Chester County government and non-profit agencies are urging residents to become aware of the problems facing the county when it comes to hunger and homelessness as the holidays approach.
Events are scheduled for this week to highlight the problem as Thanksgiving approaches. This week has been designated as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week by the county commissioners.
According to a proclamation issued last Tuesday by the commissioners, in connection with a local organizing committee made up of hunger and homelessness agency advocates, the purpose of the week is to “educate the public on the many causes of hunger and homelessness, to encourage the support of organizations such as county shelter and food cupboards, and to create community service opportunities for students, and school and civic organizations.”
The resolution cited statistics showing that one in 45 children in America experiences homelessness, and in the county 625 people are experiencing homelessness on any given night. “On any given day in Chester County, 70,000 people are food insecure, and one in five children go to bed hungry,” the commissioners stated.
The board encouraged residents to “recognize that many people do not have housing and are food insecure and need support from citizens and private/public nonprofit service entities.”
Events scheduled for the week include walks to raise awareness of hunger and homelessness on Wednesday in Kennett Square, Jennersville, and West Chester. For more
information, please email Tracy Weldon at tracy.weldon@heart.org about the Kennett Square event; Courtney Igne at cigneye@ymcagbw.org or call 610-869-8804 for the Jennersville event; and Jill Attimere at ja819910@wcupa.edu for the West Chester University event.
Also, on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m there will be a Warmth for All Dinner at the Kimberton Waldorf School in Phoenixville. For more information, please visit http://orioncommunities.org/Warmth-for-All/ or call 610-415-1140.
The county also stated that additional ways residents can support the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week are to shop for five items to drop off at your local shelter or food Cupboard; to live on $5 per day per person in the family for up to a week; to organize a walk at your job, school, church or community.
For information like Chester County NHHAW on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChesterCountyNHHAW.
To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
