Raise Awareness
The following activities have been successful on many campuses to heighten awareness of hunger and enhance the impact of advocacy activities.
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Food Waste |
Demonstrate the amount of food that students waste by weighing the food that is left on the trays and thrown away during lunch or dinner at the cafeteria. |
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Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week |
Each year, one week before Thanksgiving, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness co-sponsor National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. During this week, a number of schools, communities and cities take part in a nationwide effort to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Learn how you can get involved and download a campus guide. |
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Trade Justice Day |
Kate Dillon, a student at the University of St. Thomas organized the first Trade Justice Day at her school. In addition to making people aware of the importance of fair trade, she brought in local vendors who supply fair trade coffee and sugar. As a result of the interest raised, students persuaded the campus library to order a large supply of fair trade coffee for finals week. Plus, there is growing support for switching to fair trade vendors university-wide. Read more about the event. |
| Hunger Banquet |
Each person attending is randomly assigned a role. 15% of the people get a role in the high income group; these people sit at a table and enjoy a three-course meal. 30% of the people get a role in the middle income group; they sit in chairs and eat rice and beans. 55% of the attendees sit on the floor, and receive only rice and water. They are the low income group, and for one meal, they suffer the fate of the millions of people throughout the world who live in poverty. Learn more from Oxfam America. |
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Fast |
Organize a fast. Participants can collect pledges for each hour they fast. If students give up a meal at a campus cafeteria, the cafeteria can donate the meals to a food shelter or money to a hunger organization. |
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Race |
A walk-a-thon or race can raise additional money through pledges. |
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Can Drive |
Collect cans and dry food in bins throughout campus. Clothes can also be collected to donate to a local shelter. |
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Musician |
Invite a musician or band to perform whose music deals with social justice issues. The concert can raise money as well as inspire students. |
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Speakers |
Invite a staff member of a local soup kitchen or shelter to speak about hunger and his or her experience with people who are homeless and hungry. This person could also recommend a welfare recipient or homeless person to speak at the event. Invite a state or national level representative or staff member to speak about hunger-related policy. You could also form a panel of these and other speakers including a BFW member or a student hunger activist. |
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Volunteer |
Commit to volunteer at a local soup kitchen or shelter. |
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Local Resources |
Be in touch with local churches and BFW members already engaged in anti-hunger advocacy. |
Send an email to Bread for the World's campus organizer.
