Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

2nd Annual Event Details!

October 26, 2009 at 8:44 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What would you do if you had no car and nowhere to spend the day and evening?  How would you get around town, how would you keep yourself busy to combat depression, where could you go to stay warm?  These are just a few of the challenges facing many of our neighbors. 

We challenge YOU to spend just one day with nowhere to stay in downtown Eau Claire.  On Tuesday, November 16^th, 2010, we invite you to spend the afternoon and evening experiencing the various services that the Eau Claire community provides to our friends and neighbors in need.

This event takes place during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and falls a week before Thanksgiving.  It is designed to give you the experience of “walking a mile in the shoes” of a homeless individual in Eau Claire.  You’ll have to go from one agency to another throughout the day to get the services you need and try to stay out of the cold since you have nowhere else to go.  We strongly encourage you to park your car and either walk or take to bus from place to place to get the full experience.

We hope that you will take the challenge and join us for the entire event, but you are more than welcome to just come to the activities that fit into your schedule. 

Can’t commit to November 16^th?  Check out the individual actions page for a list of activities that you could do on your own or with family, friends, and co-workers, sponsor someone to take the Challenge, or donate one of the items on our donation list.

2:00-4:30pm: Tours of Local Agencies

Take a tour of all the downtown agencies that address homelessness and get your “passport” stamped at each site for a chance to win prizes.  A map is provided below and will also be available at each tour location.  You will receive a sticker at each tour stop to place on your map (aka passport).  Bring your completed map to The Community Table for Community Day, a meal, and the panel discussion to be entered into a raffle to win a variety of prizes.

Beacon House – 309 E. Lake Street

Bolton Refuge House – 807 S. Farwell Street

Cafe 420 – 420 Washington Street

Boys and Girls Club – 201 E. Lake Street

Positive Avenues – 320 Putnam Street, Suite G02/G03 (lower level)

Wellness Shack – 515 S. Barstow Street

B-Side Warming Center – 405 N. Farwell Street

Solomon Learning Center – 307 S. Farwell Street

Hope Gospel Mission – 8 S. Farwell Street

Literacy Volunteers – Banbury Place Building D-02, Suite #70, Wisconsin Street

Women’s Way – Banbury Place Building D-02, Suite #101, Wisconsin Street

Chippewa Valley Free Clinic – 421 Graham Avenue

The Community Table – 320 Putnam Street

4:30-6:00pm: Community Day and Community Meal at The Community Table

Every Tuesday, local agencies gather at The Community Table for Community Day.  Community Day is an opportunity for guests to meet with multiple agencies in one location to discuss the services they can provide.  Come experience Community Day for yourself and learn more about the service agencies that work in our community.  Then join us for a simple dinner and get to know your community members.  (Free will donations accepted)

320 Putnam Street

6:00-7:00pm: Panel Discussion

Gain a better understanding of what is it like to be homeless in the Chippewa Valley from those who have experienced it first hand during the panel discussion at The Community Table (320 Putnam Street).

We hope you will be able to join us in taking this step towards raising awareness of hunger and homelessness in Eau Claire.  Please check out the rest of the website to find other ways to get involved with the event and read the stories of people in our community who’ve experienced homelessness and hunger.

Link to a map of the sites for the event:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=44.810705,-91.494184&spn=0.021525,0.038409&z=15&msid=112423284738351714920.000493b30d2e6cbfbf5ac

Feel free to leave a comment or question by clicking on the link in the upper right hand corner.  Questions can also be directed to mccarta@uwec.edu.

Sponsered by: Hunger Prevention Coalition, Continuum of Care, and UW-Eau Claire