Host a Soloist Watch Party

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-08-20 06:23:00 UTC
Topics:

In light of the recession and the rising number of people experiencing homelessness, it is critical that we continue to have a national conversation about this issue. Although stereotypes and judgments about homelessness abound, the fact remains that it can happen to any person, in any community, at any point in time. Waiting until it hits uncomfortably close to home is simply too late. 

So try this on for size: in light of the DVD release of The Soloist on August 4th, the National Alliance to End Homelessness is promoting watch parties to help continue this national conversation. The online toolkit (found here) includes frequently asked questions about homelessness, discussion questions, and other actions you can take remain involved in fighting this issue. It's a valuable resource for anyone, whether you're an experienced shelter provider or someone just beginning to explore the issue. 

So here's the challenge: Host a watch party with a church group. Organize a "lunch and learn" in the office. Make some popcorn and pop in the DVD with a small circle of friends. Challenge yourself to explore an issue that affects people everyday. Commit to learning more about it. And share the experience with others. 

Most importantly, be sure to share your experience with other members of the Change.org community. Write a comment below or email me at shannon@change.org. What tips and advice can you share with others looking to take the challenge?

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
PREVIOUS STORY:
Taking Stock: Hunger Across America
NEXT STORY:
Is the NCAA Putting Student Athletes at Risk?

COMMENTS (1)

    Comment Policy

    · All fields are required to comment.

    [X]

    Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the campaign on Change.org. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments which, as determined solely in our discretion: (1) are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; (2) include content solely intended to personally attack the campaign creator, (3) are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them; and/or (4) violate our terms of service and/or privacy policy. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion. Please also be advised that: (A) we do not actively curate and/or monitor in any manner whatsoever the comments made on the Change.org platform, and (B) the creator of each campaign on Change.org may remove any comment at her/his/its discretion.