In any given week, 207,700 Ohioans receive emergency food assistance and between 1,300 and 1,500 people are homeless each night in Cincinnati, according to the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks and the Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless.
These statistics paint a picture of suffering in the Oxford area.
Organizations around Miami University's campus have teamed up during Homecoming week to make Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week the most powerful, said Hailee Gibbons, a Service-Learning Ohio Campus Compact AmeriCorps* VISTA.
"We've always collaborated, but we wanted to work with Homecoming week to increase the effectiveness and impact of the programs," Gibbons said.
According to Gibbons, the Office of Community Engagement and Service is working with many campus organizations such as housing and dining, athletics, the English department, Nourish International, Lambda Chi Alpha, Program Board and Hillel.
"It's way bigger than last year," Gibbons said. "It has a lot of potential to educate students about hunger in the community, which is an issue everyone can do something about."
A weeklong project is Pledge-A-Meal, where students can donate $3.39 from their meal plans to three local charities; Oxford Community Choice Pantry, Serve City in Hamilton and the Freestore Food Bank in Cincinnati. 2009 marks Pledge-A-Meal's 10th anniversary, Gibbons said.
Students can either fill out a card at dining halls or visit http://www.muohio.edu/mycard to donate.
"Last year was the first year we surpassed our goal of 2008 pledges," Gibbons said. "This year we hope to reach 2009 pledges."
At Tailgate Town on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., students can donate food and necessities in bins outside Yager Stadium for National Make a Difference Day.
Keanah Smith, assistant athletic director, said the Miami athletics department is donating 16 bins.
"We're very glad to help and bring awareness to hunger and homelessness issues," Smith said.
Empty Bowls is another activity being held Saturday at the Oxford United Methodist Church. From 11a.m. to 1:30 p.m., volunteers will serve homemade soup in a ceramic bowl for $10, with all proceeds donated to the Oxford Community Choice Pantry. Attendees can keep the bowl.
Jamie Calobrisi, Miami's community partnerships coordinator, said two people who were formerly homeless talked to students Wednesday about how they became homeless and struggled to get their lives back at the Faces of Homelesness panel.
"We must see for ourselves to gain knowledge of what goes on in local communities," Calobrisi said.
