Homelessness Awareness Week ends

Mayor Mark Kruzan only had $21 to spend on food this week.

He’s not alone.

Kruzan and other community leaders have been participating in the Food Stamp Challenge to help the hungry and homeless this past week.

The Food Stamp Challenge is one of several week-long events aimed at helping Bloomington residents grasp the reality of poverty during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which wraps up Saturday.

Shalom Community Center, Martha’s House, Stepping Stones and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard sponsored the educational and fundraising events.

“This week has created a dialogue that I think has been exactly what we hoped would happen from the process,” Bobbie Summers, executive director of Martha’s House, said. “So I would say it’s been very successful.”

The main event this week was the Food Stamp Challenge. Kruzan and other Bloomington leaders, such as Judge Valeri Haughton and Board of Public Works President Charlotte Zietlow, had to live on the equivalent of the average food stamp allowance, which is $21 per week.

“The biggest concern that came to my mind as I prepared for my week was imagining a parent trying to plan a nutritious meal for children,” Kruzan wrote on his blog.
For people who prefer to dine out, 10 participating restaurants donated a portion of sales to the sponsors.

Bloomington Sandwich Company donates their profits from purchases all week between 3 and 7 p.m.

“Advertising is so expensive, and this is such a good cause,” said Mike Moy, Bloomington Sandwich Company manager. “I’d rather give money to a good cause and help out the community while at the same time getting our name out there and attracting more customers.”

A Hunger and Homelessness Panel is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the Council Chambers, where participants in the Food Stamp Challenge will talk about their experiences.

The final event of the week is a stand-up comedy show scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The show is a fundraising benefit for the sponsors of the awareness week.

“We’re starting to see the effect of job losses,” Summers said. “That’s why we have this event because there is a need.”