Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week - Nov 11-18
Photo by Julia M Cameron
Learn:
The week before Thanksgiving - a time when many of us are surrounded by the warmth and comfort of family, food, and fellowship - is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, a national campaign to “…educate the public, draw attention to the problem of poverty, and build up the base of volunteers and supporters for local anti-poverty agencies.” (USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture)
This week, across the country, schools, towns, municipalities and community organizations host events, activities, and programs to promote the relationships and shared work being done to combat hunger and homelessness, and to support those efforts by engaging volunteers and the community in active work to address those situations.
In Western North Carolina, many communities are grappling with a “perfect storm” of a high cost of living compounded by a severe housing crisis and economies largely dependent on lower-wage, seasonal service industry jobs catering to tourism and outdoor recreation. These conditions increase the risk for both food and housing insecurity among WNC residents.
But WNC is also rich in vibrant, creative community service organizations, programs, initiatives, and other resources aimed at addressing these and other social determinant of health issues, many of whom will be spending this week getting the word out about hunger and homelessness and inviting the community to join together in a united effort to address those issues.
Act:
Want to learn more, or find out what’s happening in your area? Check out the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week website for resources and local information. Other places to find activities focused on these twin issues include your county’s and city’s websites, local churches, universities and community organizations.
Engage:
Here are just a few of the programs and activities and policy work going on in this region:
Haywood Street H&HAW Event Schedule (Asheville area)
