Giving Back Before Giving Thanks

Nat’l Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week

by EMMA GABBERT, CSU Public Relations Assistant

Unless we have to, many would not choose to sleep in their cars. However, many people in the surrounding Mankato community don’t have a choice.

National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week (NHHAW) is recognized as the week before Thanksgiving – this year the week of Nov. 18 through Nov. 22.

Throughout the week, several Minnesota State University, Mankato programs have created events and activities for the campus community to experience the struggle of homelessness and hunger.

Alex Trewatha, the graduate advisor for the Community Engagement Office at Minnesota State University, Mankato, shares the overall purpose of shining a light on hunger and homeless in our community.

‘The main goal is to bring awareness to those populations that suffer from homelessness and hunger on a daily basis.’

– Alex Trewatha, Graduate Advisor for the Community Engagement Office

These events are sponsored by a partnership between the Community Engagement office, Fraternity and Sorority Life and Mavs in Action.

A list of the events include:

Monday, Nov. 18 to Friday, Nov. 22 – Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) Food Drive: multiple boxes will be placed across campus for students to donate non-perishable food items that will be given to the Campus Cupboard Project at Crossroads Church.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 4 to 5:30 p.m. – Food Fight: this event teaches students how to discuss controversial political subjects during Thanksgiving dinner. More information is available here. http://blog.mnsu.edu/csu/?p=3672

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m. – The Public: the Community Engagement office will be hosting a film screening called “The Public” in Taylor Center Room 80. This film focuses on the homeless population and their effort to find housing during the winter months, leading to the takeover of a library in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Friday, Nov. 22, 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. – The Sleep Out: the week will conclude with an event called “The Sleep Out”. The night will begin with three speakers and their connection to the homeless population and end in the morning after “the sleep out.” “The Sleep Out” consists of the community sleeping in their vehicles to experience the reality the homeless population faces every day.

The Community Engagement office will be accepting cash donations in addition to food donations for the food drive.

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