Each week, a group of UCLA students serve at People Assisting
the Homeless (PATH), a transitional home in Santa Monica that
provides job search help, food and shelter.
Theresa Huang, a fourth-year sociology student and one of the
directors of the UCLA Hunger Project, believes “both the
residents and students benefit from each other’s experience,
and that our perception of homelessness really changed after
meeting some of the most talented, hard working people we meet
here.”
Volunteers provide much-needed help in the one-staff kitchen,
which serves food for 32 residents daily. Job development and
health education are also part of the Hunger Project’s
program to educate residents and help them get back on their feet.
Some are forced into homelessness because of job loss, marital
abuse or drug or alcohol problems.
Through the program, residents were able to find jobs, save up
money, and start life anew. An end-of-the-year ice cream social was
aimed at showing appreciation for all of the volunteers and
residents’ hard work, and appreciation for the chance for a
sweet beginning for some.