Join UMass students in their fight against hunger and homelessness! It’s crazy, but even though we're the richest country in the world, over 38 million Americans are at risk of experiencing hunger each year. Budget cuts are slashing many important programs, and more people are finding themselves on the streets. The Hunger & Homelessness Campaign is working to make improvements by volunteering at area shelters and soup kitchens, educating people about the issue, and lobbying decision makers to increase funding and expand important anti-hunger monitoring, and environmental education.

The Problem: Hunger and Homelessness Today

As students face a world filled with global conflict, disappearing jobs, skyrocketing education costs, and increasing poverty, action is more crucial now than ever. Just last year, the national poverty rate rose to include 37.2 million Americans, which is a startling 12.7 % of the population. More than 38 million people live in households that are food insecure in the United States, while 3.5 million people are forced to sleep under bridges, or in parks, shelters and cars.

This isn’t happening in an under-developed country – it is happening in the United States, the wealthiest nation in the world. It is happening in a country where two major hurricanes have destroyed the Gulf region and created a new population experiencing homelessness and where the federal government has recently voted to cut billions of dollars from domestic programs that benefit those experiencing poverty. These cuts will further leave food pantries and homeless shelters struggling to meet the increasing needs. Student volunteer power, funds, and food donations are desperately needed to meet the urgent needs of our communities nationwide.

What you can do to fight hunger and homelessness?

Join the Hunger Cleanup! The Hunger Cleanup Helps People Experiencing Hunger and

Homelessness. In addition to providing valuable volunteer power and resources for important local programs, fundraising enables your group to have a long-term impact on the lives of people in need. Funds raised through both hourly sponsorship and contributions from local businesses provide immediate relief and support long- term efforts to end hunger and homelessness. The Hunger Cleanup also: Educates participants and contributors about the problems of hunger and homelessness, completes needed projects in your community, involves students and neighborhood residents in joint action to improve communities, encourages continued community service participation by volunteers, builds and strengthens school and community relationships for future efforts and develops stronger student leaders and recruits new volunteers.

VOLUNTEER AT A SOUP KITCHEN: Soup kitchens and shelters in the Amherst area could use your help. Most shelters and food pantries are volunteer run and therefore extremely understaffed. With the help of student volunteers these kitchens are much better off. Even a few hours of your time can be extremely valuable to shelters around the area. Volunteer for an afternoon and help these volunteers serve food, sort clothes and make a difference in hundreds of lives!

HUNGER PANEL: People from local shelters will come to speak with Umass students. Survivors of Homelessness, professors and state representatives will have an open discussion with students on the problem of hunger and homelessness in our community. Speak on change to make a change. Come join us in the Campus Center room 165 at 7pm on May 2nd!

SKIP A MEAL FOR OXFAM: UMass Dining Services in conjunction with MassPIRG at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will be holding their annual “Skip-A-Meal” program as a part of the National Hunger Clean Up – a drive to raise money and volunteers for hunger and homelessness organizations and shelters locally and globally.On April 26, 2007 students who signed up and do not eat in the Dining Commons between 5-8 pm will have the cost of that meal donated to Oxfam. MassPIRG will be at the Dining Commons Tuesday, April 24th from 5-7:30pm to sign up students. Students must sign up during that time in order for the money from their skipped meal to be donated.

THE ANNUAL HUNGER CLEANUP: This year is the 23rd annual Hunger Cleanup. Volunteer for a day and raise funds to feed the world tomorrow. This year Umass students will be taking the food kitchens and shelters with a fury. Up to a hundred students will be helping shelters paint walls, serve food, organize materials and more. In addition you can raise fund by being sponsored as you do it! You and your friends can form a team and enter in the cleanup to make a difference today.

DATE AUCTION: Very attractive women and men putting themselves out there for the taking! Auction on them and win a date! Over 20 students ready to be bid on! Bring your friends - some are being auctioned off for as double dates. Help support MassPIRG's hunger and homelessness campaign. And specifically the hunger cleanup on April 14th - if you are looking to volunteer with us register at hungercleanup.org! Invite your friends to the event!

Get Involved! Come to our meetings in the Blue Wall every Wednesday at 8pm. Contact: itstiff@gmail.com