Students Brave Cold To Raise Awareness on Homelessness

During one of the coldest nights of the season, a number of Saint Anselm College students gathered on the college quad to raise awareness on the plight of homelessness. Huddled around a small fire for warmth, and taking refuge in wood-framed plastic covered shelters, the students braved temperatures that fell through the teens as the night progressed.

Although the event has traditionally been an opportunity for students to spend a night sleeping outside on the quad in the shelters, the extreme cold forced organizers to change their plans. After spending several hours on the quad, plans were to move inside the Cushing Student Center for the remainder of the night.

Stefanie Iannalfo, a junior who founded the Hunger and Homelessness Coalition reminded participants that many citizens in New Hampshire and beyond were indeed spending the night on the streets. Many without the luxury of the warm jackets and sleeping bags utilized by the students.

The Wednesday night sleep out was one of several events hosted by Saint Anselm College through the Hunger and Homelessness Coalition, the Meelia Center for Community Service, and Campus Ministry. Saint Anselm College is observing National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week this week with events to raise understanding of poverty and offer ways to help.

According to the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness, on any given day, there are between 2,000 and 2,500 people who are without a home in the Granite State.

Other events included a Faces of Poverty Panel, in which residents of greater Manchester shared experiences of living in poverty and being homeless.

A micro-lending “Stamp Out Poverty” symposium, sponsored by the Saint Anselm chapter of Students In Free Enterprise offered participants the opportunity to donate $5 that would in turn be offered to small-business entrepreneurs in developing countries.

The week will conclude with an opportunity for student volunteers to host a guest from Girls Inc. The students will treat their guests to dinner in Davison Hall.