Being a student is a challenge in itself without having to also endure homelessness and hunger. Yet, there are unfortunately many homeless and hungry students who attend colleges and universities. They may be without the support of a parent or guardian, without employment, and/or are experiencing the financial hardship of having to pay for tuition with next to nothing left for food and housing. There are those who have experienced poverty their entire lives and those who have just been emancipated from foster care. Either way, many of these young adult are not taught the skills or given the knowledge necessary to obtain a job, find housing, or manage finances. What’s more, many of these young adult are not made aware of the programs and resources that are available to help guide and support them. There is little to no awareness that students we may pass by or see at any college or university are homeless and hungry. It is the goal of this conference to shed light on and address the systemic issues and inequities that promote a vicious cycle of poverty and hunger. It is the goal of this conference to raise awareness of these issues, to increase the knowledge about the difficulties this population faces, and to promote collaboration in addressing these issues.
Click here to learn more about the inaugural 2014 conference.