2008 Woodie Awards
Public research group raises awareness of homeless
By: U- WIRE
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: Campus
STORRS, Conn. - Students will experience what it's like to live on welfare by participating in UConn's first annual Food Stamp Challenge. The challenge is sponsored by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) as part of their Hunger and Homelessness campaign.
Nineteen people, including Barry Feldman, UConn vice president and chief operating officer, have signed up for the challenge, which will take place from March 30 to April 4. Participants will live off $4 a day during the six-day period. On March 29, the group will go to buy their food for the week.
PIRG hopes the challenge will increase students' awareness of the issue of hunger and homelessness.
"In 2007 alone, the Connecticut food stamps program served nearly 200,000 individuals," said Kathryn Post, a 4th-semester psychology and human development and faimly studies major, who is one of the co-coordinators of the campaign. "Those are really shocking numbers, but many people don't think twice about it because they aren't exposed to those problems on campus. So many of us have meal plans and have access to the dining halls all day long and we could eat all day if we wanted to, or if we could stomach it."
"I think it is going to be similar to the sleep out," said Chad Engle, an 8th-semester chemistry major participating in the challenge, in reference to an event that PIRG sponsors to raise awareness for the homeless. "I think it will be just as challenging and just as eye-opening," he said.
Engle, who has participated in numerous different campaign events, feels that PIRG has been very successful in educating and advocating about the issues of hunger and homelessness.
"One reason why people join PIRG is that instead of talking about an issue they want to make a change," he said. "I found personally the more you get out there and tell people about it, the more they'll want to do about it."
A few weeks ago, Engle and Post traveled to the state capital to lobby for a policy supporting the funding of 650 new supportive housing units in Connecticut. The policy, if approved, will increase Gov. Jodi M. Rell's proposal of 150 housing units. PIRG has also organized a conference entitled "Hungry for Change: CT Symposium on Hunger and Homelessness" to be held on Sat. April 5 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Merlin Bishop Center. According to PIRG's website, the conference will "work to raise awareness of the current and growing issues of hunger and homelessness in Connecticut and beyond."
Nineteen people, including Barry Feldman, UConn vice president and chief operating officer, have signed up for the challenge, which will take place from March 30 to April 4. Participants will live off $4 a day during the six-day period. On March 29, the group will go to buy their food for the week.
PIRG hopes the challenge will increase students' awareness of the issue of hunger and homelessness.
"In 2007 alone, the Connecticut food stamps program served nearly 200,000 individuals," said Kathryn Post, a 4th-semester psychology and human development and faimly studies major, who is one of the co-coordinators of the campaign. "Those are really shocking numbers, but many people don't think twice about it because they aren't exposed to those problems on campus. So many of us have meal plans and have access to the dining halls all day long and we could eat all day if we wanted to, or if we could stomach it."
"I think it is going to be similar to the sleep out," said Chad Engle, an 8th-semester chemistry major participating in the challenge, in reference to an event that PIRG sponsors to raise awareness for the homeless. "I think it will be just as challenging and just as eye-opening," he said.
Engle, who has participated in numerous different campaign events, feels that PIRG has been very successful in educating and advocating about the issues of hunger and homelessness.
"One reason why people join PIRG is that instead of talking about an issue they want to make a change," he said. "I found personally the more you get out there and tell people about it, the more they'll want to do about it."
A few weeks ago, Engle and Post traveled to the state capital to lobby for a policy supporting the funding of 650 new supportive housing units in Connecticut. The policy, if approved, will increase Gov. Jodi M. Rell's proposal of 150 housing units. PIRG has also organized a conference entitled "Hungry for Change: CT Symposium on Hunger and Homelessness" to be held on Sat. April 5 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Merlin Bishop Center. According to PIRG's website, the conference will "work to raise awareness of the current and growing issues of hunger and homelessness in Connecticut and beyond."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Jaymie Salevao
posted 5/07/08 @ 4:19 PM EST
I think this challenge is an amazing idea. It would help to let people know what homeless individuals are going through and that hunger is a bad thing. (Continued…)
Ian
posted 5/08/08 @ 5:37 PM EST
One week doesn't sound like much though. Why not a whole month?
marlene
posted 8/31/08 @ 4:39 PM EST
my name is Marlene I am homeless I don't want to be in this predicament and would take any job in connecticut to help my family my husband is currently a full time student trying his hardest to work and go to school getting any kind of help is near impossible in connecticut unless you are some kind of addict where is the hope in that a fire really threw us of balance and then job loss wrecked everything
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