Events Highlight Needs of Disadvantaged

HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK

The University recognized the less fortunate this past week through a series of activities during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. The week began early Monday morning with So Others May Eat and continued with activities geared towards informing students about the plight of the homeless and ways to get involved.

“This whole lifestyle of love and service is about trying to do the will of God in my life every day,“ said Luis Vasquez, University alumnus and 2007 Washingtonian of the Year, who spoke Thursday nigh at CUA on Tap. He stressed the importance of giving back to the community, sharing his own personal experiences working with the homeless of Washington, D.C.

“I was just a regular guy who figured out that I like to help people, and I wanted to help people who were really going through difficult times,” said Vasquez, who founded the Hermano Pedro Day Shelter in Columbia Heights with the help of Catholic Charities, as well as several other programs throughout downtown Washington, D.C. since 2002.

Activities for students included SOME every morning of the week, a faces-of-homelessness panel, a pizza and advocacy night, a 24-hour fast, service opportunities and the Grate American Sleep-out.
“I walked away from SOME more awake for my first class, with a smile on my face, and with the knowledge that I had contributed to my community,” said Laura Yackley, who participated in SOME for the first time on Wednesday morning.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, students meet at 6:45 A.M. at Campus Ministry for SOME to travel downtown and serve breakfast to the hundreds of homeless people who come to enjoy a hot meal. Students work on the serving assembly line, interacting with the homeless and other volunteers from all over the city.

“I decided to do SOME because I feel as though I have neglected an important part of my life since I’ve been at CUA. Since SOME is in the mornings, I felt like it was a perfect opportunity to serve others, specifically the homeless of our community,” said Yackley.

Hundreds of people come back to the shelters to volunteer where they have previously received aid, to give back and pass on the kindness they received, according to Vasquez.

“I knew that if I was open to believing in God, that I could be used in a way to make positive things happen in this city and beyond,” said Vasquez.

The Hermano Pedro shelter had only 38 visitors the first day it opened, according to Vasquez. Now it serves close to 200 people and more daily. It gets its funding from Catholic Charities, as well as grants and funds from the government. The shelter recently received $3 million dollars from the Department of Mental Health of D.C. to rebuild and improve the building.

The House will be hosting a poker tournament tonight beginning at 6:3 p.m., with all proceeds going to help the homeless of D.C. Early Saturday morning, there will be a kick-off for the Hunger and Homeless Walk-A-Thon, which occurs on the National Mall. A team from the University will meet at the Metrorail station at 7:30 a.m.

Vasquez, who was a social work major, encouraged students to get involved in helping the homeless and become the best version of themselves.

“I was a guy who didn’t know what I wanted to do, and the next thing I know I’m sitting on a stage, talking to a big group of people who are saying they want me to be person of the year for the city,” said Vasquez.

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