Spring 2009 - Hunger and Homelessness
Welcome to the CCEL Spotlight for Spring 2009! Here you'll find information on upcoming events and volunteer opportunties that tie into our specific theme. This spring, CCEL will be focusing on the issues of hunger and homelessness, and how they affect our nation and the Cleveland community. There's no better time than now to get informed and involved — break out of the campus bubble and be a part of making your community a better place to live!
Events
Habitat for Humanity: Raising Awareness
Beginning April 6, the local CWRU chapter of Habitat of Humanity will sponsor a variety of events in order to raise awareness about homelessness and inadequate housing both in Cleveland and around the world. Events include:
- Monday, April 6 - Habitat Fundraiser at the Village 115 Starbucks. Fifty percent of the profit over normal sales will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
- Wednesday, April 8 - The Homeless Home Movie will be shown, which documents the lives of five different homeless individuals. The move begins at 7 p.m. in 108 Clapp Hall.
- Thursday, April 9 - Representatives from the Greater Cleveland Habitat from Humanity as well as partner families will discuss Habitat's mission and initiatives. The discussion will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in 356 Sears Building.
StreetVoices: Community Panel on Homelessness
Join CCEL on Thursday, February 26 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Spartan Room. Representatives from the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless will talk about the state of homelessness in Cleveland. You'll hear the success stories of formerly homeless individuals and discover ways to get involved and make a difference.
18th Annual Homeless Stand Down
The Homeless Stand Down (HSD) is a mid-winter retreat for those facing the challenges of poverty and homelessness. Guests relax to entertainment and enjoy hot, nutritious meals. They can escape from the elements, converse with guests and hosts in a comforting environment, receive haircuts, massages, and health screenings, and receive necessary personal hygiene products, bus passes, and winter clothing. The 2009 HSD dates and locations are as follows:
- Saturday, January 31 at the Pilgrim Congregational UCC (2592 W. 14th St.)
- Friday, February 6 at the Cleveland Convention Center (500 Lakeside Ave.)
- Monday, February 16 at Trinity Commons (2254 Euclid Ave.)
A mandatory training for CWRU volunteers will take place at The Spot on Monday, January 26 from 8 to 10 p.m. For more information on donations and volunteer opportunities, please contact Nicole Varnerin.
Hunger and Homelessness in America
What Does Hunger in America Look Like?
"Very simply, hunger is defined as the uneasy or painful sensation caused by lack of food. When we talk about hunger in America, we refer to the ability of people to obtain sufficient food for their household. Some people may find themselves skipping meals or cutting back on the quality or quantity of food they purchase at the stores. This recurring and involuntary lack of access to food can lead to malnutrition over time." -- The Food Research and Action Center, 2008
Why Are People Homeless?
The answer can be attributed to a growing shortage of affordable housing combined with an increase in poverty due to eroding work opportunities and declines in public assistance. Other factors include lack of affordable health care, domestic violence, mental illness and addiction disorders.
Did You Know?
- Food insecurity refers to households that do not have dependable access to enough food to sustain a healthy life. More than 35 million Americans don't have dependable, consistent access to food due to limited money and resources.
- One in eight Americans does not have enough access to food.
- Hunger issues do not just affect the unemployed and/or homeless. Thirty-six percent of individuals struggling with hunger have at least one working adult in their household.
- Twelve million American children live in food-insecure households. Lack of adequate nutrition not only affects a child's physical growth, but also his or her cognitive and behavioral development. School lunch programs may help, but do not cover the scope of the problem.
- Children who do not receive enough to eat at home are more likely to experience irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating at school than some of their peers.
- In 2003, children under the age of 18 accounted for 39 percent of the homeless population. Of that figure, 42 percent were children under the age of five.
- Approximately 16 percent of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). Forty percent of homeless men have served in the armed forces.
- The federal definition of affordable housing is 30 percent of an individual's income. In the median state, a minimum-wage worker would have to work 89 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at this rate (National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2001).
Sources: National Coalition for the Homeless, Feeding America
How You Can Help In Cleveland
February Spotlight Organizations
- The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by empowering homeless and at-risk men, women, and children. NEOCH accomplishes this mission through public education, advocacy, and the creation of welcoming and nurturing environments.
- The goal of the Campus Health and Hunger Outreach Workforce (CHOW) is to promote healthy living throughout the Cleveland area and raise health awareness at Case. Throughout the semester, CHOW sponsors a "Grab It & Give It" program on Fridays from 11:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Sears Building. CHOW delivers donated food items to the local shelters in the Cleveland area. For more information, contact Charu Waghulde.
January Spotlight Organizations
- The Cleveland Foodbank provides food and support to community organizations that feed the hungry. They are always accepting volunteers to help sort, prepare, box, and repack food that is later distributed to local food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.
- The HungerNetwork of Greater Cleveland notes that 58,000 people per month receive emergency food at one of their hunger centers or hot meal programs — that is 15,000 more people than the capacity of Progressive Field!
- CWRU students work hard to maintain a wonderful Habitat for Humanity campus chapter. On Saturday mornings, participants travel to various sites around Cleveland to construct houses for those in need. They even travel south for an Alternative Spring Break to build houses in other states. For more information, contact Marcie Aydelotte, President.