The Office of Campus Life is leading a campus-wide campaign to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness by holding a fundraising drive in support of Covenant House, the largest privatelyfunded agency in the Americas providing shelter and other services to homeless, runaway, and throwaway youth.

The campaign will begin November 1 and culminate on November 15 with a candlelight vigil at 7:00 p.m. on Zanfino Plaza near University Commons.  At the conclusion of the vigil, students will participate in a “Homeless for the Night” activity by sleeping in cardboard boxes outside University Commons.  The next morning, those students will have an opportunity to discuss and reflect on their experience.

“Covenant House reached out to us with this wonderful opportunity to engage our students in a service learning project about homelessness, which continues to be a significant problem in New Jersey and the region,” says Francisco Diaz, assistant vice president for campus life.  “I invite all campus departments to join with our student clubs to participate in our drive to support this worthy cause.”

Diaz is asking each department or group who participates to donate a minimum of two $15 gift cards to stores such as Kmart, Wal-Mart, or Target, as well as collect much-needed toiletries including soaps, hairbrushes, mouthwash, toothbrushes, and washcloths.  Each department that signs up to participate will be asked to send two representatives to the candlelight vigil on November 15.  All participating departments and groups will be recognized on flyers produced to promote the drive.  Collection bins will also be set up in several locations in University Commons.

The project is a continuation of the Collaborations for Change service leadership effort, which was launched by Campus Life in September 2007 with a leadership day at the Great Falls in Paterson. The program is designed to help students develop an expanded view of leadership and their responsibility to act as role models for the campus and community.