During Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, the student group Living In Faith Experience (LIFE) helped organize the week-long annual event, leading up to Thanksgiving. This tradition began at Villanova University in 1975 and CJ is joined by more than 700 colleges, high schools, and community groups across the nation who take part in service to help those most in need.
LIFE member, Mitchelle Aniebo ’26, said, “This week was insightful. I think it is great that CJ not only challenges us to be aware of the plight of the hungry and homelessness in the Dayton area and beyond, but also allows us to do something about it.”
CJ hosted a food drive throughout the week for The Foodbank, Inc. in which students were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate. On Tuesday, students went through a virtual poverty simulation to learn more about the causes of poverty and homelessness. On Wednesday, students came together to make 128 bagged lunches for St. Vincent de Paul. Faculty and staff were joined by CJ trustees who spent time during their weekly Thursday meeting to join together in service projects. Whether making lunches, labeling food packaging, or stocking food pantries, everyone played a part. A senior capstone group collected cold weather items to be donated to St. Vincent de Paul for distribution to their guests experiencing homelessness.
According to one of its sponsors, the National Coalition for the Homeless, “HHAW is designed to educate the public, draw attention to the problem of poverty, and build up the base of volunteers and supporters for local anti-poverty agencies.”
Patrick Burns, campus minister for service and justice, who worked with the LIFE students to organize the HHAW events, was pleased with the CJ’s response to the food drive and the opportunities students created and embraced to focus on hunger and homelessness.
“It was wonderful to see each Soar group along with the CJ Middle School participate in this food drive,” said Burns. “We collected over 900 items which were then donated to the Foodbank and St. Vincent de Paul. We also had a number of opportunities for our community to deepen its collective understanding of issues faced by those who are unhoused or food insecure.”
The week wrapped up with the Hunger Awareness Banquet on Monday, Nov. 24, in the CJ cafeteria. Members of the CJ community gathered to deepen their understanding of food insecurity worldwide, particularly in its relationship to wealth and income disparities. The purpose of this banquet is to help the CJ community focus on the realities faced by many.
Gabe Lawson, CJ religion teacher and the banquet presenter, said, “The banquet was a great opportunity for attendees to experience the different levels of disparity. Everyone walked away with a new understanding of what the less fortunate face daily. I think it made people grateful and aware of the blessed circumstances we have here at CJ.”
“I am glad I went to the Hunger Awareness Banquet,” said Aniebo. “At this event, Mr. Lawson provided an in-depth view of what it is like to live in poverty. When we came in, each person was given a slip of paper indicating their income bracket. Each person had a different banquet experience depending on the paper you were given. It was a truly powerful experience!”
Burns reminds everyone that this week is only the beginning. He encourages CJ students and others in the CJ community to continue serving at organizations that support those experiencing homelessness or food insecurity.