Students "Sleep Out" for Hunger and Homelessness Week Posted on November 11th, 2005 by

From Sunday, Nov. 13 to Wednesday, Nov. 16, Action Supporting All People (ASAP) will coordinate the eighth annual “Sleep Out,” an event where students spend four days and three nights simulating the experiences of homeless persons.

The guidelines are simple: sleep outside or in Christ Chapel all three nights, do not return to your room at any time between 9 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. Wednesday, do not shower for the four nights, and eat only food that is provided to you by others. Students are encouraged to do as much as he/she is capable of doing.

In addition to ASAP members, participants will include members of Associate Professor of Political Science Richard Leitch’s First Term Seminar, as well as other students who wish to join in the experience.

In addition to the “Sleep Out,” ASAP is co-sponsoring a series of events during Hunger and Homelessness Week, Nov. 14-18.

A drama and discussion presented and moderated by Homeless Against Homelessness is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14 in the Black Box in the Harold and Ruth Schaefer Fine Arts Center. Co-sponsor for this event is the Habitat for Humanity organization at Gustavus.

A discussion of the politics of poverty will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15 in Room 105 of the A.H. Anderson Social Science Center. Co-sponsors for this event are the College Democrats and College Republicans.

A “Hunger Banquet” is planned for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the Heritage Room in the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center. To reserve a place at the banquet, contact Jill McDuffee at jmcduffe@gustavus.edu by Monday, Nov. 14. Co-sponsor for this event is Students Helping to Integrate Free Trade.

Two events will be featured on Thursday, Nov. 17. The first, a “Poverty Simulation,” will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Linner Lounge in the O.J. Johnson Student Union. This event allows participants to travel to different stations and track expenses as if they have a budget that is small but above the poverty line, demonstrating the difficulty of affording the costs of everyday life.

At 8 p.m. on Thursday in the Courtyard Café in the Campus Center, Jeshua Erickson will present “Faith and Poverty: Concert and Conversation.” Erickson is a contemporary folk singer-songwriter who writes and performs songs about justice, peace, faith and ordinary life. Co-sponsors for this event are the Office of the Chaplains and the Center for Vocational Reflection.

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

 

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