KATE SCHWARTZ
Staff Writer
This week, the Pepperdine Volunteer Center supports the National Hunger and Homelessness week by providing Pepperdine students with numerous opportunities to get involved.
National Hunger and Homelessness week will includes of more than 500 other participants outside the Pepperdine community. The week started last Sunday and will until this Sunday, Nov. 18.
“The university’s goal is to bring students closer to the realities of abject poverty and to cultivate an understanding of the challenges faced by more than 80,000 homeless men, women, and children in Los Angeles,” according to a Pepperdine News and Relations press release.
In addition to the shocking statistic of the amount of homeless individuals, about one in three children in the Los Angeles County live below the poverty line. PVC officials say they hope to expose students to the reality of this crisis.
Sophomore Alli Davis agrees with the motives of Hunger and Homelessness week.
“I always see homeless people walking around Malibu and Santa Monica, so it’s not like it is a distant problem,” she said. “I think that it’s great that Pepperdine is starting to get involved with it.”
The Hunger and Homelessness week includes convocations and various opportunities for the Pepperdine community to become directly involved. On Monday there was a Convocation that took place in Stauffer Chapel that featured a panel consisting of two guest speakers who were previously homeless on the streets of Los Angeles but now are employed at the Midnight Mission.
“It was great to get a first hand insight on the horrors of homelessness from people who really knew what they were talking about,” freshman John Faratzis said.
There was also a documentary shown of a homeless community in Penn Station in New York for many years. It followed their journey from homelessness to housing.
On Tuesday, there was an opportunity for Pepperdine students to serve as volunteer escorts for low income children. They accompanied the children as they went on a $100 shopping spree at the Salvation Army for clothes and other various necessities.
On Wednesday night, the Midnight Mission in Los Angeles gave Pepperdine the opportunity to serve dinner to the homeless on Skid Row.
In the Caf, various organizations including sororities, fraternities and clubs have constructed Lego houses that will be judged by the Pepperdine community. Students can vote for the “Ultimate Lego House” by making change donations to local non-profit organizations that aid the homeless in the neighboring communities.
Extra meal points can also be donated in the cafeteria to provide food to individuals on Skid Row.
In each residence hall, the Caf, and throughout campus there will be boxes in which the Pepperdine students, faculty, staff and even Malibu residents can donate articles of clothing and blankets that will then be donated to homeless individuals in the Los Angeles area.
There are also two meal services that the Pepperdine community can take part in. The meal services will take place at the Los Angeles Missions. Habitat for Humanity also took place on Wednesday and will continue Saturday. This program provides a home to a low-income family who would most likely be homeless otherwise.
Also on Saturday, students can assist the Union Rescue Mission in preparing their Thanksgiving meal, which will be freely given to more 3,000 people during the upcoming holiday season.
Freshman Mark Coffey enjoyed the Hunger and Homeless Week.
“The Volunteer Center did a really good job of making it easy to get involved,” he said. “I can really tell that Pepperdine made a difference this week.”
11-16-2006
