No More Hunger, No More Homelessnes

When the days grow shorter, and leaves shade the skyline with brilliant hues of red and orange, the smell in the air is crisp and fragrant. With the advent of autumn, not only do days grow cooler, but the nights trun frigid, too, turning the lives of hundreds of homeless persons in and around the New Brunswick, New Jersey area into a dismal ordeal for survival. One Halloween night, the rain came down in droves so shockingly cold that it sounded like ice pellets hitting the sidewalk. My roommate and I walked into the warm coffeehouse and saw a man huddled in the corner. He did not move the entire time we were there, and he had nothing to eat; his clothes were tattered, and it was obvious that this individual could benefit from a meal. From that night on, the two of us decided to reach out to the homeless or needy in some way, that would directly aid an individual in our community, at least once a week. I propose that college students throughout the country pair up and reach out into their community in a similar fashion, whether it entails donating unwanted sweaters or giving up an umbrella on the street for an elderly person who is struggling in the rain. There are simple everyday acts that support individuals with a source of strength, neighborhoods with a sense of positive direction, and communities with the promise that as a global network of single acts, we can make the world a drier, fuller place to sleep at night.