November 13th-21st
What is it?
Every year, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness sponsors the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. During this week, agencies and organizations across the country come together to promote awareness of and take action against hunger and homelessness across the world, nationally, and locally. The aim is three-fold: to educate, volunteer, and donate.
What are the facts?
37.2 million Americans live below the poverty line according to the U.S. Census . Additionally, many argue that this number does not capture the millions more that are just above this line but still cannot pay for basic necessities including food, housing, child care, transportation, healthcare, etc. According to the Point-In-Time count completed by the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development in January of 2020, there were 580,466 homeless individuals in America, 226,080 of which were not sheltered. More information on homelessness in the U.S. can be found here. In Virginia, it is estimated that 1 in 11 people (or 799,620 total) are facing hunger – Feeding America. Additionally, as of January 2020, 5,957 individuals are experiencing homelessness on a given day in our state.
Why is it important to Bacon Street?
Bacon Street’s mission is to create healthier families and more resilient youth through evidence-based behavioral health and substance use services for adolescents, young adults, and their families. We believe that in order for a person/family to reach their full potential, their physiological and safety needs (food, water, shelter, clothing) must be met. No one should have to worry about not having food to eat or a place to sleep.
Here at Bacon Street, we work with various community partners that share our goal of combating homelessness and hunger together. At our day center in Hampton, clients have access to food, computers, laundry machines, and showers. We work hard to help our clients locate and obtain any resources that we cannot provide.
We are here to support the individuals and families that are experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in our community.
Keep reading for ways to partner with us and to get involved in Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week!
Ways to get involved
Donate
There are many organizations that work to fight against hunger and homelessness that stand in need of donations, especially around this time. Just a few organizations include:
National Coalition for the Homeless
Volunteer
You can also donate your time and volunteer. Many shelters and food banks will need more volunteers for the season.
Services (theezerinitiative.com)
Host a local Awareness Week
If you want to get more involved, register and host a local awareness week with your church, school, or community group. Register with Hunger and Homeless Awareness, and create your own events to shine a light on these issues.
Reference:
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. (2018). Hunger & homelessness. https://hhweek.org/hunger-and-homelessness/