[Georgia] Money, awareness raised for poverty

From The Red and Black

Last year when members of UGA’s Habitat for Humanity built a shanty town of cardboard shelters in the Tate plaza, they ended up sharing their night of homelessness with a man who experienced it daily.

President Billy Rudolph said a homeless man wandered through campus last year, not knowing about the organization’s annual Sleep Out, and he stopped at the event.

“He had a rickety guitar he probably paid 10 cents for and told us, ‘Most people call it noise, but I call it music,’” Rudolph said of the visitor.

Rudolph tuned the guitar and taught the man — whom he said had no musical ability — a few cords. The next morning, Rudolph rose to see the man sleeping in a box in the shanty town.

“We gave him a home for the night,” he said.

This week, Habitat invites students to participate in its third year hosting the Sleep Out during Habifest — a week of educational events focusing on poverty.

“It’s a worldwide, student-initiated week of advocating for affordable housing,” said Lee Ellen Carter, vice president of Advocacy and Education. “It exists to raise awareness about the issues surrounding substandard housing and to influence public policy so affordable housing is available to everyone.”

Habifest, which began Sunday, will continue tonight with a panel discussion on poverty in Athens. Panelists will include Director of Athens Area Habitat for Humanity Spencer Frye and Director of the University’s Poverty Initiative Joe Whorton, along with two Athens area Habitat for Humanity homeowners.

Wednesday evening’s activities will begin with a banquet that will simulate world poverty. Participants will be divided into different socioeconomic classes with a ratio equal to that of the world. The lower class will be given rice only, the middle class will be given beans and rice and the upper class will dine on lasagna. After a discussion about the activity, all will receive pizza.

Participants will then build cardboard houses in Tate Plaza. Activities will take place throughout the night, including a scavenger hunt on North campus, a luminary vigil in which members of Habitat will share poverty facts and personal stories and a concert featuring musical acts: With Someone Else’s Money, Nate Nelson and Spencer Frye Explosion.

“We focus more on poverty rather than the homeless because the most extreme level of poverty can’t afford housing,” Rudolph said.

Founded 12 years ago, the University chapter of Habitat for Humanity is building its tenth house. In order to receive housing, a family must have references, put in hours on building their home, work on other Habitat houses and pay a certain percentage of the home’s value, Carter said.

“Through volunteer labor and donations of materials, Habitat builds simple, decent houses,” she said.