This year’s Sleepout will run from 5 p.m. May 17 to 8 a.m. May 18 in the Student Center Quad.
Ten years ago, I worked with Sara Doane (my VISTA for service learning) and the late Wes Warren to do a sleepout at the college to raise both money for the homeless and to raise awareness about the issue. On May 17, we will hold our 10th annual consecutive sleepout.
I would encourage faculty and staff to let everyone including students know about the event and participate if possible. Participation can be a simple donation (checks should be made out to the “Coalition for the Homeless of the Southern Tier”). Cash, checks, gift cards etc. should be sent to Doug Garnar (he has a mailbox in T-210). For those who wish to sleep out, we have 10 two-person tents.
Dick Romano recently told me that 17% of all community college students nationally are “homeless.” How many are at Broome is anyone’s guess, but Hal Koster and I have known of students over the years who have even lived out of their cars.
This past Sunday’s New York Times had a major story on the current economic situation involving students attending “public colleges.” Half of these students are now facing a situation where they must choose between buying food and paying college tuition. fees and books. SUNY Central mandated that every SUNY school now have a food pantry for students.
An adviser told me recently that an increasing number of students dropping out of the college are leaving for health reasons. At a time when we are experiencing the arrival of spring with the renewal of life in all its splendor, we should be mindful of the conditions a number of our students are experiencing, that over 20% of children in the county live in poverty, and that there are about 1,700 homeless people with upwards of 300 who have no place in doors to sleep at night.
Shalom,
Doug Garnar
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
