Rise Against Hunger on Nov. 14 is one opportunity for Cal U students to give back during series of events meant to focus on hunger and homelessness.
Cal U students participate in a Rise Against Hunger food-packing opportunity.
“We are students at Cal U. But we are also global citizens.”
That’s the message Alan Ninan, a junior sociology major, feels passionately about as event support specialist for Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger relief project that delivers food to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
From 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, Cal U students and members of the community are invited to the Performance Center in the Natali Student Center to help assemble meals that will be sent internationally.
The event is part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, a series of events organized by the Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning.
In addition to being a campus resource for service opportunities, the center is home to the Cal U Cupboard, which provides resources for students who are experiencing food insecurity. Located in the Natali Student Center, the Cupboard provides free school supplies, hygiene items, canned food, microwavable meals, pasta, breakfast items and snacks to Cal U students.
This is the third time Cal U will participate in Rise Against Hunger food packaging. For the first time, it is being sponsored by the Student Government Association.
“Our goal is to pack 10,000 meals,” said Ninan, who is a Student Government representative and is active in campus ministry. “It’s all about teamwork and collaboration to put these meal packages together and about educating students as to how they can do so much in two hours.
“We want students to have a spirit of sharing with the community. Civility is a global concept. We want students to be aware of the privileges they have and to end world hunger by 2030.”
Other events during the annual Hunger and Homelessness Awareness:
Nov. 12
5-6:30 p.m., Performance Center — The difficult daily choices a family living in poverty must make are part of a real-world simulation from Just Harvest, a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 13
9 a.m.-noon — Liberty Tower Food Pantry distribution in California, Pa.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Watch for a Pop-Up Pantry in Manderino Library, hosted by the Cal U Cupboard.
7-8:30 p.m., Natali 139 — Students will make crafts and write encouraging messages to students at California Elementary School.
Nov. 14
9:45-11 a.m., 4-6 p.m. — Volunteers needed at the California Food Pantry.
Nov. 15
10 a.m.-2 p.m., Center in the Woods, Brownsville, Pa. — Thanksgiving lunch. Volunteers needed to serve meals and clean up afterward.
2:30-5:30 p.m., Liberty Tower — Thanksgiving dinner. Volunteers needed to serve meals and clean up afterward.
3:30-4:30 p.m., California Elementary School — Packing for Good Eats, a weekend feeding program for children.
6-7:30 p.m., Natali Student Center, Room 321 — Help the Gamma Sigma Sigma service sorority make trail mix for the Washington (Pa.) City Mission.
Nov. 16
11a.m.-1 p.m., Natali Student Center — Cal U Cupboard Pop-Up Pantry.