With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s the time of year to take a second and think about the things we are thankful for. Every year on the week before Thanksgiving, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness hosts “Homelessness and Hunger Week,” this year lasting from November 14 to November 22.
Their aim is to bring communities and schools together to battle the root causes of homelessness. This year’s focus is on the local laws that prevent people battling with homelessness from being able to get back on their feet.
The theme of this year’s Homelessness and Hunger Week is anti-criminalization. Recently, cities across the United States have started banning food from being shared in public. Just a year ago, a 90-year-old World War II veteran in Fort Lauderdale, Florida was cited by the police for running a nonprofit group that gives out food at a city park. After his second citation a few days later, he was faced with 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.
In a report done last year by Michael Stoops of the National Coalition for the Homeless, 57 cities have attempted to restrict, ban or relocate food-sharing, with Dayton, Ohio being one of those cities.
The report went into detail about the other various cities’ restrictions, but Dayton’s research was left out of the report. More details about how to receive updates on criminalization can be received through the National Coalition for the Homeless’ website, www.nationalhomeless.org.
If the community wants to contribute this year, the National Coalition for the Homeless website has a manual with a list of ideas on how people can support the cause. The biggest way to participate is to host a local event. People can find local events through their website, and the nearest one seems to be located in Cincinnati, OH.
Other ways to pitch-in without having to organize a large event would be to simply donate to the NCH, the National Coalition for the Homeless, or a local shelter—this doesn’t mean you have to pull out your wallet and make a hefty donation.
Arranging a walk or run, or something like a bowling event can pull in money, while still having a good time and making a difference. The manual also suggests designating one day as a fasting day and donating the money you would have spent on lunch to a local shelter.
Regardless of how society chooses to participate, people can show support by using the hashtag #H&Hweek. This gives people the opportunity to see others across the nation showing their ways of supporting the cause.
More ideas can also be found at www.studentsagainsthunger.org, which is the website of the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness and provides ideas that are more geared toward college campuses.
So this year, as people begin to prep for Thanksgiving, take a second to think about those who are less fortunate and struggling with their current situation. Something as simple as skipping a lunch and donating the money to your local shelter may sound small, but can make a difference and could possibly make someone’s Thanksgiving that much better.
Nick Felts
Staff Writer