Hastings College students will have the opportunity to make a difference during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 12-17, through a variety of events.
The 2010 Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week schedule of events includes the following. Community members are invited to participate in all events.
 
Friday, Nov. 12
Supporting Kids Against Hunger – a non-profit feeding children around the world
Lines for packaging food to be set up in Hazelrigg Student Union from 3 to 7 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 15
Hunger Banquet – 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hazelrigg Student Union, Rooms A and B
Community members are invited to join students, staff and faculty members in a Hunger Banquet from 6-8 pm in the Hazelrigg Student Union. Sodexo, the Hastings College food service, is donating food for the event. No cost to attendees. Sign-up by Wednesday, Nov. 10 by contacting Jean Heriot at jheriot@hastings.edu (or 402-461-7770) or Elyse Appelgate at eappelgate@hastings.edu.

Guests draw tickets at random that assign them each to either a high-, middle-, or low-income tier and receive a corresponding meal. Guests can also assume characterizations that describe the situation of a specific person at the income level to which they've been assigned. Finally, all guests are invited to share their thoughts after the meal. After an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet event, few participants leave with full stomachs, but all possess a greater understanding of the problems of hunger and poverty and will hopefully be motivated to do something about them.

Wednesday, Nov. 17
Chapel Worship Service, 10 a.m., French Memorial Chapel
Pastor Renee Johnson, Kids Against Hunger, will preach

Wednesday, Nov. 17
Supporting the Open Table—a non-profit feeding the hungry in Hastings
Sandwich Assembly and Sack Packing – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Hazelrigg Student Union Lobby for making sandwiches and bagging non-sandwich lunch items for 1,200 sack lunches

Advocacy—Addressing Hunger and Homelessness by Writing Letters to Policy Makers
Letter Writing for Policy Changes—at the Hunger Banquet, Open Table and Kids Against Hunger. Bread for the World campaign information on current issues local and global

Trayless Cafeteria – With the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC)
Students will be encouraged to stop using trays in the Sodexo Dining Hall to conserve water and avoid excess food waste

Keep Everyone Warm
Make Fleece Blankets and Scarves – supplies are provided for making blankets and scarves for the homeless at the Kids Against Hunger, Hunger Banquet and Open Table events. Help your neighbors stay warm. 

Hastings College was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the exemplary volunteerism of its students for the third year in a row, this year with distinction. Last year, students volunteered over 22,000 hours through service learning classes, extra-curricular service activities and campus organizations. In the last six years, HC students have logged over 117,000 volunteer hours.

Hastings College, founded in 1882, is a private, four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). A total of 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs are offered to more than 1,190 students. Hastings College was named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review, and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Visit www.hastings.edu for more information.

For more information on any of these events, please contact Jean Heriot at jheriot@hastings.edu (or 402-461-7770) or Elyse Appelgate at eappelgate@hastings.edu.