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National
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
:
November
12-18, 2004
Every
year during the first full week before Thanksgiving, the National
Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against
Hunger & Homelessness co-sponsor National Hunger and Homelessness
Awareness Week. The week is designated as a time for local communities
around the country to engage in awareness-raising events. National
activities include the Great American Sleep Out, an evening spent
on the streets to call attention to the reality of homelessness
in this nation. This year the Great American Sleep Out will be held
on Wednesday, November 15. In the past, local groups have participated
in a variety of activities.
Suggested activities:
Conducting educational
forums on homelessness. Forums can feature speakers who are or were
homeless, videos on homelessness, and educational materials such
as reports and fact sheets.
Inviting elected
officials, along with media representatives, to take a tour of shelters.
Businesses can
encourage employees to abstain from lunch for one day and collectively
donate the money to a local hunger organization.
Joining Oxfam America's Annual Fast for the Hungry on Thursday,
November 16. For more information, call Oxfam America at 1-800-597-FAST
or at oxfamfast@igc.apc.org.
Conducting drives
for food, clothing, blankets, or books and toys for homeless children.
Registering
homeless people to vote.
Organizing fundraisers-
a bike or walkathon, yard sale, etc., and donating the proceeds
to an organization helping homeless people.
Sponsoring a
benefit concert featuring local musicians.
Setting up homelessness
information tables in shopping malls, central business locations,
libraries, churches, and schools.
Organizing as
many churches and synagogues to discuss homelessness during this
week.
Cities may release
official proclamations declaring this week Hunger and Homelessness
Awareness Week.
There are many
other activities communities can engage in to focus public attention
on homelessness and poverty. For more information on this year's
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, please contact:
Michael
Stoops
National Coalition for the Homeless
1612 K Street, NW #1004
Washington, DC 20006
202-775-1322
info@nationalhomeless.org
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