The Frederick County Coalition for the Homeless (FCCH) is pleased to announce the following schedule of events and activities for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which is observed November 16-22, 2014.
CONTACT: Susan Harding, Public Information Officer, 301-600-1385
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Frederick County Coalition for the Homeless
Local Events Scheduled for National Hunger
and Homelessness Awareness Week
FREDERICK, MARYLAND -- The Frederick County Coalition for the Homeless (FCCH) is pleased to announce the following schedule of events and activities for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which is observed November 16-22, 2014. To start the week of events, Frederick Interfaith is sponsoring an Interfaith Candlelight Prayer Walk through downtown Frederick on Sunday, November 16, 2014 starting at 6:30 p.m. The Prayer Walk will start and end at the Frederick Community Action Agency located at 100 South Market Street in Frederick. The Prayer Walk is open to the public.
On Monday, November 17, 2014, Frederick Interfaith will host a showing of the movie Every Three Seconds starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitaker Campus Center located at Hood College,
401 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick. For more information on the movie, please visit www.everythreeseconds.net. Written and directed by Daniel Karslake, Every Three Seconds “tells the unforgettable stories of five regular folks – a boy, a college student, a thirty- something, and two seniors whose lives went from ordinary to extraordinary based on one simple decision: TO ENGAGE.” The event is free and open to the public.
Proclamations recognizing National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week will be presented to representatives of the Frederick County Coalition for the Homeless (FCCH) by elected officials from the City of Frederick and the Frederick County Government on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 during a regular monthly meeting of the FCCH. The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m., is open to the public, and will be held at the Frederick Community Action Agency, 100 South Market Street, Frederick.
The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs (RCEHN) will host an Empty Bowls Luncheon followed by a showing of The Homeless Home Movie starting at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. The luncheon and movie will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church, 101 West All Saints Street, Frederick. The event is open to the public and a $25 donation is suggested. For more information, please visit www.thereligouscoalition.org.
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014, the Frederick Community Action Agency (FCAA) will host an Open House and Resource Fair from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 100 South Market Street, Frederick. The free event is open to the public and provides an opportunity to learn about available resources and volunteer opportunities. Lunch and other refreshments will be served. For more information, please visit www.cityoffrederick.com/fcaa.
Later that same day (Wednesday, November 19, 2014), the Unity Campaign for Frederick County will kick-off its fundraising campaign to help meet the basic needs – food, clothing, shelter, and stability – of all residents of Frederick County. The Unity Campaign Kick-Off will be held at the Weinberg Center for the Arts, 20 West Patrick Street, Frederick starting at 7:00 p.m. For more information please visit the following websites: www.unityfrederick.com or www.facebook.com/UnityCampaign/Frederick.
On Thursday, November 20, 2014, Asbury United Methodist Church, located at 101 West All Saints Street in Frederick, will host an Early Thanksgiving Community Dinner from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the church hall. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.asburyumcfmd.org.
To round out the week, the United Way of Frederick County will host a Poverty Simulation – an opportunity to learn about “the day to day realities of life with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress.” The Poverty Simulation will be held on Friday, November 21, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Field House at Frederick Community College. For more information, please visit the United Way website at www.unitedwayfrederick.org/poverty- simulation.
National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week was established by the National Coalition for the Homeless in partnership with the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. According to the NHHAW website, “National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is held each year the week before Thanksgiving. This is a time for us all to start to think about what we are thankful for, and a perfect time to share our compassion with our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness.”
Established in 1983, the Frederick County Coalition for the Homeless (FCCH) is the oldest local coalition working to end homelessness in Maryland. The FCCH is a coalition comprised of governmental and non-profit human service and community development organizations, religious institutions, for-profit businesses, local government officials, interested citizens, and people that are homeless or formerly homeless. The FCCH meets monthly in order to coordinate the planning of local homeless services, discuss local needs and approve new projects, and advocate for additional resources to address homelessness. For more information about the FCCH, please contact Todd Johnson, Chairperson at 301-600-3958 or Ken Allread, Vice Chairperson at 301-662-2003.
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