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Students raise awareness of hunger, homelessness

Nov. 12, 2004

KALAMAZOO--Students at Western Michigan University are tackling tough issues during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 15-19.

For the second straight year, the Progressive Student Alliance, the Peace Center and student radio station WIDR 89.1 FM are collaborating to raise awareness about an issue that affects the Kalamazoo community and communities throughout the world.

All events are free and open to the public.

Canceling Africa's External Debt

Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center holds a workshop at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17, on "Who Gets Helped and Who Gets Hurt in the Global Economy." Migwe Kimemia of the American Friends Service Committee will be the trainer for the workshop at the Peace Center, located in the basement of the Wesley Foundation. Kimemia, of Dayton, Ohio, is the director of the Life Over Debt campaign, which is working to cancel Africa's external debt to world financial institutions. More information can be found at <afsc.org/africa-debt>.

Hunger Banquet

The Oxfam America Hunger Banquet dramatizes the experience of the unequal distribution of resources and wealth in the world. The mock banquet begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, in Room 1035 of the Fetzer Center and will feature presentations by WMU international students and Migwe Kimemia of the American Friends Service Committee. Hungry participants gain a greater understanding of the problems of global hunger and poverty. The banquet is sponsored by the Progressive Student Alliance and Oxfam, both registered student organizations at WMU.

Cops vs. Students Food Drive

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is also the first week of the annual Cops vs. Students Food Drive. The competition pits WMU students against the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety to see who can collect more canned and non-perishable food for the Greater Kalamazoo Area Holiday Food Drive.

The competition, which the students won last year, helped collect enough food to supply one week's worth of food for 1,350 Kalamazoo area families who need assistance. This year, the goal of the food drive is to deliver food to 1,500 families for the week of Christmas.

Drop-off locations can be found in most of the residence halls, in fraternity and sorority houses, the Faunce Student Services Building, Waldo Library, the Student Recreation Center, the Bernhard Center Candy Counter, the Wesley Foundation, Kanley Chapel, and on East Campus in the lobby of the Office of University Relations in Walwood Hall.

The food drive runs Monday, Nov. 15, through Friday, Dec. 10. The Cops vs. Students Food Drive is organized by WIDR, in collaboration with nearly a dozen other student groups.

Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

WMU News
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