The week before Thanksgiving is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, November 15 - 22.
Many people face hunger and homelessness in our country, especially with the pandemic layoffs and underemployment. "One in five among the general population is food insecure…they are hungry. One in four are children."(1) The number of people in this situation in 2020, due to unstable employment caused by the pandemic, could be up to 50 million people.(2)
In Alachua County, in January 2018, there were 641 homeless people. (3) According to a Colombia University economist, homelessness may increase by 40-45% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (4)
If you or someone you know needs assistance, where can you go?
Visit the links of the following shelters or give them a call to seek assistance or to find out how you can help:
St. Francis House in Gainesville is an emergency shelter that also provides services such as free meals and basic necessities to anyone in need from 9 a.m. to Noon daily. 352-378-9079 (1)
GRACE Marketplace is a one-stop resource center for the homeless and those at risk for becoming homeless, providing meals, shelter, referrals, and much more. 352-792-0800
North Central Florida Alliance for the Homeless and Hungry has an abundance of resources on their website, for everything from homeless shelters to where to get meals for children.
Family Promise of Gainesville is another place that provides emergency shelter and resources. 352-378-2030
Bread of the Mighty is Gainesville's local food bank. 352-336-0839
The Cone Park Library Resource Center is an affiliation between the Cone Park Branch and the Partnership for Strong Families. The Resource Center Manager can help refer people in need with the community resources that would best help them. There are also regular food distributions for those in need. If you need assistance or know of someone who does, call Erica at 352-334-0456. Due to COVID restrictions, they are not accepting volunteers at this time. What they do need are plastic grocery bags for packing food for distributions, so if you are wondering what to do with all of those bags, bring them to Cone Park Branch.
The Library Partnership Resource Center, located at the Library Partnership Branch, is also affiliated with the Partnership for Strong Families. They provide the same services as the Cone Park Library Resource Center, with food distributions, clothing, and emergency resources and referrals. For assistance, call Cheri at 352-334-0160.
Do you want to learn more?
For more information on hunger and homelessness, click on the following links or book covers to get to our catalog. Check out on OverDrive/Libby or place on hold for outside services at the branches, curbside service at Headquarters, or come in during our browsing hours.
A Place at the Table is a documentary that examines the issue of hunger in America through intimate portraits of people experiencing food insecurity.
Lost in America is a documentary about youth homelessness in America. The filmmaker is a former homeless youth and explores reasons why teens end up on the streets as well as what is being done to help.
Hunger: The Oldest Problem by Martin Caparros - An exploration of hunger around the world, by an international journalist and writer, and its causes and potential solutions.
I Was Hungry by Jeremy Everett - Told from a Christian perspective, Jeremy Everett implores Christians of all denominations to look past ideological differences and pool their resources in order to help solve the problem of hunger in America.
The Girl's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp - A memoir about a woman whose determination to pull herself out of hard times following a traumatic childhood paid off with a steady job, until the Great Recession hit. She was laid off and could not find even temporary work, so she ended up homeless. Living in an inherited RV parked in a Walmart parking lot, she started writing about her experiences and working her way back to normal.
This Is All I Got by Lauren Sandler - The true story of a young, homeless mother as she attempts to overcome her situation and find stable housing for herself and her child.
Troop 6000 by Nikita Stewart - The story of a Girl Scout troop that came into existence when a determined mother of five living in a temporary homeless shelter campaigned for it. She wanted something to give children and their parents a sense of pride and community. The formation of this troop has led to others like it across the country, consisting of girls living in homeless shelters.
The Food Activist Handbook by Ali Berlow - This book illustrates practical ways we can get involved and help in the fight against hunger.