As the Thanksgiving season ushers in the time for giving, the coming weeks will offer students, faculty and staff several opportunities to reach out to the local community. Rider’s Hunger and Homelessness Awareness (HAHA) program, as well as the Feed the Hungry and Giving Tree Projects, provide outreach to those in need.

Following is a list of activities that the University will share in as a caring community.

HAHA-Sponsored Activities

HAHA will present “Faces of Homelessness” on Monday, November 13 at 8 p.m. in the Bart Luedeke Center (BLC). During that time, several homeless members of the community will share their plight. On Tuesday, November 14, HAHA invites the campus community to make blankets in the Student Recreation Center (SRC) Lobby. The blankets will be taken to New York City on Wednesday, November 15 as part of Rider’s monthly MidNight Run distribution of clothing and food.

As part of the MidNight Run, students, faculty and staff can volunteer to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at stations in front of Daly’s and BLC from noon to 5 p.m.on November 15. The sandwiches and blankets will be distributed from midnight to 2 a.m. Throughout the week, students may also take part in a Hunger Arrest to raise money for the homeless. For more information on the Hunger Arrest and other activities, contact Mary Ann Somaine at ext. 7295. Activities will culminate with a Hunger Banquet on Thursday, November 16 at 9 p.m. in Daly’s Board Room.

Feed the Hungry

On Saturday, November 18, all are encouraged to participate in the “Feed the Hungry” effort from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Trenton. The Rider community will provide 350 pre-Thanksgiving meals for needy families as part of the church’s “Loaves and Fishes” gathering. ARAMARK, Rider’s food service, will prepare and donate the meals. Pat Lutz in the Office of Academic Affairs will accept cookie donations through Friday, November 10. Monetary donations are needed to pay for additional supplies for The Loaves and Fishes. Checks should be made payable to Campus Ministry and sent to the Rev. Nancy Schluter, Campus Ministry. Cash is also accepted.

Rider’s Giving Trees

The annual Giving Tree Project – an opportunity to brighten a child’s day with toys – starts on Friday, November 17 and runs through Saturday, December 9. Toys for children at the Mill Hill Child and Family Developmental Center in Trenton may be dropped off at one of Rider’s Giving Trees in the Catholic Campus Ministry Office (CCM) at Emmaus House, Gill Chapel, the Office of the Association of Commuting Students (ACS), and Westminster Choir College’s Student Government Association (SGA) Office. Rider’s CCM and ACS and Westminster’s SGA sponsor the annual campus-wide project.

Thanksgiving Luncheon

This year’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the BLC Cavalla Room. “A Reason to Celebrate” is the theme. The campus community is encouraged to bring canned foods and items needed to assemble Thanksgiving baskets, including turkeys.

The luncheon is free for students who present a ticket and donate a canned food item. For faculty and staff, a donation of $6 per ticket is requested. All proceeds from the sale of tickets will used for charitable contributions to such organizations as MidNight Run. The distribution of at least 200 food baskets to local Trenton area families is the target goal. Members of student organizations, athletic teams and various campus offices will assemble and deliver the baskets.

Tickets will be available Monday, November 13 through Friday, November 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the BLC ticket kiosk and on Wednesday, November 15 and Thursday, November 16 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Daly’s. Tickets will also be available in the associate dean of students office in the Student Center at Westminster Choir College during the week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are first-come, first serve.

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