November 14, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Megan Hitchcock or Tara Johnston
805-756-5834; scs.beyondshelter@gmail.com
Cal Poly Students Call Attention to Hunger and Homelessness with See the Need Week, Nov. 15-23
SAN LUIS OBISPO - Cal Poly's Beyond Shelter program hopes to raise awareness of world hunger through food drives, fundraisers and other events during See the Need Week, set for Nov. 15-23.
"Our hope is to enlighten those who are not aware of all the people who go without on a daily basis," said Megan Hitchcock, program director for Beyond Shelter, the homeless outreach program under Cal Poly's Student Community Services.
The week begins and ends with a food drive at grocery stores around San Luis Obispo. The drive is set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 15 and 16, and Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22 and 23. Albertsons, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Vons and Scolari's stores will take part.
Students will hold backpack drives on campus Tuesday and Thursday, Nov. 18 and 20, at the University Union Plaza. They will gather backpacks and school supplies to give to local homeless children. Supplies sought include notebooks, binders, markers, crayons and pencils. They can be dropped off at the booths in the plaza from 11 a.m. to noon those days or any time at Room 217 in the University Union.
A World Hunger Banquet will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Sandwich Factory on campus. Tickets are $5 and can be bought at the University Union, Room 217, or at the door. All money raised will go to the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.
Students also will raise money for the Food Bank with a booth at Farmers Market in downtown San Luis Obispo from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20. And on Saturday, Nov. 15, the Delta Chi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternities are partnering with Rizzoli's automotive for a food collection to assist the Food Bank. Bags will be placed on doorsteps on the 15th and picked up Nov. 22.
And students will serve meals to the homeless in San Luis Obispo, including breakfast Nov. 19 at the Prado Day Center and dinner Nov. 21 at the Maxine Lewis homeless shelter.
For more information about See the Need week and the Beyond Shelter program, call 805-756-5834 or e-mail to scs.beyondshelter@gmail.com. For more about Cal Poly's Student Community Services, visit www.studentlife.calpoly.edu/SCS/.
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