Auraria Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (AHHA)

Join us for the 10th Annual Auraria Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, November 19-21! Find helpful resources available on campus and around Denver to help with food and housing insecurity. Across the three days of programming, there will be free food, free clothing, winter essentials, workshops, panels, SNAP benefit sign-ups, a mobile food market, haircuts, lessons on cooking on a budget, sexual reproductive health care, opioid overdose prevention, renters’ rights, and more!
Programming will be held in the Tivoli building from 10 am to 2 pm.
Check out our 2022 and 2023 event recap documents!

2022 Event Recap

2023 Event Recap

Schedule of Events

10:00 Coffee and Donuts

10:30 Food Justice Documentary

11:30 Cooking Demonstrations

10:00 - 2:00 Resource Fair

For more information, read the description below.

Our Why

The Auraria Campus is uniquely situated in that it serves many communities, not only students attending one of the three schools, but also members of the greater Denver community as well. It is evident that many members of the Auraria Campus community and those surrounding it face basic needs insecurities. In fact, a survey of MSU students found that 70% of the respondents had either been food insecure, housing insecure, and/or homeless in the previous year. We know that these rates increased during and after COVID19 and that they translate similarly to the other institutions on our campus.

Auraria Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week aims to shed light on these findings and provide resources and education to help our community members experiencing these challenges as well as equip others with knowledge and tools to help.

AHHA Week brings together members, organizations, student governments, and other groups from all three schools to compile school-, campus-, and community-based resources and make them accessible throughout the week. We hope to empower attendees to make use of these resources beyond AHHA week to support themselves and/or other members of their campus community.

Programs and Resources Available

Free Food Available

Offered by Same Café, SCORCares Mobile Food Pantry, The Preservery, the Health Center at Auraria, MSU CMEI, CU Student Life, MSU Dietetics, and more! Click these links to learn more about SCORCares and the Health Center at Auraria!

Food Is Medicine Cooking Demonstration

Foods that we eat today have the power to shape your health trajectory. Jon Padia is a passionate Registered Dietitian here on the Auraria Campus. He will be leading a cooking demo that will touch on affordable nutritious foods, making the most of your SNAP dollars or limited budget, and what steps students can take to adopt healthy habits. Come join us as we learn, have conversations, and eat!

Clothing Swap

Clothing donation collection will be Nov 1 through Nov 19th. Donations can be dropped at collection boxes outside of Tivoli 346. Please only donate clean, re-usable clothing (not ripped, stained, or worn out). Swap clothes (donate and/or take new-to-you clothing) at AHHA Week Nov 19th in Tivoli Turnhall!

Harm Reduction And Overdose Prevention Training

The Auraria Health Center, along with the ACPD, will be leading a naloxone training seminar.

In collaboration with SAFE Project, Auraria Recovery Community, and individual community partners, the Health Center is excited to offer our Overdose Response Training to community members. Join us for invaluable information on the opioid epidemic and its impact on our communities. Attendees will also learn how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and experience a live demo on how to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug Naloxone. You will also leave with resources on access to free harm reduction tools (like Naloxone and Fentanyl Testing strips).

Creative Community Solutions to Food Insecurity

Join local food justice leaders to learn more about pending food issues here in Denver. There will also be space at the end of this conversation for students to share their own thoughts and questions following the discussion.

Free Menstrual Products

To help the fight against menstrual and gender inequality, the ASCP is partnering with the Auraria Health Center to distribute menstrual cups, pads, and tampons free of charge to all of the the Auraria Campus Community. Come find the Auraria Health Center's table at the Resource Fair and help put an end to menstrual related inequity and discrimination.
Cups, pads, tampons, and educational materials will be available on November 21st at the AHHA event.

SNAP Benefits Enhancement Presentation

Want to learn how you can get free groceries? What about free fruits and vegetables every time you buy groceries with your EBT card? Learn more about Double Up Bucks and which farmers markets and grocery stores are participating near you! Caitlin Stuart will be chatting about all of these topics! Caitlin loves gardening, and is the Community Engagement & Navigator Manager at Nourish Colorado! Immediately after the presentation, join local food justice leaders to learn more about pending food issues here in Denver. There will also be space at the end of this conversation for students to share their own thoughts and questions following the discussion.

Accessing Free Hot Meals by the Preservery Foundation

A presentation on local food resources and how to access hot meals. The Preservery foundation is a nonprofit geared towards eliminating barriers to food for those who are unhoused. Want to learn how you can help? Join the Preservery' mission, Equitable Access to Food for All.

Resource Fair

This event has been developed by a tri-institutional committee on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver to share community education and resource connections surrounding food and housing insecurities. The event will include resource office representatives from each respective institution on campus as well as organizations from the greater Denver community. Partners will be offering free food, free personal care kits, free menstrual products, free wardrobe upgrades, advice on food stamp eligibility, recommendations on maximizing EBT dollars and help in signing up for SNAP, direct connections to full-person health care resources, and so much more!

Share Meals

Join us in our fight against hunger and food waste on campus by using the Share Meals app! Sign up to see which events around campus have food that will be available to community members. You can find free food nearby through Share Meals; see how much is available and how long it’s up for grabs. The app also has a list of centers across campus where students can find free food, personal care items, and other helpful resources. Sign up today by downloading the app on your phone or by using the web version!

To learn more visit: sustainbleauraria.org/sharemeals

Partners

Institutional Partners Include: MSU CMEI, MSU Student Care Center, MSU SCORCares, the Health Center at Auraria, Rowdy's Corner, Auraria Recovery Community, CCD SPARC, CCD Care Center, CU Student Life, CU Denver Single Stop, CU Denver Milo's Market

Community Partners Include: Indigo Salons, Nourish Colorado, and more!