For Immediate Release November 9, 2005

For More Information Contact: Rich Schneider, 317-278-4564 rcschnei@iupui.edu

IUPUI Students to Focus Attention, Help on Homeless

INDIANAPOLIS - As Hoosiers prepare to celebrate a holiday that focuses on home and hearth, IUPUI students will focus their attention and contributions on people who are homeless.

Four events are planned at IUPUI during National Hunger and Homelessness Week, November 14-18.

"We want people to understand the basics of homelessness," said Jamie Buki, an associate coordinator of Community Service, at IUPUI. "We want to change stereotypes some have about people who are homeless and inform people about the causes of homelessness."

Students plan to "Sock Homelessness" by conducting a week-long drive to buy new, warm socks that will be donated to Horizon House. Horizon House staff advised that warm socks are what the facility needs most. Collection boxes will be placed in Ball Hall, Business/SPEA, Cavanaugh, Dental, Education/ Social Work, Nursing, University Library, and University College.

On Tuesday, November 15, a "Day without Shelter" is planned. It's a homelessness awareness activity with a touch of social activism that will be held on Democracy Plaza, located underneath the Business School breezeway. Between 10am-4pm students can sign up for a 2-hr shift and participate in activities like displaying statistics, writing letters to Congress, and listening to local speakers from such agencies as Outreach Inc, Horizon House, Partners in Housing, and School on Wheels. Kevin Johnson, a local artist, will tell his personal story about how he overcame homelessness as well as a small tutorial about how he formed his art that is currently being shown in UC 115 as part of the "Spirit in Place Program." Students will then have a chance to create their own art, based on Johnson's story.

The Oxfam Hunger Banquet will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, November 17 in Room 115 at University College. The banquet offers an interactive, hands-on experience to demonstrate the inequality of food distribution throughout the world.

To end the week, students will volunteer Friday, November 18, either at Gleaner's Food Pantry from 10am-1pm or Horizon House from 2pm-5pm. Volunteers will get the opportunity to create food boxes at Gleaner's or organize the donation center at Horizon House.

The week's events are sponsored by the Office of Community Service. For more information email Jamie Buki at commserv@iupui.edu.

###