Salt Lake Community College will host “Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week,” which is part of national efforts to end hunger and homelessness. Students will be able to contribute by donating food in designated areas and participate in different activities during Nov. 18-22.
“These activities will help people to see these issues from a different perspective,” says Shelbie Boutwell, coordinator of the event.
The public presentation, “Food for Thought Lectures,” will be presented Nov. 19, from noon to 1 p.m., at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus Student Event Center. The presentation will also be given the same day from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at South City Campus.
The presentation will be about how students can get involved with helping those in need, and the importance to not dispel wrong ideas regarding what causes hunger and homelessness.
It will present the fact that hunger and homelessness is something that could affect any of us at some point in our lives. The goal of the presentation is to increase understanding of those social issues and show what tools and resources are available.
SLCC’s first food pantry, which will be providing food for students in need, will celebrate its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 20, from noon to1 p.m. in room 2-152 of South City Campus.
There will be a showing of the movie “The Blind Side” on Nov. 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Event Center of the Taylorsville Redwood Campus. Students can also help make blankets for those in need.
On Nov. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. the Oxfam American Hunger Banquet will be held at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus in the Student Events Center. Guests should bring five cans of food to donate or pay $5 for admission. A panel discussion will present information about hunger and homelessness issues that are affecting Utah.
Boutwell indicated that these activities, year after year, have made a positive impact in our community.
“We have seen that people [have] gained better understanding of these issues and have increased their appreciation for what they have,” Boutwell says.
The purpose of this event is to raise awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness and that by addressing these social issues it will encourage students and community to visualize practical ways to get organized and participate in bringing help to those in need.
