By Bobby Gibbons:
Last night, some brave Assumption College students withstood the elements and participated in Assumptions 6th annual “Sleep-out”. This was part of National Homelessness and Hunger week. This event was run by the Reach Out Center with the help of the Social Justice Ambassadors Club. Students gathered on the chapel lawn, and stayed there from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., in a night that included reflection and simulations of hunger and homelessness. Temperatures dropped as low as 20 degrees during the night!
Picture Courtesy: Assumption College @AssumptionNews
Assumption started off National Homelessness and Hunger week on Monday with their own version of a soup kitchen. Students who wished to partake were given a meal that is usually served at soup kitchens, which was a soup and a sandwich. This was followed up on Tuesday when people gathered and created some “hospitality bags” to be given out to people in need. Items in these bags included toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other necessities that many people might overlook. However the main event was last night, when students braved the weather to sleep outside on all night. Many people tweeted to show their support, and to wish everyone involved good luck.
This whole week is meant to bring people to awareness of the fact that there are many people in this world that are in need of help. Which is why it makes sense that this takes place the week before Thanksgiving. It gives people an understanding of what they should be thankful for, and gives people an outlook on what it means to truly be homeless.people a sense of compassion for those who are in need of help. While it is easy to just think about these things, Assumption has done a good job in providing ways of helping, and giving people an understanding through example.
Assumption closes out the week tonight with a showing of the movie God Bless the Child, which is about the struggles of the homeless. This will be at 7 p.m. in Kennedy Hall room 112. It will be a good exclamation point on what was already a job well done by the members of the Social Justice Committee, the Reach Out Center and Campus Ministry Office. It seems students who participated can now go into Thanksgiving break being very thankful for what they have, and with a better understanding of the struggles that homeless people go through.
Additional information provided by:
http://www.assumption.edu/news/assumption-students-observe-hunger-and-homelessness-week
THE AC301 