2008 Woodie Awards
Hunger, homelessness week comes to ISU
Stephanie Lyons
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: News
Redbird Awareness will bring hunger and homelessness to light on ISU's campus throughout this week in dedication of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week to show students they can make a difference.
"It's an issue that has pretty much plagued the world. We are trying to start somewhere, and we feel like doing a whole week will get it out there and start bringing about awareness to the students," Isamari Mandujano, Redbird awareness committee chair, said. On Tuesday, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is going to speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Old Main Room of the Bone Student Center. "Our goal is to prevent and end homelessness. So we go for the big wins in terms of trying to get the state of Illinois to address the problem adequately by increasing funding for affordable housing," Michael Nameche, director of development for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, said. Wednesday will bring the Social Justice Movie series to Capen Auditorium at 7 p.m.
"We're going to show Children Underground, which are children that are homeless. Just following their experience," Mandujano said.
Local agencies will speak Thursday on possible solutions to the hunger and homelessness problems in the community. The agencies will speak in Schroeder 242 at 7 p.m.
On Friday, a hunger banquet will take place at 6 p.m. in room 375 of the Student Services Building.
"It's like hierarchy. We're going to have whoever is there split up into sections where there is a high class system, a middle class and a low class. It is done to show a little bit more about hunger in the world," Mandujano said.
On any given night there are 100 homeless staying in shelters in the Bloomington/Normal area.
"There are a wide variety of reasons why people become homeless. Lots of women and children we are seeing right now are becoming homeless because of domestic abuse situations, not being able to pay rent because of job loss or loss of second income," Sabrina Burkiewicz, marketing and public relations specialist for Home Sweet Home Ministries, said.
Burkiewicz said students should attend events during the week because they are part of the community.
"This is really a special time in their lives, and if they can come out, get involved and support their local community their lives are going to be opened and their horizons are going to be broadened," Burkiewicz said.
Besides attending the events of the week, students can take part in other activities to support the cause.
"Students go out to the local places and work in shelters, but you can start by donating food. If you don't know what you can do this is a perfect opportunity to find out about these places because you learn more about what you can do here in the community," Mandujano said.
All events throughout the week are open and free to all students.
Redbird Awareness is one of the committees under the University Program Board.
"It's an issue that has pretty much plagued the world. We are trying to start somewhere, and we feel like doing a whole week will get it out there and start bringing about awareness to the students," Isamari Mandujano, Redbird awareness committee chair, said. On Tuesday, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is going to speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Old Main Room of the Bone Student Center. "Our goal is to prevent and end homelessness. So we go for the big wins in terms of trying to get the state of Illinois to address the problem adequately by increasing funding for affordable housing," Michael Nameche, director of development for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, said. Wednesday will bring the Social Justice Movie series to Capen Auditorium at 7 p.m.
"We're going to show Children Underground, which are children that are homeless. Just following their experience," Mandujano said.
Local agencies will speak Thursday on possible solutions to the hunger and homelessness problems in the community. The agencies will speak in Schroeder 242 at 7 p.m.
On Friday, a hunger banquet will take place at 6 p.m. in room 375 of the Student Services Building.
"It's like hierarchy. We're going to have whoever is there split up into sections where there is a high class system, a middle class and a low class. It is done to show a little bit more about hunger in the world," Mandujano said.
On any given night there are 100 homeless staying in shelters in the Bloomington/Normal area.
"There are a wide variety of reasons why people become homeless. Lots of women and children we are seeing right now are becoming homeless because of domestic abuse situations, not being able to pay rent because of job loss or loss of second income," Sabrina Burkiewicz, marketing and public relations specialist for Home Sweet Home Ministries, said.
Burkiewicz said students should attend events during the week because they are part of the community.
"This is really a special time in their lives, and if they can come out, get involved and support their local community their lives are going to be opened and their horizons are going to be broadened," Burkiewicz said.
Besides attending the events of the week, students can take part in other activities to support the cause.
"Students go out to the local places and work in shelters, but you can start by donating food. If you don't know what you can do this is a perfect opportunity to find out about these places because you learn more about what you can do here in the community," Mandujano said.
All events throughout the week are open and free to all students.
Redbird Awareness is one of the committees under the University Program Board.
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