VILLANOVA, Pa. (November 8, 2024) - Villanova University proudly marks a milestone this year as it commemorates the 50th annual Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (HHAW), taking place from Sunday, November 17, through Saturday, November 23. HHAW is a longstanding initiative dedicated to education, advocacy and service, fostering the University's commitment to ending hunger and homelessness globally.

Started by Rev. Ray Jackson, OSA, and a group of Villanova students in 1975, HHAW began as an on-campus discussion of the root causes of poverty-particularly food insecurity and homelessness. In the five decades since, the initiative has grown from its origins to become a University tradition and one of the largest events of its kind in the United States. Today, HHAW takes place at more than 700 campuses and communities nationwide, working to raise awareness, show solidarity, take immediate action steps and advocate for long-term solutions.

"For 50 years, HHAW has inspired the Villanova community to move out of its comfort zone and seek solidarity with people who struggle with the basic necessities of human life," said Raymond Ward, PhD, Associate Director for Advocacy and Engagement at the Center for Peace and Justice Education. "We are the proud bearers of Fr. Jackson's founding vision, and this year, we join the generations of Villanova students, faculty and staff who continue to work to end hunger and homelessness, moved by a burning commitment to upholding the dignity of all people."

As part of this year's milestone celebration, a keynote address will be delivered by Garry Gilliam, Jr., on Wednesday, November 20, at 7 p.m. in Driscoll Auditorium. A Harrisburg, Pa., native and former NFL player with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, Gilliam is the founder and chief executive officer of The Bridge, a real estate development company with the mission of transforming neglected schools, malls, warehouses and land into vibrant eco-villages.

Later in the week-from Thursday, November 21, to Friday, November 22-the University will host a sleepout on the Riley Ellipse as an expression of solidarity with the unhoused and as a fundraiser for Covenant House. As a non-profit organization with 30 locations in North and Central America, Covenant House provides essential services to at-risk and homeless youth, including food, medical care, counseling and educational opportunities.

Other events on this year's itinerary include a "paint your own tote bag" fundraiser at St. Rita's Hall on Friday, November 22, and a Thanksgiving outreach drive at Connelly Circle on Monday, November 25.

For more information on HHAW, the week's events and how to get involved, please visit this link.

About Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week: HHAW began in 1975 when a group of Villanova students, recognizing the power education could play in the fight against homelessness, decided to coordinate a week of activities around the issues. National HHAW is now an annual event held the week before Thanksgiving-jointly sponsored by the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness (NSCHH) and the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH). At Villanova, HHAW is co-sponsored by the Centers for Peace and Justice Education and Campus Ministry. Villanova also partners with numerous local and national organizations for the annual event, including Catholic Relief Services, the National Coalition for the Homeless, Project HOME, Back on My Feet and the Catholic Network of Volunteer Service.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University's Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges-the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation's top universities, Villanova supports its students' intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.