The start of a new month brings exciting new opportunities and a sense of energy to campus. November is no different, bringing with it Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month. The Center for Community Engagement is hosting several events throughout the month to spotlight four focus areas:
- Youth
- Veterans
- Chronic
- Families
To kick off the month, on October 26th the Center for Community Engagement, in partnership with the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, hosted a screening of Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell. This documentary walked us through different points in the life of Erin Blackwell, a woman who has battled poverty throughout her life. Tiny featured scenes from the 1984 documentary Streetwise which also centered around Blackwell. Following the screening, students had the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of representatives from Springfield area partners, including Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri and Safe to Sleep. Students learned about volunteering with these partners and took part in meaningful discussions about the issues that affect Springfield. Students left the documentary feeling like their eyes had been opened past the narrow idea of poverty that is often portrayed. For more information on the documentary, visit http://www.tinythefilm.com/.
If you would like to learn more about Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, how you can become involved, or what we are doing, please check out our weekly newsletter, our Facebook page, or come see us in the PSU, room 131.