Celebrating Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week
- Cory Rhinesmith
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Each year, GRACE celebrates Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (HHAW). But what exactly is HHAW?
Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week is a nationwide effort to bring community members together to bring attention to both homelessness and hunger in our communities. Each year, HHAW takes place the week before Thanksgiving. This year, it takes place from November 16th through November 22nd.
Fifty years ago, HHAW began as a student-led initiative to highlight the challenges faced by folks with inadequate access to food or shelter. Fifty years later, we can see how the movement has grown nationally over the decades.
During HHAW, GRACE is joining over 700 community organizations working to support people experiencing homelessness in any way they can. The goal is simple, yet incredibly powerful, focusing on:
Educating the public about the causes of housing instability, food insecurity, and poverty
Encouraging fellow community members to take action towards ending homelessness and showing compassion to their neighbors in need
Inspiring action through volunteer, advocacy initiatives, and support of local homeless shelters, just like GRACE, as well as food programs
What are we specifically doing at GRACE to celebrate Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week? This week, we are raising awareness and sharing how we support our neighbors who experience homelessness or a lack of resources. GRACE is open 7 days a week, always ready to offer support to any adult who needs it.
Café 131, the free dining hall at GRACE, serves three meals during the week and two on weekends, providing hundreds of warm meals every single day. Each statistic about hunger and homelessness represents real people. Real people who are forced to face social stressors, which can lead to mental and emotional strain. On top of this, uncertainty as to where one may sleep on a given night, or where one will find their next meal, makes one’s purpose to survive, rather than live.
How can you help? At GRACE, we hold the power of community involvement close to our hearts. We know that we can’t end homelessness without the support of this generous community. Every meal we serve, every safe resting place we help someone find, and every act of kindness moves us closer to ending homelessness. HHAW reminds us that these challenges are not distant; they exist in our neighborhoods and impact the lives of our neighbors.
There are so many different ways to get involved and join our mission to end homelessness: make a monetary donation, host a drive with your business or group, serve a meal, and more! Click the button below to celebrate Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week by getting involved with GRACE!