Students are also encouraged to take part in the Oxfam America Collegiate Click Drive at www.povertyfighters.com. The click drive is a national competition among students and alumni across the country to generate the most charitable donations on behalf of their school by clicking every day on the www.povertyfighters.com front-page. With each click, donations are made across the world to help fund self-employment loans for the very poor. These “micro-loans” enable people in dire poverty across the globe, especially women, start small businesses so they and their families can permanently rise out of poverty. Every time you click, sponsors donate 25 cents.

For more information about Hunger and Homelessness week events contact the UA Community Service Center at 205/348-2865 or Megann Bates at mbates@sa.ua.edu.