Cooking for the Homeless Shelter

Community Partner at the Beacon, Men’s Shelter

“We are so touched by the creativity of your students. Never before have we had a group “fast” from extra expenses for one week and use that money to purchase products for the homeless shelter. …your students…are shining examples for all of Cleveland County.”Jenny Reed, Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council

Writing of Letters

Student Letters to…

• Senators• Congressmen• Nike• Ben and Jerry’s• Starbuck’s• Nestle• Hershey’s

Student Letters to…

• Senators• Congressmen• Nike• Ben and Jerry’s• Starbuck’s• Nestle• Hershey’s

Additional Initiatives, 2010• Meeting with the Mayor regarding the homeless• Another took breakfast to a homeless man. “I knew

you were a child of God when I saw you coming.”• Youth group discussions on social issues • Letter to the GWU campus shop, which resulted in

shop membership with the Fair Labor Association (insures that all products that are sweat-shop free)

• Showing of the movie, “Taken,” about sex-trafficking• Purchasing Fair Trade chocolates/ boycott others• Petitions for Fair Trade Chocolate Bars

Additional Initiatives, 2011• “Dark Side of Chocolate” Documentary• Speaker - Fresh-water wells in Liberia, Africa• $500+ student donations for wells in Liberia• Fair Trade Coffee House• Earth Day • Speaking to local 5th grade classes• Speaking at GWU student worship service• Feeding the homeless- OT Theology class• Collecting blankets and other supplies for the

homeless – Spiritual Formation class• Divine Chocolate vending machines….forthcoming!

Student Reflections

• “When looking back at the service learning that I have completed this semester, I realized that I have participated in multiple ways to combat injustice,” Trever Pusey

Student Reflections• “We did a fast from luxuries and

extras….for a week, cutting out the extra trips to the cookout, the coffee shop, and Chick-fil-a, as well as buying snacks and drinks. … It was an ever present and pressing reminder of how much surplus I actually buy. I became exceedingly aware of the differences among wants, needs, and luxuries,” Brittany Bounds

• “What I thought would be a fun semester and a simple class assignment turned into a burden for the broken and poor.” Hannah Dagenhart

• “Education is good and helpful for all who are willing to learn, but a class where you learn together and live out what you learn is something that is rare, I have never had a class like Old Testament Prophets.” Kyle Wilkinson

• [The homeless shelter] “was an amazing experience which will remain with me forever…I was impacted by the community… where they all ate in the same one room, slept in another single room, and fellowshipped with one another…. I have once again taken away more than just knowledge, more than amazing academic thoughts and avenues of research, but life principles from this class and service learning….” Trey Frye

• “This class has transformed my life in so many ways.” Christa Edwards

• Why was this class so effective?• How can the fire for service be

ignited among students in my discipline or one of my courses?• What points of connection can be

made between a community partner and a particular academic discipline?

Social injustice/oppression/slavery

1. How do the issues of slavery and social injustice relate to my discipline or a specific course?

2. What could my students DO? BRAINSTORM!!

3. Identify community partners who might benefit from your “To do” list.