As of January 2020, close to 7,000 people were unhoused in the state of Tennessee. Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week started on Nov. 12 and will end on Nov. 20.
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week is an annual program that occurs nationally, which brings together communities to combat the problems of hunger and the amount of people that are unhoused. East Tennessee State University has organized many events and service opportunities for students and faculty to participate in.
Volunteer ETSU and the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement have organized events ranging from Hugs for the Homeless, Oxfam Hunger Banquet, a film screening and a Service Saturday. Hugs for the Homeless allows students and faculty to arrange hygiene bags and fleece blankets to hand out at the Johnson City Downtown Day Center.
The Oxfam Hunger Banquet aims to educate the community about hunger and food distribution. On Service Saturday, the community will have a chance to volunteer with the Johnson City Downtown Day Center, Johnson City Health Center, Bucky’s Food Pantry and the Ronald McDonald House.
“At this stage of our education and careers, we have a lot that we can do to support this community,” said Rachelle Kromash, a member of the leadership board of the Street Medicine Interest Group. “As we are learning to do some of these things, like providing wound care or administering vaccines, we can really take these skills and use them to support this community.”
The Street Medicine Interest Group is an interprofessional student organization comprised of students representing ETSU’s five health sciences colleges. Students looking for a way to impact the community with their skill sets created the group. These students organizes monthly speaking events, workshops and outreach events. They focus on enhancing skill sets for street rounds, where they go around downtown Johnson City and ask the unhoused community what they are in need of. They have also held flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics.
Organizations in Johnson City urge the community to remain accessible to the unhoused community. There are several outreach programs and nonprofit organizations that are currently working to provide Narcan kits, fentanyl test strips, canned foods and warm clothes. Maintaining an increased visibility and the spread of resources is of upmost importance for the community.
“I think that having extra hands with the organizations that are currently working in that community is always helpful,” said Madeline Standbridge, a member of the leadership board of the Street Medicine Interest Group. “I know that Munsey Memorial Church takes volunteers on Saturdays for the Melting Pot.”
These outreach programs and nonprofit organizations are currently in need of warm clothing items such as socks, coats, gloves and hats. They are also in need of canned foods and nonperishable foods. Some organizations that are in need of donations are Haven of Mercy Rescue Mission, Family Promise of Greater Johnson City, ARCH, Salvation Army, Good Samaritan Ministries, the Melting Pot and the Johnson City Downtown Day Center.
“Even if you are not in a health focused career or from the area, it is still important to be connected to your community,” said Standbridge.
For more information on Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, visit https://www.etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/civicengagement/programs/hunger.php. For more information on the Street Medicine Interest Group, email streetmedicinegroup@outlook.com.
