As the festivities of the holidays approach, people start to consider what they are thankful for, and while doing this, some citizens decide to donate a portion of their time and resources to others. A program supporting this rush of donations and consideration is Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week. Starting on November eleventh and lasting until November nineteenth, this program is where people all across the country get together and draw attention to the issues of hunger and homelessness. In addition to collecting donations, this program also sponsors, partners, and hosts events to grow awareness and knowledge of the severity of hunger and homelessness. Some of these events are located right here in Atlanta, Georgia – there is the Challah for Hunger at Emory University in Atlanta, the Georgia Tech STAR in Atlanta, and the Begin Again Foundation Corporation in Stone Mountain.

In addition to bringing awareness to opportunities to donate, Hunger and Homeless awareness week also brings awareness to the statistics of people affected by homelessness and hunger-related issues. For example, 43.1 million Americans live below poverty level, 549,000 Americans are homeless on an average night, 42 million Americans suffer from hunger, and 1 in 5 children in the United States live in poverty, but on a global level, the numbers rise dramatically, Globally, 795 million people do not have enough to eat, 767 million people live on $1.90 a day or less, six children die every minute due to hunger-related disease, and 65.3 million refugees have been driven out of their homes.

Many Americans are teetering on the edge, forced to choose between basic necessities like purchasing groceries, paying rent or going to the doctor. So by participating in Hunger and Homeless Awareness week, one can help someone in need and even save their life.