The Meelia Center for Community Engagement leads the Saint Anselm College community in a week dedicated to the causes of hunger and homelessness. From Nov. 14-18, these annual events intend to engage students, faculty, staff, and the monastic community in a dialogue not only about the existence of hunger and homelessness in our surrounding area, but also the national social issues by which they are perpetuated.

The events of the week are student-led. Student coordinator Erin Clapp ’17 hopes that Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week brings people together to open their eyes to these issues. She says, “The Meelia Center aims to encourage participation at these events throughout the week to enhance awareness about these issues on campus. I think this week is very important to become properly informed so we can better serve our communities.”

The week’s events began on Monday, Nov. 14, when a group of students served dinner at New Horizons for New Hampshire, Inc. New Horizons is a source of food and shelter to the surrounding Manchester community who cannot provide these resources to themselves.

On Tuesday, Julia Rayberg, CEO of Worthy Village Inc., discussed how she started her nonprofit organization when she was in college. After she served the poor and homeless in Guatemala, she realized she would not be able to leave without making a change.

Worthy Village provides impoverished women and children of Guatemala with a better quality of life. Not only does the organization assist this population’s immediate need, but also teaches them to create crafts to sell, creating economic opportunity in a location where it is sparse. She encouraged students at Saint Anselm to use their age as an asset, not a setback, and to continue to fight for social justice in the world.

Students were invited to the Oxfam Hunger Banquet at the NHIOP on Wednesday, Nov. 16 to engage in a dialogue about hunger and homelessness at a grander scale. Oxfam America is a global organization that works with people of over 90 countries to create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and homelessness. The Multicultural Center, Office of Campus Ministry, and the International Relations Club sponsored this interactive dinner with the Meelia Center, simulating the struggles that different social classes face in their day to day life.

Campus Ministry will host a Food Recovery program on Nov. 17, training others how to salvage food from Davison to feed the hungry in Manchester. Later that evening, there will be an interactive panel discussion featuring speakers who have experienced hunger and homelessness firsthand. The night ends with the “Sleep Out.” Annually, students will sleep overnight in makeshift shelters on the Alumni quad, rain or shine, to spread awareness and be in solidarity with others for whom this is a reality.

The week closes with the “Feed a Friend” program on Nov. 18, where students can purchase and share a meal with a local child in Davison Hall. In addition, the Meelia Center is accepting donations to provide basic items such as toiletries and nonperishable food to those in need.

The purpose of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week is to share experiences that will call others to action. If you are interested in volunteering for the Meelia Center or working to end hunger and homelessness in your community, reach out to Erin Clapp at [email protected].