2025 Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week

Join the Student Community Engagement Center and our campus and community partners in honor of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week from November 17th - November 23rd!

Hunger & Houselessness Awareness Week (HHAW) is a national campaign that takes place annually the week before Thanksgiving. This week serves as a time for reflection and action, shedding light on the dual issues of hunger and houselessness, which impact millions of Americans. Organized by campuses and communities nationwide, HHAW provides opportunities for learning, dialogue, and volunteerism, encouraging individuals to consider ways to support those in need while recognizing our own privileges.

Learn about the movement

Book Drive Happening All Week from Nov. 17th - Nov. 21st:

Book Drive for Street Books: Love reading? Got some extra paperbacks to spare? Donate them to Street Books as part of Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week! Partnering with Street Books, a unique bicycle-powered library serving Portland’s unhoused community, the Student Community Engagement Center hosts a book drive during Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. This initiative supports Street Books' mission of providing literary resources to those who may not have access to a traditional library.

Donations of books in good condition are welcome, fiction--especially westerns, science fiction and fantasy, horror (think, Stephen King, Anne Rice or Dean Koontz), thrillers(like James Patterson), true crime (Ann Rule)-- and anything written by often underrepresented writers-- like BIPOC, women, LGBT folks, etc,. Poetry, Non-fiction, spirituality (especially Buddhism/mindfulness), self-help, politics, history and philosophy. Books about recovery are always appreciated, as are books in Spanish. Comic books/graphic novels, unused puzzle books, blank journals and adult coloring books! Paperbacks are much preferred as they are lighter to carry. No textbooks, please!

Donation boxes can be found all week in Smith Memorial Student Union, in SMSU m103 (Hub for Service & Sustainability) and m113 (SALP Clubhouse), on the first floor mezzanine, and in the UNST lounge room 17 in Cramer Hall.

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Extended until the end of HHAW!

Support the PSU Food Pantry!

Drop a ready-to-eat meals for those experiencing food insecurity!

Barrel Drop Off Locations:

Basic Needs Hub, RMNC, SHAC, CPSO, Helen Gordon!

Learn more here!

Monday 11/17: Sort and Pack Donations with the Oregon Food Bank

Join us as we volunteer with the Oregon Food Bank! During this project, volunteers will assist with ongoing tasks such as sorting canned and boxed food donations into categories, repacking and labeling bulk food items into family-size portions, and culling and sorting produce. November 17 from 1:30 pm-3:30pm!

Tuesday 11/18: Housing and Food Insecurity at PSU: Understanding the Challenge

Learn about the causes of houselessness, the current data and trends across Portland, Oregon, and the nation, and the realities faced by students navigating housing and food challenges on campus. Tuesday November 18th from 12:45 to 1:45pm in SMSU 338.

Wednesday 11/19: Craft Cards for Seniors in Collaboration with the PSU Library

Looking for a way to make a difference before the holidays? Want to meet other PSU students while volunteering? Join PSU's Student Community Engagement Center to volunteer your time making greeting cards for Store to Door to brighten a senior's day! We will meet in the PSU Library Sandbox from 12-1:30pm!

Thursday 11/20: Housing and Belonging - A Community Conversation with Oregon Humanities

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on housing and belonging, facilitated by community organizer Yimei Shao as part of Oregon Humanities' Conversation Project during Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. November 20th from 4:30pm to 6:00pm

Friday 11/21: Sort Household Donations at Community Warehouse

Looking for a hands-on way to make a difference? Join us as we volunteer with Community Warehouse, during this project, volunteers will assist with ongoing tasks such as bundling silverware, sorting linens, assembling furniture, and other warehouse needs. November 21st from 5-7pm.

Our Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week Partners

blue square with the words Community Warehouse: Your Local Furniture Bank in white

black and white bicycle with cargo box in front that reads Street Books

red background and the letters O. Hm. in white

Oregon Food Bank provides critical support to individuals and families facing food insecurity across Oregon. Known for distributing nutritious food, coordinating community programs, and offering resources for long-term food stability, the Oregon Food Bank empowers communities by addressing both immediate hunger and systemic barriers to food access. Through its services, it provides essential relief and supports lasting solutions for those in need of reliable, healthy food.

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Community Warehouse is a furniture bank that supplies donated home goods to families and individuals transitioning into stable housing. By redistributing gently-used furniture and household items, they help create warm, functional living spaces that foster comfort and stability.

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Store to Door is a volunteer-driven organization that delivers groceries & other essentials to Portland’s homebound elderly and disabled residents. Through reliable, friendly service, Store to Door ensures that vulnerable individuals can remain nourished and independent in their own home.

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Street Books brings books to people living outside in Portland. Through its bicycle-powered library, Street Books provides access to reading materials, creating a unique bridge to literature for those who may not have access otherwise.

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Known for fostering meaningful discussions, Oregon Humanities' Conversation Project creates spaces for Oregonians to come together and discuss topics that shape our society, from housing issues to community belonging.

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On-Campus Resources

Resources to Support Students Experiencing Food or Housing Insecurity

The Smallwood Food Pantry works to provide free groceries for PSU students in partnership with the Oregon Food Bank and through support from PSU and private donors. We provide people enrolled at PSU with access to free groceries several thousand times per year in a welcoming, equitable, trauma-informed way.

Food Pantry: Open five days a week to PSU students in SMSU 48 in the basement of Smith Memorial Student Union.
Free Food Market: The 2nd Monday of every month, 9:30 - 11am (or until food runs out) in the South Park Blocks behind Shattuck Hall

Located on campus, the Basic Needs Hub connects students to food, housing, and other essential resources, ensuring they have the support needed to focus on their education and well-being. Our mission is to connect PSU students to resources in the moment of need so students can focus on academic

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Learn About Local Organizations Supporting Individuals Experiencing Hunger & Homelessness

The Student Community Engagement Center will be featuring local organizations doing important work in supporting individuals experiencing hunger and homelessness on Instagram (portland_state_volunteers). Follow us Instagram to learn more about these organizations and how to get involved!